Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-02-15
Explosion of the Xenia Powder Mills

LOld Town, Greene County, o., CFeb. 81 Core
spondence of the Cincinnati Gazette.l
SITTING in a boot and shoe store be-
tween half-past nine and ten O'Clock this
morning, was startled by two reports in
quick succession, which violently shook
the doors and windows. A clerk in the
store stepped to the door, and was unable
to open it in consequence of the violence
Of the conclusion. Stepping to the street
door, l observed that people were gener-
ally on the street, looking in every direc-
ton and wondering The first impression
was general that an earthquake was in the
vicinity, but many citizens had expert
enced similar shocks before, and it was
soon agreed that the Miami Powder
Mills, four miles north of Xenia, had ex-
ploded
When the train arrived at Springfield
from Xenia, large crowd had collected
at the depot, and from the conductor and
passengers it was learned that the mills
had exploded Just as the train was leaving
Xenia, ten minutes behind time. Had it
left on time, it is not known what disaster
might not have been added to the horrors
which did occur. As it was, when the
train reached the scene of the explosion,
timbers and other portions of the scattered
buildings had SO covered the track as to
obstruct its passage.
The conductor and passengers repre-
sented that at Yellow Springs all the win
dows on one side of Antioch College had
been broken, as well as some in other
buildings of the town, which is five miles
from the scene of the accident, and in
some cases two story brick houses had
been rent asunder from top to bottom.
The mills and buildings belonging to
the powder company are ranged for a
quarter of mile irregularly along the
foot of line of hills, which skirt the
Little Miami River and are located about
800 yards from the track of the Spring
field branch of the Little Miami Railroad.
The first explosion took place in ker-
mel Tor corning) mill, near the lower end
of the line of buildings. This mill was
run by Arthur Nero, who was instantly
killed, and he being the only one in the
mill at the time, the cause of the explosion
will probably never be known, as the mill
was entirely demolished, scarcely a YES
tige of it remaining Nero was foreman
of the kernel mills. He had been work.
ing in powder for eight years in different
places. He leaves wife As the frag.
ments of Mero's pody were blown in ali
directions, they had not all been found al
the time l left the works this evening.
The next two explosions took place in
| the press houses, situated a short distance
from the kernel mill where Nero lost his
life. In these houses were Henry Duncan
Benjamin Grimes and Samuel Moran
Duncan, while escaping, was struck in
the back of the head-probahly by f.,
brick-and this evening there are 'bu
fait hopes of his recovery, as his skull il
fractured. He was blown into the mil
race that runs in front of and near tn,
press mills. Moran was also blown int,
the race, but escaped with the loss 0
hearing in one ear, an aching on one sid
OF the head, and some bruises about tn
legs. Grimes was not hurt.
The kernel mill that produced tn
fourth explosion was next below the pres
mills. In this mill was employed Davi
Conley, colored man, as glazier. H
was killed. Conley was the Oldest EN-