Big Explosion at Charters Towers.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42786, 3 October 1905, Page 3

Big Explosion at Charters Towers.

Brisbane, This Da}’. Charters Towers was startled yesterday nr-ruing by a terriffic explosion of work being d y namited at I the Queen Cross Mine, which wrecked a mill and seriously damaged adjoining’ property. Portions of machinery anil debris were hurled a hundred yards. People living in the neighbourhood were almost thrown from their beds by the explok'o;i. Windows and crockery were broken in all d’ro itious. There were several narrow o capes. The end of a cylinder smashed through the wall of the house of the Manager, Mr Maclaren, and cut the piano in two. Tie funiituro in Mr Maelarcn’s house and adjoining houses is all destroyed, Two watchmen sleeping at the mill miraculously e coped with slight iii nrius, The mill was cleaned up at midnight on Saturday, and as no amalgam was bn the premises Ihe watchmen went to bed, it is believed the perpetrators wore aware of this as the explosion occurred a couple of hours later. It, is supposed that they placed a case of dynamite between the high and low pressure cylinders, the must vulnerable point. The sound of the explosion was heard seventeen n.”’!es away. People rushed from their beds in a panic.