The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-06
Two Powder Houses Blown Up-One
Man Torn I'm Pleasures UproOt-
ed-Sticks of Timber Thrown One
Thousand Feet into the Afr-The
Shock Felt at a Distance of Thirty

Miles.
PoUGHKEEPsIE, June 3.-Two powder
houses belonging to Smith & Rand, located
west of Newburg, were blown up to-day.
The houses were located in sort Of ravine,
two or three hundred feet apart. One was
the granting mill, and the other the glazing
mill. In the granting mill were five tons
of powder in the cake. In the glazing mill
there was about one ton Of powder. The
buildings were separated from each other
by o stream, across which is dam, and
both structures were all of one hundred feet
from the plank road leading to Walden, on
the north side. On the south side was o
storehouse in which three hundred kegs of
powder ready for market were stored. Next
to it also was another building, which was
connected with the granting mill by an iron
shaft four inches in diameter and eighty
feet long. This, then, was the situation.
At 6 A. M. the granting mill exploded
with a tremendous shock, being blown to
atoms. In five seconds after, the glazing
mill also exploded with terrific report.
The building on the south side of the road
did not explode, but the doors were blown
off, the sides crushed in, and the roof torn
away. The iron shaft spoken of above was
broken in twain, and fifteen feet of it car
ried over the tops Of trees distance Of 500
Yards. Another piece twice the length was
bent almost double. When the explosion
took place o column Of smoke and dust shot
far into the air and was visible many miles.
Young trees were uprooted and thrown q
third of a mile, while old trees able to stand
the shock were stripped of branches and
leaves entirely, and every inch of them
blackened and charred. Large numbers OF
birds were found dead and dying in the Vi
cinity.
The saddest part Of the affair is yet to be
told. In the granting mill, at the time OF
the explosion, German named Adam
Schossler was at work. He was faithful
man, and had been in the employ OF
the company FIVE or six years. His body
was blown to pieces. His head and por-
ton of his shoulders were found near a
tree about six hundred feet from the mill,
Other pieces of his body, including
limbs, pieces of charred flesh, and part OF
one of his arms, were found strewn along
on the ground and hanging to branches OF
trees. It was terribly sickening sight
ONLY about two-thirds of his body were
found. The pieces were placed in barrel
till Coroner Thomas Bingham, of Newburg
arrived, when on inquest was held, the
jury returning verdict in accordance with
the facts.
The cause of the explosion is not known
One theory is as follows: For about two
weeks past men have been at work near the
mill blasting. Some of the stones from the
blasts were hurled about promiscuously, Q
few lodging in the roof of the granting mill
1t is thought that this morning one of the
stones dropped through, and that the fric
ton caused by its coming in contact witt
the powder caused the explosion.
The report was distinctly heard in al
area of thirty miles. At Newburg, horses
were thrown violently to the ground, build
ings were shaken, and window-glasses were
broken. The earth was greatly agitated
Had the explosion occurred one hour late
twenty persons would have been killed, q!
that number go to work every morning at
o'clock in the granting mill. | NEGLECTED t
mention that sticks Of timber were thrown
one thousand feet into the air.,