Giant Powder at Anaconda

GIANT POWDER AT ANACONDA.

A Chinese Wash House Blown Up—Three Chinamen Killed and Three More Badly Injured.

At 3 o’clock Wednesday morning Anacondians were startled from their sleep by a report as loud as would be made by a 12-pound howitzer—a prolonged report like rolling thunder—and a minute or two after another abrupt report about half as loud followed. They proved to have been caused by two explosions of giant powder, the first estimated to be 5 to 10 pounds, and the second about half as much, placed under or close alongside a log Chinese wash-house on Front street. There were sleeping in it at the time seven Chinamen. Three were killed outright, one being blown out of the back door, crushed and broken to a mass; one other was so badly hurt that death was but a question of a few hours; two others were seriously hurt, with a probability that they will live only a few days, while one escaped with but little injury. The building was about 15×30 feet. The Chinamen slept in the rear part. The first charge was placed almost under the upright piece midway, where the two sections are joined, and the second charge was at the rear of the building. They were judiciously placed to demolish the building and kill the occupants, and the hellish purpose of the fiend who planned it was highly successful. The building was entirely destroyed. The shock was distinctly felt 200 yards away, and as the building was within a block and a half of Main street, it startled the town considerably. J. R. Quigley’s brick house, standing some 20 feet from the wash house, had all the glass in front shivered to minute fragments, but so far as we have learned no damage was done to walls. A China restaurant next door was but slightly damaged. Up to latest accounts there was no clue whatever to the perpetrators, and the matter seems shrouded in impenetrable mystery. It is one of the most diabolical outrages ever perpetrated in Montana, and merits the most condign punishment if the perpetrator can be found.