, 1872-12-02
BLOWN TO ATOMS.
Explosion of the DuuIinc Works near
White Fish Hay, Wis.-EOaI Persons
Instantly Killed.

Explosion of the DuaIi1ac Works near
white Fish Hay, Wis.-Four Persons
Instantly Killed.
From. the Jizuaukce Sentinel, Mop. so.
The Thanksgiving dinner festivities OF the
quiet neighborhood ut the corners formed BY tho
intersection Of the eectlon-Ine road with the
Whitefsh Bay turnpike, we're scarcely over when
a sharp, sudden shock aroused all to q senBe OF
danger. The family Of Mr: Swain, well to-do
farmer, were greatly startled. HRS. Swain drop
ped basket she had in her hand at the time,
aud the disheB in the cupboard came to the floor
with crash. Blr, Swain, on request Of his
spouse started to the door to learn the cause Of
this unusual commotion: He observed cloud
in the direction of what was known as !" the
powder-mil,' and Immediately OWNED that an
accident had occurred at the establishment. It
proved too true, for on his arrival at the edge OF
the bluff not vestige of the building was to be
ene1 remains of two Of the Torknen. Without
mg 70 m h,naf Of the terrible disaster
for assistance
The in-fated works had but recently been os-
tabished under the supervision Of A1r. John W.
Cummings, formerly of Rochester, n. Y. He
had obtained the right for o portion Of this
country, and was manufacturing the compound
means of 3 joint stock company. The works
we're temporarily located on plateau formed by
3 landslide oil the bluff near mr. gwain'e, about
three miles above this city. The building, a low
wooden one, had not long been occupied, and
would have given way to larger and more sub
stantial structures, if A1r. Cummings had lived
long enough to demonstrate the great utility Of
the compound as blasting agent. To enable
him to give proof OF its utility and its superior
ity to nitro-glycerine, number Of our business
men contributed GbQra1lY to the undertaking. So
encouraged, AIr. Cummings was making very
fine progress in introducing his compound, until
the unfortunate moment in which he and his CO.
laborers we're swept out OF existence by one fell
swoop Of the dangerous material under his COR
troll.
In itself dualine is not dangerous compound
under ordinary care. Nearly year ago we Wit
messed several exhibitions of it's force near
Hiles' manufactorY in the Menominee Valley.
Then Mr.. Cummings explained the nature Of
: the new explosive, and handled it With inapunity
for the purpose Of impressing the spectators Of
its har1nalessnesB under ordinary circumstancag
It had the appearance Of light brown sugar and
q small canister with q cartridge fuse did re-
markable execution. Without the percussion
at The end Of the fuse, the powder would Duff
out Of the canister us in case OF g. 'sequib,7 IS
the boys OF old we're pleased to call broken
fre-cracker. In an experiment upon piece OF
heavy boiler plate, about eight inches square.
nitro-glycerine made slight DETECTION under
the 6eat If the canister. new plate WAS SUBJ
stitutea, and after a discharge Of canister of
dua1ine, perforation was found almost equal
in diameter with the bottom Of the vessel
that had been placed upon it. Subsequently
larger canister was placed upon three
bars of railway iron,, laid closely to
form as solid bed as possible.
The discharge resulted in tho destruc-
ton Of iron, portion Of tho fragments burying