The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-03
TIE Ganpcwdes Calamity az Wilmington,
Delaware.
saroN coRREsPoNpKNcE.

EXPLOSION of some four hundred and fifty kegs OF
povdcr this morning. The scene Is truly awful:
trees torn from their roots others with not leaf
10 be seen upon them. For half mile before you
reach the place you can discover the effects Of the
explosion on either side Of the street, almost every
house has more or less Of the windows and window
sashes broken completely out, and in many instances
the houses will have to be torn down and rebuilt.
The scene Immediately in the neghborhood is be-
yond description-everything looks blackened and
shattered. Bishop Lees house is complete wreck.
ventured into it, and found zone room, situated in
the front part Of the house, the floor and walls
completely covered with blood; on inquiry found
Il came from girl about twenty-five years Of age,
who was sitting at the window at the time OF the
accident. She is very much mangled; her eyes are
both out-so l was informed by the person who was
FIRST the spot and who carried her out of her Pc
rilOus situation. This same person, who at the time
Of the explosion was at work about SIX hundreo
yards off in his cooper shop, the root OF which was
partly torn off and more or less OF the workinen
Injured describes the sensation at the Tune as
being crushed to the earth and then hited and the
noise like the rolling of drum. little girl, three
ward back of the Bishops house, escaped with
but O few cuts on the head, which are not
thought dangerous, supposed to be from splint-
ers from large tree, which no doubt saved her
Hie, for there Is not limb on it,; still the trunk
OF ii shows very plainly what it had to withstand.
Not far from this tree there is another without any
bark upon it, and a part of the iron tire from the
wheel driven almost through IT, You cannot walk
a yard without stepping on horse flesh and blood.
They are strewed in every direction. All the trees
in the neighborhOod have, more or less, pieces Of
flesh hanging upon them. The exact spots where
the wagon wheels stood can be easily perceived as
the ground is torn up the depth Of three feet and
the very spot where the horses stood be plainly
seen by the large pools Of Blood 1t would seem as
though they had been first crushed TO the earth, and
N1.c, %, x1,a rs.,1a aF hna Irt
the poor, unfortunate drivers, only portions of
them have been found in such small fragments that
they could not be identified. The hand and part OF
an arm Of q woman have been found, but to whom
they belonged is not known but supposed TO be part
Of the remains of German woman, who was seen TO
pass just before, with small child with her. She
has not been seen since, though some state that
woman was seen riding IN one Of the wagons. ana
in front of the first wagon-in which, at the time OF
the explosion was negro man, who was instantly
killed-took fire, and his body burned to crisp.
Fortunately for Bishop Lee, he and his family
were at Trinity Church, the convention being in
session. The accident is supposed to have occurred
from keg Of powder in the first wagon leaking and
train and the horses attached to the last train set
ting it off by striking their shoes against stones
on which the powder was scattered, and SO setting
them all of at once. There are seven known to be
killed. and no doubt others viii die from the effects
Of injuries they have received.
Should this be Of any interest TO you, you can rely
upon the statements contained in it. Excuse this
scrawl, as am in haste for the cars, which are
: about oil.
TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION OF FRoPERTy-SAKEs or
TIE KILLED-vERDIcT OF THE coRoNERs JURY.
IRON the Philadelphia Bulletin, June IL
The frightful explosion Of gunpowder in the
streets of Wilmington, yesterday morning, is with
out parallel in the history OF gunpowder explosions
IN that city, comparatively frequent such events
have been there. The great explosion Of 1918, al
though attended with greater loss Of life was not
marked by as fearful circumstances as this recent
disaster. The scene Of The accident is doubtless
familiar to very many Of readers, it is located
in the most beautiful part Of the CITY, Fourteenth
street, where the powder exploded, is the extreme
northern thoroughfare Of the city; it lies at the
base Of the hill the foot Of which is washed BY the
the nishap, occupied the square Of ground between
Orange ard Market streets. The last named street,
at this point, is lined with mansions Of wealthy cit
zens, and it is known as the "Brandywine Walk, y
along the stream IS gained.
The train of wagons had started from the mill for
the purpose of conveying their dangerous burthen
TO the wharf where it to be slowed in the mag
azine belonging to Messrs. Dupont & Co. The pow
der was packed in kegs Of twenty-five pounds each,
which were slowed in three heavy covered wagons.
messed tandem. The entire amount Of powder in
the three wagons was certainly not less than fonr
hundred kegs or five tons. This il the exact amount
az given rs by one Of the Messrs. Dupont.
street from Tatnall, and the foremost team was
near the corner of Market street, when the explo-
sion occurred The team following was about mid
way between Market and Orange streetsat the time,
and the hndmost wagon was just at the junction OF
the last named street and Fourteenth street. The
wagons were equi-distant apart, being separated
from each other by space OF from thirty to fifty
Feet
AT twenty-five minutes past 10 o'clock, from some
mysterious cause, the powder became ignited and
in instant three explosions took place; the re-
ports followed each other in such rapid succession
that It was difficult TO distinguish them from one
prolonged explosion, but there were nevertheless
three distinct reports.
Persons within short distance Of the spot had
no intimation Of what had happened until they
found themselves Frustrated upon the ground, OF
hurried along by some irresistible impulse; the fear
ful sound like the booming Of thousands OF cannon
then deafened them, and at the same instant the
ruins flying through the air terrified the stoutesi
hearts. Citizens who lived at a greater distance
from the spot first knew Of the disaster by seeing
the lurid FASH or by the rocking Of their dwellings
the crashing Of their window glass the falling Of
the plaster from their apartments about their heas
After the momentary panic had subsidized the mass
Of the population hurried to the scene OF deyasta-
ton, and witnessed what might be literally said to
-beggar description. The vicinity, which but few
moments before had been one OF the most beaut tul
IN the city, was nothing but blasted waste, lad
those who were most familiar with the spot beca ne
bewildered and found it difficult to tell where trey
were. The fine mansion Of Bishop Lee was tosler
ing mass OF runs. Inc SlaDle OF James ~. IIlCe
was heap Of burning rubbish while upon the op
posite side OF Fourteenth street the stable Of James
Candy was also in flames. The fine mansion Of Mr.
James e. Price on the southwest corner Of Market
and Fourteenth streets, was dreadfully shattered
and the old homestead Of the Candy family, upor
the opposite corner, was in similar condition.
The frame dwelling of Thomas Hughes, on the
southeast corner Of Orange and Fourteenth streets
was prostrated to the ground and the brick dwell
ing Of Mr.. Mclaughlin, adjoining it, was rent from
top to bottom and seemed about to fall to the earth
Upon the opposite Of Orange street, the brick
and stone building occupied by Richard Reynold;
was completely shattered. Almost al the trees and
sArubbery in the neighborhood were torn to piece
and scattered, and not q fence or clubhouse wa
left standing The 1st shocking sight Of al was
the remnants OF human bodies and fragments Of
horses which were scattered about in every direc
zion. The three drivers were, it s believed astride
their horses at the time Of the explosion. The re
mains Of two Of these men. named James Keys and
John Chambers were found, horribly mutiated, and
nf cnnrse kfeleea: while the third. named JhOnlas