THE DYNAMITE EXPLOSION AT JOHANNESBURG.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10100, 8 April 1896, Page 5

THE DYNAMITE EXPLOSION AT JOHANNESBURG.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] Wellington', Tuesday. Describing the explosion of dynamite ab Johannesburg a few weeks ago, Mr. Myers says that about throe o'clock in the afternoon he was in the Stock Exchange, and was startled by hearing a terrific noise, and immediately felt as if struck on tho hack of the head by a billet of wood, the sensation being caused by concussion. On rushing into the streob he saw an immense dust in the direction of the railway station, and driving there found that a largo quantity of dynamite which had beon lying on trucks exposed to the powerful rays of sun had exploded dealing death and destruction all round. When Mr. Myers reached tho spot ho found tho explosion had torn a hole in the ground almost large enough, as he now believes, to have taken in tho steamer lonic. Tho sight was a horrible one. The ground was covered with dead and dying blacks and whites and a large number of people wore badly injured. Over 40 were killed outright and a number have since succumbed to their injuries. Within an hour tho injured people were receiving every attention in improvised hospitals, the athletic gymnasium and skating rink, a huge structure situated about half a mile from the scene of the mishap, having boon fitted up for their uso. Many of those who were injured cannot recover, and the total number of deaths will not be far short of 100. Mr. Myers relates with no small amount of pri'Jo that in half-an-hour after the catastrophe fully £40,000 was subscribed in the city in aid of tho sufferers, and that the fund has now reached a total of £130,000.