The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-08-09
EXPLOSION OF GAREsHEs POWDER
MILLS AT WILMINGTON, DEL.
Four Persons Killed!---several Wounded!

i W1LLo AL W1LMlNGIUN, DEL.
Four Persons Killed!---several Wounded
i WILMINGTON, Aug. IA terrible ca
lamity occurred this morning, at Gar
eshe's Powder Mills, near this city. A
eight o'clock, tremendous explosion
which seemed to convulse heaven AM
earth, announced that another of thos
fearful accidents had taken place, whicl
can only result from the ignition of an i'm
mense quantity of this most dangerou
material in existence. Several tons O
gunpowder had, in fact, exploded, scat
tering death and desolation around.
Trees, buildings, fences were levellec
with the earth, and every movable OBJ
ject was dashed to an immense distance
and shattered in its fight. The sigh
presented, when the catastrophe was ful
ly evident, was pitiable indeed. 1t hal
been ascertaincd that not less than foul
persons were killed outright.
The explosion occurred in the Drying
House, and extended from thence to the
Packing House and Grinding Mill, stand
ing near by. All the workmen connect
ed with its operations in the drying house
were killed at once. They were blown to
a thousand fragments, as their remains
were found at various distances, from 500
to 200 yards. The names of the persons
killed are Joseph Duplane, Francis Fisch-
er, Eugene Perie, all Frenchmen by birth,
who were in the drying house when the
explosion occurred, and boy IA years
of age, who was riding past. The name
of this last victim was John Pugh. A
mong those who were seriously injured
was Thomas Mullen, whose shoulder was
dislocated and two men, whose names we
could not ascertain, were dreadfully
wounded, the persons last mentioned were
engaged in the Grinding Mill, which
stood some 800 yards from the Drying
House, and to which fire was communica-
ted by some turning portion of the latter
being conveyed hither by the high wind
which blew in that direction at the time
of the explosion.
The Drying House contained about one
and half tons of powder. The explo-
sion was tremendous, and broke large
quantity of glass in the dwellings in the
lower part of the city. The Drying
House had been in operation for forty
years without accident, and was consider
ed to be the safest house embraced in the
works.
In the Grinding Mill there were four
persons, none of whom were killed, but
two were dangerously hurt, and two 9TH
ers badly wounded. Peter Mckinley was
thrown about fifty feet, and it is feared
he will not recover. He received a Sc
we're confusion on the right side of the
head, his scalp is badly cut, and he is 9TH
er wise burned and bruised.
Patrick Bushe was running from the
mill, and was about thirty yards distant
when lightningrod descended and struck
him on the head, fracturing his skull in
such a manner as to render his recovery
doubtful.
Thomas Mullen had got short distance
rom the mill when bis collar bone was
broken by the descent of piece of tim
,er.
Another man, whose name could not
,e ascertained, was running beside Pat
lex Bushe when the latter was knocked
own. He stopped to pick up bis fellow
Eorkman, and escaped injury.
The engineer, William Mitchell, was
eated at his post reading newspaper
7hen the explosion took place. He saw
barrel of powder explode, and started
o secure his safety behind the chimney
tack, when q second exploded, which
lew down brick wall over his head
!is hand was caught by some portion Of
he wall and bruised, and he also received
ONE slight scratches on his check.
Patrick Guthrie and Michael Guthrie,
Tho were on the outside of the mill, es-
aped with slight injuries.
This mill was also torn to pieces. 1t
ontained about l400 pounds of powder.
,hich is less than the quantity usually
tored there.
The engineer says there was three sep g.,
rate explosions in the mill To those at
distance it seemed like single prolong- .
d explosion.
The trees around the Drying House
ere blown up by the roots, and the fields
ere literally covered with fragments of {
ood, cinders, and the remains Of the vic
ms. One or two horses were killed. !
Drs. Ashew, Bush, White, Wilson and ]
raper, from Wilmington, were at the |
,ene soon after the occurrence, rendering {
j the professional aid in their power. |
Mr.. Garesche says the explosion must I
ave been caused by one of the French {
en- who worked in the packing room be- |
G addicted to smoking pipe. Mr. G.. )
I'd cautioned him two weeks previous, L
I'D told him to quit the premises or give l
? his pipe. Mr.. G, supposed he had "a 4
lndoned the practice. y
WEST CHESTER, Aug. 3.-The shock '
the Powder Mill explosion at Wilm- {
gton, was felt here very sensibly. {
The project of annexing Platte County, I