Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-07-02
Terrible Explos ion at DuPont'o Powder
Mills.
Tao Men Killed and Three Wounded.


About halfpast nine O'Clock yesterday
morning terrible explosion took place nj the
powder mills of E. l. DUPONT de Nemours
& Co., four miles from Wilmington, on the
banks OF the BrandYwine. The explosion {
took place in the graining and rolling mills
in the Hagley yard, completely destroying
everything in the vicinity.
The scene after tie disaster was terrible,
women and children crying and screaming,
and begging for admitlance through the
Jss,! gates 9a . the EaId which had to be kept
tent OF the Injury done and the number of
killed and wounded was not known, but il
was at last discovered that two men were
killed and three wounded. The names OF
the killed aie Peter Massey and John Ma
loney. The former, who had been employed
at the mills Tor thirty years, leaves wife
and seven or eight children.
There were seven tons of powder IN the
mills at the time OF the explosion, but tor
tunately only lour OF them exploded. The
remaining three tons were afterwards wheel
ed out by the workmen. The gate ut the
front and main entrance to the yard was
torn 10 pieces. All along the creek the roofs
Of the buildings were 10 be seen floating
down the stream, thrown there by the ter
rible shock. The large structure known as
the Stone Block, situated on the edge of
|
the workmen reside, was shattered almost
to pieces. The doors, windows and
roofs were carried off hundreds OF yards
and the furniture torn into thousands OF
fragments. A never-fallng spring near by,
which furnished the neighborhood with
! water was in an instant dried up. In one
| house, fully mile distant from tie exploded
mill, package OF sugar OF some five pounds
in weight which was lying on the window
: sill. was torn to pieces and scattered all
4 around, merely by the conclusion. All
5 along the pike the leaves were torn from the
: trees as though violent hurricane had been
5 sweeping past A large field of corn
quarter of II mile distant was completely
leveled 10 tue ground snd upioOie1
Henry Clay Factory, which is a quarter
= OF mile distant from the first gate, had all
=, its windows and doors torn out, not pant
i Of glass remaining. The girls employed In
II the building were terribly cut up by the
glass from tho windows, and came rushing
out covered with blood A man engaged in
e wheeling powder about thirty yards from
the mill was knocked down by the concus
!, sion. Another was badly injured by q f.
Ing missile and jumped into the creek ioi
9 safety. A Mrs. Gangher narrowly escapet
. death from being struck a terrible blow ii
the Dacs by stone. A Mrs. Dealey re
: ceiYed severe cut in the head by stone
= huge hinge from one Of the doors oil til
70 mill passed within a few inches Of the heat
oil woman and a child she was carrying
IN her arms, and buried ITSELF in Ii en-coop
The woman, thinking only OF her child
threw herself IN her face on tho ground
If and held her child beneath A man VIII
a was near the mill with load of -four ha
q his horse knocked down, and ran TO say
!. himself. The horse got up and started o
Is at rapid rate, bringing up against the gat
.. post, and tearing the wagon To pieces
, Men were sent inside the building 10 dis
4 cover the extent OF the injury there tukin
% With them kegs, in which they gathered ul
,r the rpmains oil the dead Massey was tori
Ie into small fragments, but halnney was no
n. so much mutilated.
r. For miles around the excited people hock
10 ed out to the scene Of the disaster in mul
litudes, never stopping for CouVeyances o
following roads, but rnnnlng across lots AM
as fields. AS each one had some relative o
10 friend in which they were interested, tn
as excitement was intense and painful 10 be
r. hold. One woman in Wilmington starle
ed out Madison street, and ran all the way /
" the mills.
Is There has never been so great shock I
rs this city since the explosion of the powdu
III wagons al the corner OF Thirteenth an
D. Orange streets, many years ago, and neyc
III have the buildings in the vicinity OF Brandy
n, wine Banks been so badly injured. In Wi
d mington the heavy report from the ignite
powder created the greatest excitement, an
x, every one appeared 10 anticipate the caus
p OF it. So great was the shock that the larp
<. window OF Ferris II Garretl's plumbing an
gas fitting store, 504 Market street, wa
shattered TO pieces. The explosion sounde
lg like the discharge Of a large caunon in ou
i midst. Over the city dense volume {
a. white smoke rolled, so nearly resemblin
ii the clouds as to be scarcely distinguished
ell from them, and the air was impregnated IL
" u long time afterwards with the smell {
IL gunpOwder.