Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-03-26
From Poulson's american Daily 3D.
DREADFUL CATASTROPHE.

From Poulson's american Daily I'D.
DREADFUL cATAsTaoPHE.
| We are indebted to respectable
friend for the subsequent statement OF
The deplorable effects of the explosions
which occurred un the Brandywine, on
Thursday morning last.
Wilmington, (Det.> March 10. 1913
We have just returned from viewing
the sad catastrophe, which has occurred
this day at the upper Powder Mills Of
L. J. DuPoNr, on Brandywine, about S
miles abuve this town
Ga rejecting IN the scene and circum-
stances, it may be proper to give brief
description of them, together with the ST.
tuation, as ineligible as we can.
The works alluded TO, are, the Eiu'hs-
rean, or upper powder works, at which,
is MIR. DupOnt's re.idence-they are the
most ancient of the two establlsnmcnt,-
the others, at Hagley, are about mile
below, on the same stream, more modern
and more extensive than those now aIlud.
ed TO.
At this cs ab'ishmen' the Brandywine
runs through an open vale, and - he
south side Of it the powder works were
begun to be erected about the year 1900.
The mills situa'c for ab"at GOO feet along
the creek, consisted Of a drying house,
sulphur mill, pounding mill, birel mil,
siftrg mill, &c. forming one side Of an
hUllaw -Gua,e OF 10 10 90 acres: on tie
south side of which was Mr.. DapSnt's
house, beautifully elevated on an cni-
nence-while the houses OF the work peU-
pie extended on the west.
The fiat ground round the mills was
left open for the convenience Of inter
course, &c. ard conveyance Of the pow
der, as necessary. throughout the works,
which was done on a wiGc b1erdcd walk,
extending iron eve building to another.
The mills were situate On the creek side
OF the race, and very much separated by
! II from the rest ni the estabishment-ihe
! saltpetre refining house was within the
grnund Immediately below Mr.. EIports
house. and the magazine without the area,
at considerable distln,e above the works.
Every mecauii0n appears TO lave been
taken to conduct the business with all the
safety which the nature OF the case adj
mitted-a guard house was erected on an
elevated position, and the whole area
surrounded by high fence, and the ell
trance was by gates which were general
y closed.
At about 10 r'cIock in the morning
the first shock was felt through the al
Joining country, and generally gave the
sensation Of an earthquake; how ever, the
day being remarkably clear, the smoke
was soon seen 10 ascend in the form OF
superb white cloud, in an uneven fieecy
appearance in the air, and at once indl-
Gated that it must be al explosion of the
powder wo ks. This was probably the
first OF those which tOOk pace, and was
soon ttcr followed by another more Sc
we're.
On reaching the establishment, the
whole catastrophe appeared to have been
compile ed-aLd, as near a. can be dis
covered, the immediate cause arose from
perssn going into the pounding mill from
one of the coal k!lns !: at least at the time
of his entering the the explosion took
place thee, from whence it spread TO the
rest-the tmbers, roofs, &c. were pro-
iected at this time, in every direction,
ant set ire in succession to the build.
ings proceeding up the stream till they
were all destroyed, and lastly the maya
zine The drying hcuse, which was low
err than the ,e.', was tie only powder
building not blown up.
The several explosions p'os'ratcd all
the DuiIdinss in winch they originated,
1spt the pounding mIii--the va Is o.
which, ore not thrown d0wn-and the
shock was 80 great as to burst of the
roofs from DGs uf the houses, barns, sta
bes, shops, &C which formed a village
round the wmks. The mansion hou,, "f
Ed Dupont, suffered principally IN the
windows, pla,te'lng anu furniture, which
were materially injured but a, the guam
tlty of powder was small, prGhably no
exceeding six or eight tons in the whole.
some idea may be formed how dreadful
might have been the event urder more
uatavorabe circumstances.
Mr. Duptnt was from home at the time,
and we are very happy 10 believe tie in