Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-06-15
TREMENDOUS GUNPOwDER EXPLOSION

The following are the interesting particulars
of the appalling gunpowdcr explosion which
occurred in Wilmington, Delaware, on the 3lst
of May, as before briefly announced in the pa
pers The article is from Wilmington paper
About II o'clock on the 3lst ult., three wag-
ons loaded with five tons of gunpowder, belong
ing to Dupont & Co., exploded at the corner of
l4th and Orange streets, killing fifteen horses
and three drivers, named John KEGS, Thomas
Farley, and Thomas Chambers also two other
men and one woman, and child is also missing
One man, two women, apd a child were serious
ly injured. The dwelling houses of Bishop
other dwellings and six stables were demolished.
About seventy-fve other houses were badly dam
aged, and many persons slightly hurt. Damage
estimated at $4,000.
The teams were passing the elegant residence
of Bishop Lee, which was badly shattered. The
floors were broken up and every window and
door in the house was torn away and broken to
pieces The Bishops beautiful garden was en-
one servant and child in the house the Bishop
and his family being absent attending con-
vention of the diocese in st. Andrews Church,
few squares off. The servant woman was very
badly hurt, and the child escaped nearly un-
harmed.
Three houses on Orange below l4th street,
were completely destroyed. One of the houses,
a wooden structure, was utterly demolished.
young lrishman, boarding with John McLaugh-
lin, was fatally injured, and died shortly after
the disaster.
The scene in the neighborhood of the explo-
sion exceeded all description, and looked as if
an earthquake had taken place.
There were three teams, each containing $50
kegs of powder from the Dupont Mills, which
were estimated at about five TONS The powder
was being conveyed from the mills to the wharf,
for shipment, and many persons living in ada
cent houses were more or less injured
The residence, barn and stables of j F. Price
were nearly demolished, and colored man was
killed.
Trees were torn up by the roots, and fragments
of the wagons, horses and drivers scattered in
all directions. The mutilated remains of one of
the drivers were lodged on the shore of Brandy
wine.
Nearly all the houses along Orange street, as
far south as 10th, had their glass shattered Thus
far only five persons are known to have been
killed.
Tho explosion was felt thirty-fve miles south
Of Wilmington. Total loss $4,000
The Philadelphia papers furnish the following
additional particulars
The trees along the street and garden border
ing, were stripped of their leaves and some torn
up by the roots. Fragments of the wagons hor-
SEES and drivers were blown in all directions. A
human arm was found at distance of 800 feet !;
one OF the drivers was blown over the trees, and
tho fra TO IF HI, boJ, la. Al
OF the Brandywine, which runs behind Bishop
: Lees grounds.
All the walls and other objects in the houses,
injured by the explosion, were driven toward it
instead OF from it. The appearance of the hou-
ses shows that the great vacuum occasioned by
the explosion had caused the air in the houses
3 to burst them.
In Mr.. Prices house, the heavy folding doors
between the parlors, which were CLOSED at the
: time, were forced violently from off the hin.
8 ges, and carried to- the end of the room The
t windows and doors in every case were driven
4 outwards. The tire of one wagon, weighing
: 100 pounds was thrown distance of 200 feet
Z, and fragment of another tire, inches broad
: was driven through the trunk of large tree
i The explosion caused terrible sensation owe
h the whole city. In the neighborhood, the peo
5 pie rushed from the houses in great terror. A
gentleman riding on horseback some distanc,
from the head OF the wagon felt the grounc
r trembling, and at the came time was lifted from
y his horse, and seeing the windows falling int,
y the street, thought an earthquake had come up
n on him.
It The cause of this terrific explosion is no
!. known, as all the drivers of the teams wer
! killed. The Messrs Dupont, the owners Of tn
e powder, were immediately on the ground, rem
y dering any assistance in their power. The los
= OF property is estimated at $4,000, which tn,
: Duponts have signi6ed their intention of paving
y The powder and teams are valued at about 5000