The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-30 00:00:00

(TWOPENCE

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT THE PAVERSHAM
POWDER WORKS.-LOSS OP ELEVEN LIVES.

Shortly before eleven o'clock on Saturday morn-
ing the inhabitants of Faversham and the country for
miles around were startled by the report of three distinct
explosions, following each other in rapid succession,
shaking every house in the town, and breaking the glass
in many of the tradesmen's windows. It was soon found
that a triple explosion, with great lossof life, had occurred
m the south-east corner of the Marsh Works of Marrs.
Hall and Son's extensive powder weeks, situate about •
mile trona Faversham, and within • few yards of the dis-
astrous gun cotton explosion which took place about
twenty years ago. An occurrence of a nature so serious
has not happened since that time. The works extend over
several parishes, and consist of • number of mills, when
the various processes are carried on. The scene of the
explosion consisted of the following premises, viz., 1. A
charge-house, where the powder is stored previous to being
conveyed to the press-house. 2. The prees-house itself, in
which the ingredients are pressed and broken into cakes.
3. The corning-house, where, as the name implies, the
powder is granulated. 4. An enginshouae ; and 5. The
glaring-house. The machinery in the respective buildings
was connected with the engine by means of • shaft. The
explosions occurred in the corning-house, the press-house,
and the charge-hones, which burst within ten or twelve
seconds of each other ; but it is impossible to say which
of the three went fine. The destrastion, however, was
most complete, and it wee soon discovered that of the
fourteen men employed in these departments eleven
were killed. The press and corning houses were slight
buildings, and protected oe three sides by substantial
walls, some five or six feet in thickness, besides heavy
earthworks, the fourth side being left open
towards a marsh country, as a kind of vent in case of
accident. For • considerable distance the ground was
strewn with rafters, brick-bats, and debris of machinery.
To give an idea of the force of the explosion it may be re-
marked that a piece of cast iron weighing about two tons
was carried a distance of over 300 yards. The walls by
which the buildings were surrounded were rent in several
places, and large trees growing in the vicinity were torn up
by the roots and split into innumerable pieces. The fol-
lowing are the names of the killed : W. Sony, Thomas
Amos, Thomas Beck, John Young, Christopher Johncock
Edward Young, William Austen, George Taylor, Thomas
Bildock, William Eley, and John Payne. It is a singular
fast that the whole of them were married men, and some
et them leave large families. It isalmost needless tasty that
newly all the deceased were blown to pieces. A number of
mon set to work and searched the debris for the remains
of the unfortunate workmen, which, when found, were
awe shattered remnants of flesh and bone. Three men
who were in great jeopardy escaped. A young man named
Bramble was in a boat, going from one building to another.
At the first explosion he either fell or jumped into the
water, and thus was miraculously saved. Another man,
mated Frederick Sherwood, had just left one of the build-
ings destroyed, and was in a little shed close to the engine-
house when the explosion took place, but yet escaped
unhurt. The engine driver, Thomas Jones, was in the
engine-house, and escaped with slight injury to his hand.
Tice engine-house and glaring-house were found to be eon-
sidembly damaged, and some apprehension was felt for the
safety of the latter, which contained a quantity
of powder. Great numbers of people flocked to
the spot. Messrs. Hall and Son were hunting
with the Tiokham fox hounds in the vicinity at the.tion,
but the report of the explosion brought them imme-
diately on the ewes of the disaster. Four medical men
of the town—bleasn. Spong, Spyen, Gangs, and Gera•
way—were present to render assistance, but their services
were not required. This is the third occurrence of the
kind that has taken place this year at these works, and
the total deaths resulting therefrom numbers eighteen.
A brother of the deceased, Thomas Back, was killed in
April ; and George Bramble, a relative of the survivor of
the present sentient, was killed in August. The canoe
of the accident appease to be spanown. That it was
purely an accident there can be no doubt,