, 1866-05-12

Four Wen Klf1ed-Tleir Bodies Blown
~ Pieces and UnrecoEnfxnblc-Scv
teen TcnH Of Powder DesfFoycd-Cnrc-
1e--nth%. Induced BY lntoxlcatioA, the
Rfuba bic Cuuac Of the Accident.

Four Wen Rl&1ed-TletF Bodies Blown
~ PIecea and UnrecoEntxn blc-Sevcu.
teen Tcnn Of Powder DessroJcd-Cnrc-
Ie--iiet~> Induced BY lnto1lcalion, tho
Probable CnuAc Of the Accident.
From the Hartford Courier, Maye.1
Acout haN-past two o'clock yesterday
afternoon the water screw press mill con-
nected with the Hazard Powder Company Is
works ut Hazarlrillc exploded. The explosion
was distinctly heard in this city, and In some
places, particularly near the river, buildings
were shaken to q considerable extent, pieces
Of furniture being knocked down. A cloud
Of smoke rose immediately above the ruins
to height Of over one hundred feet. It's
spiral form, widening and twisting, together
with Its ynrfcgated coloring OF JET llnck and
Hight, presented strange and awful yet
beautiful appearance from dfstanse. It was
seen By persons near Trinity College, and On
other elevations hereabo
The cause OF the explosion Is not known.
In the press mill four men were employed.
and all were killed outright. The process OF
pressing powder is crushing it in machinery
from Jumps, and it is comparatively safe work
provided the powder is kept damp; ifi.is per-
nittea to become dry, particles Of sand OF
other substances which may possibly have
become mixed with it arc liable to occasion
Fiction, aud, IL all moisture has been pressed
out, IN explosion Is Of course inevitable.
That there was some difficulty or neglect Of
this kind may be true, though carelessness in
other directions, which would produce the
same result, is not improbable. The question
is one Of conjecture entirely.
The names of tue men killed were: Ed
mund Parker, aged forty John Keesehan.
aged thirsy-dEe.; William Agnew, aged
my: and Patrick Bailey, young man; Who
arrived last mon:.h from the old country. The
three former were married and have large
families. Aguew was for many years fireman
for the Hartford Carpet Company, and was
known as steady, industrious man !:
Bailey was quiet, modest and
eat little Is known Of him !;
lived IL 0'hst 4 9 Te1s we're 0sa s9so
intoxicating drinks, and, as last Saturday was
pay DIV, there are some people who think
they may hare been under the influence Of
liquor, which led them 70 be careless. Their
conduct on previous occasions alter pay day
Is the reason for this Suspicion.
In the press mill wcrc t]treen tons OF pow
der, and IN building adjoining, Which also
exploded, two tons. The fire communicated
to piece Of woods near by, and aooat tive
acres were burned over. The flames spread
in the direction OF two other buildings, In
stored, and their explosion was supposed 70
be Inevitable. Bnt Strong efforts were made
to stay the progress of the fire, and, just at
time when further RESISTANCE seemed
useless, one man, whose name We
the advance Of the burning timber, while
others had judiciously rctFeatcd, aud By his
bo1dness 20 encouraged the rest that all re-
turned, and their united efforts once more
proved ouccessfu1-the buildings being saved
ple ne know or would run for q rich powder
company. Human life In tho scale against
dollars and cents Of a corporation Is giving
Too many odds.
After the smoke had cleared away, the
large crowd OF people who had collected from
the surrounding country viewed a scene not
only Of dcsolation, but of the most horrible
description The four uufortudats human
beings, who had been ushered into eternfty,
were now to be thought Of, and search soon
revealed terrible sight. Their bodies had
been literally blown TO atoms. For several
with pieces Of fcsh and bones. Not single
portion Of either body was preserved In shape,
or sufficiently large to tell that the rcmnins
were those of men. TUFTS of hair we're dis
covered lere. and blackened Jumps of flesh
there; the largest thing found being piece
oi bone, not more than ten or twelve inches
long.
The last explosion Mt their works occurred
about year and half ago, but no lives
were lost. It seems strange to an ordinary
observer of mcn and their avocatious that
men can be found to work In such a place,
wages paid are far below what Is obtained In
non hazardous or moderately hazardous pur-
suits; yet We arc told that after ench
explosion: the applications for posi-
tions greatly exceed the want. Of the com
pany, whose prices, It may be proper to state,
three dollars pcr day. An explanation. OF
this may be found, perhaps, in the tact thar
Intelligent 1nen-those who arc careful and
would prevent explosions 50 fur IS human