The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-19
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
Iron ADDITIONAL LOCAL ITEMS SEE INSIDE rAsusl
EXPLOSION At THE BRIDEsBuRG ARSENAL.
Two Men are Killed and Another IL
Severely ID1ured.


Two Men are Killed and Another IL
Severely Injured.
Our chapter of accidents, and death as the
unfortunate result, 10 seems is not yet con-
cludedi but on this occasion we are happy in
Deing able TO record that the loss of life can De
charged TO no mans carelessness, as has so
hequently been the case Of late. $3.50,
- The scene of the accident was the OnlCe1
States Arsenal, near the suburban town OF
Bridesburg from which IL takes lis name Ine
Arsenal property is located on the north slde OF
Frankford creek, q short distance from the De
laware and Just 10 the east of FRANKFORT Ine
creek bounds it on the SOUTH and high walls
enclose it on the other three sides. Daring the
late war the Arsenal was the scene OF great
activity the employees Oh Lne hroa hrod a.
including men and women, boys ana girls.
The special manufactures OF the Arsenal lhen,
caps The latter are turned out ready charged,
and with great raBidity, by curious machine,
All the O dangerous work in the establishment is
performed in small square buildings OF brick,
which are scattered over the enclosure to pre-
vent an explosion In one from extending to
the others In one of these little isolated
apartments was the machlne Lor charging caps
oitable nature of this last compound, the
greatest care In manipulating II is observed,
and none but the moAt trustworthy OF the en-
ployes are permitted to labor in thts depart
ment IL has also been customary for the fore
man to examine the machine carefully before
il is set In motion, and for years 1t has per-
formed its task without mishap OF any kind.
on Saturday afternoon, at about O'clock the
foreman made his customary Investigation, and
pronouncing the machine ''all right" as was
apparently the case, IL was set in motion.
About two hundred caps had been turned out,
when there was O sudden and fearful explosion
of the illuminating powder" for which no
reason can be assigned or conceived. A portion
of the ILLUMINATING powder in the magazine
attached TO the machine must have come in
contact with the machinery In an improper
manner, but in what particular way will pro
badly remain q mystery forever as the young
man who was feeding at the time was so terribly
burned and mutilated that instant death was
the result.
The name of this unfortunate man was James
F. Carter He was about twenty.eight years of
age, and resided at No. 10 Mill street Franz
ford; TO which place his remains were removed.
He leaves o wife and two children.
Christian O. Zimmerman, a boy of fourteen
years only, was also badly burned, and so in
jured by the flying fragments OF the machinery
that he died about o'clock on Saturday morn
ing. He resided at No. 4s Bridge street, Brides
burg. Wesley Ginsell, aged twenty. seven, and
residing in the neighborheOd, likewise suffered
from the effects ef the explosion, and his reco-
very is considered doubtful There were several
others employed in the building, but as the
explosion, all except the three persons
above named fortunately escaped Without
injury.
AS large force was employed in the Arsenal,
all of them being residents of Frankford or
consterna alton prevailed in those usually quiet
towns until the extent OF the loss of life became
known TO the families and friends Of the
The Coroner made an investigation into the
affair yesterday, and the jury rendered the
following verdtct-"That the said James Carter
and Christian q. Zimmerman came to their
death by the explosion of a machine for filling
cartridges, at the Frankford Arsenal, on the
18th day OF August 1867. The jury are OF the
opinion that all due care and precaution had
been taken to avoid such explosions and pro-
tect the operations at these machines, and
therefore attach no blame to the authorities of
the Arsenal"
The fremen of the Vicinity were on the
ground in good season, but their services were
not called into requisition. II will be remem-
bered that about ten years ago similar acci-
dent occurred at the Arsenal, by which young
man by the name of Patrick Cooney lost his