Rhode Island American And Gazette

Terrible Explosion.--A Rio Janeiro paper of April 13th contains an account of a violent thunder storm which descended upon Porto Alegre on the 11th of March. The rain fell in torrents, and the lightning struck in several places. A powder-house about a league from the city, containing 37,500 pounds of powder, was struck and blown to atoms. The explosion shook the whole city, like an earthquake. The houses on the margin of the river felt the shock most, and every building received more or less injury. All the materials of the powder house were thrown the distance of more than 200 rods; the foundations were torn up, and not a tile or beam was left. The woods in the immediate vicinity were swept down, and the largest trees torn up by the roots. At a distance of 16 or 20 rods from the magazine, a military guard was quartered, and although the building which they were in was greatly injured--particularly in the roof, not a single soldier suffered any material harm. Several cattle, which happened to be near, were killed.

N. Y. Jour. of Com.