The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-04-16

MORE PARTICULARS OF THE EXPLOSION AT DU-
POINTS POWDER MIILs.--The explosion occurred
in the packing house and press room Of the establish
ment But 1t Is impossible to conjecture in which
the fire originated. 1t was lucky that valuable
chinery contained in either Of these buildings but
the loss Of life Is shocking In the extreme In single
instant eighteen Of fellow have been hurried to
the grave. One who had been found horribly mutatcd
but unable to speak, though still breathing, has since
died.
The bodies to pieces that 1t was imposs-
BILE to recognize Them and no other means existed of
certaining who lost and who saved than by
calling the roll (after ringing the belly of those attached
to that portion Of the works The silence which follow
evidence Of the loss Of the lives of those who
piled when they were called One who had his leg
broken at long distance from the of
renee by being struck with piece Of timber is the only
wounded who survived far could be
occurred stood is left bare and desoate though
work Of human labor and skill had been expended
it few loose stones fragments Of mortar black
and charred splinters constitute every thing that
mains to indicate the exact position which they
Gently occupied.
The amount Of powder exploded it is believed by the
owners, did not exceed 5000 pounds. The pccuniary
loss is comparatively small although the glass shat
tered from the windows and the clustering stripped in
great degree from the ceilings and walls Of the houses for
a mile around
We saw many windows blown in entire In some of the
large residences Of the Messrs Dupont window
left perfect and sides they all blown entirely
out Much glass was broken at the distance of mile
half. The screams and lamentations Of the and
children truly hcart-rcnding They heard be-
wang their dreadful loss at the distance of than
backened remains of the killed Verdict according to the
facts already detailed.
1t is said of the Messrs Dupont that he main
tanned his position upon the top Of building in which
three hundred kegs OF powder stored while the roof
fire. and by this act Of undaunted herosm,
ceeded in quenching the flames with the water which
supplied him In buckets from below before the fire
communicated to the powder within, and thus doubtless
preserved many valuable lives
Those killed have almost universally left wives and
children They were among the most valuable and
cessf hands attached to these great works many Of
INDEPENDENT - fou
II is usual at the mills to have two acts Of hands one
employed in the day and the other in tho night About
six O'clock yesterday morning, they about
leving the night hands and some twenty eight ndvidu
ais in the mills from some yet unknown
the packing house and press room suddenly exploded
Two distinct explosions, 1t Is said heard caused
probably by the buildings exploding in succession aud
simultaneously II is curious to notice the power Of
the subtle agent which produced all this mischief which
may be inferred from the fact that gentleman who re-
sides five miles the north Of this city distinctly felt the
conclusion for along time wondered what produced
The powder mills situated about 80 miles south Of
Philadelphia and tho vibrations produced In the amos
phere by the explosion extended scnsiby distance OF
nearly 40 miles from the spot Fortunately for the other
buildings the amount Of powder at the mills wi" not so
great usual
Tho owners, who contractors with the United
states government for supplying powder to the army In
Mexico had sent of large quantity to that destination
else the effects would have been terribly destructive
they some twenty eight years ago when the cx
plosion followed from one building OF the mills TO ano
thcr until 1t reached the magazine when most terrible
destruction was produced Yesterday 1t did not reach
the magazine.
We understa nd that the Messrs Dupont, In accord
anoe with practice Of their father before them gene
rousy bestowed each Of the widows Of the unfortu
nate victims Of this dreadful casualty 500 annually
long they remain widows
Among the singular incidents related Of this distress
Ing accident learn that Of the killed had pre-
vousy lost three Of the fingers Of Of his hands and
that Immediately hearing the explosion the family at
his dwelling rushed to the door, and almost the first OBJ
ject that their sight the well known mutilated
hand severed from the limb lying the threshold upon
the ground
or or tba ysoa,
figured that 1t could not be known to which of the
blackcned and mutilated trunks IL had belonged we
we're informed was found the best part Of mile from
any Of the bodies, and nearly all the human remains
were so drcadfuy torn and discoorcd as to be with
great difficulty recognized by their friends The picture
sible TO magne.-PhLad. Ledger, .1priL 10.