Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-04-01
GUN-CARTRIDGE FACTORY BLOWN
UP IN PHILADELPHIA

Professor Samuel Jackson, the we'll known
Of pyrotechnics had mlnulac-
tory for the getting up oi his explosive comma
hties ut Tenth and Reed streets. Immediately
norlh Of the Debtors Apartment OF the Moya-
mrnsng Prison,
The building occupied "a lot ut the northwest
corner OF the two streets, and covered IN extent
II GROUND 100 by 80 feet. The structure was
nearly of wood, aud near the centre waa n small
nrick building about 10 by IL. The buildings
were all vt one story. nni ~ iact were mere
sheds or shells. They we're divided inIo five
,partments, or shops, for moulding cartridges,
mixing the material for the same, attaching the
oals 10 cartridges, vanishing. aud packing
Them There were also drying rooms, aud shOls
lur carpenter work, together with small Office
AZ the north end Of the building was thcpowder
magazine which was merely II large hole dug 10
the ground and covered with boards, The mix
ing room was in the northwest corner Of the
building, close 10 the magazne. The moulding
room, where the explosion trst took pHce, was
1T the southern end Of the building near the
county prison wall The vanishing apartment
was GU the Tenth street side Of the building. lu
the brick building, and frame attachment to the
same, most of the female employees were nj work
attaching the balls TO the cartridges. Cartridges
were drying on trays in almost every part Of The
establishment ut the time Of the accident
Prof Jackson was extensively engaged III tie
manufacture OF Alne ball cartridges iur tha
United States Government. lie had grls, men,
aud boys engaged in making .dges--the
girls cementing the bullet to the powder ani
covering the JOINT with pieces Of silk. Even
with his large force Of work people, the pressure
upon the establishment WAS great, AMI on lrii4y
/ fifty additional hands were advertised fur
| About seventy live thousand cartridges were
turned ont daily, and at one time within week
there were million on hand
About half past eight O'Clock on Saturday
morning when the hands were all hnsiy en.
gagged, mn explosion took place, which was tol-
lowed "A moment after by second and more
violent explosion, which scattered the building
to pieces and sent the fragments flying through
the air mingled with portions of human oodies
The wreck remaining upon the ground i'm
mediaiey took fire aud the hoiriGe1 spectators
who were first upon the ground saw men, boys,
aud girls creeping from the ruins, with their
persons burned aud hackenel nnd in som,
cases with their clothing on fire, writhing Id
agony upon the ground
All OF the factory that was not blown to piece,
was destroyed by fire, and in very short tint
from the period of the explosion nothing was leI
but few eharred timbers, shattered wall, anl
II debris Of Mihe rifle balls, broken tools nnt
machinery and small portions of clothing.
II seems tint the first explosion took placv il
the moulding room, in the southwest portion .
the premises, where eight men and four boy
were employed.
The cartridges upon which the persons in tn
factory were employed are known as abr. Barth
lows solid water proof patent cartridgrs,"
MIR. Jackson had large order for making
these cartridges, Of various sizes, for the use o
the army of the Potomac, and for the last thre
week lie had been engaged in filling IL cuntrtc
for ,500,n0n carriages tor cavalry pistols
They were TO be completed within twenty day
more, and they were being turned out at tn
, rate of about 10000 day.
, Most Of the persons OF the moul1ing-room ar
So badly hurt rs to he unable to give any ac
count Of the origin of the disaster.
Mr. Jackson is ol opinion that the ignition
was caused hy fir ction in the moulding machine
: or The evolving Of laient heat by a sudden bio,
with the mallet upon the plnnge
The explosion, which commenced in IN
moulding room, soon ran through the range d
rooms to the mixing room aud the inngazlue {,
the opposite extremity Of the building, and th
r whole was speedily involved in ruins. As 500
as the explosion took place the rassers by wer
Mortified by seeing great umher Of girls run
= ming from the wreck Win their clothing i
/ ilnes There were y light women and girl.
eleven men, and nine boy. sevcnty-eighi pei
. sous in all, employed in The factory. OF thrs,
Z si1y-one have heen accounted for. and sescGtce
are missing, Many Of the latter have prohabl
d. sirayed away, uninjured