The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-28

EoWpER.aalLL ElXPL oNoT- DISASTER At Ac-
roSs Mass. THREE MEH KILLED. The Boz.
ton Herald says Explosions In powder.
mills are not Of iafreqnent occurrence. but
happily they are not often attended with
loss Of life. Yesterday, however, two mills
connected with the works OF the American
Powder Company, at Acton, exploded about
hali.rast 10 o'clock, Instantly killing two
Workmen and injuring the agent. Mr.. Addt-
son V. ray, SO severely that death enssled IN
| the course Of the afternoon.
:" In the nressing-mill there WIS no ma.
chiuery employed liable to Cause an explo.
sion. The powder OH coming from the
mixlng-mill Is laid on sheets of steel, which
are placed one upon another in large aud
powerful pres. After being u,,iected to a
pressure that forces the powder into thin,
firm cakes, they arc carefully removed and
taken to the kerneling-mill. The immedi.
ate cause Of the explosion which took place
in the presslng-mill will never he known, as
the only persons who could tell the reason
are silent in death. Those best able, how
ever, TO form an opinion suppose that the
two workmen, named Wentworth and
Schneider, were employed in removing the
powder from the press. While in the act of
placing one of the steel plates upon those
already cleared. their attention was attracted
by the opening of the door by Mr.. FAY.
Consequently they were not as careful Us
usual, and there being little friction the
powder ignltcd, there was Il pun Of smoke,
and then a heap Of splinters covering the
dead bodies Of the workmcn.
"Thcre were two more men at work in
the kerncling mill, but with rare presence of
mind, on seeing the puff of smoke, they
sprang out of doors and into the river. On
rising to the surface the kerncling mill lin
which they had hut an instant before been
at work, was nothing but a mass of kindliDg
wood, the conclusion from the other cXpio-
sion causing that mill to explode.
1.-The nnlsc of the explosion was not very
loud, people O couple of miles distant think
ing somebody was blasting rocks, but the
attending cloud Of smoke was seen four or
| five miles, the depot master at Concord MOTTO
| ing 1t but not hearing any noise.
1.-The explosion naturally startled the cn-
tire ncighborhood, and scarcely had the
echoes died away ere scores OF people were
huriylng TO the scene. Search WAS made for
the remains of the unfortunate men who
were supposed TO have been mt work in the
| lated buildings, but very few expected to
find anything more than fragments of their
| bodies. TO their surprise, however, the re-
mains Of the two workHien were found un-
mntilatcd, but every particle of clothing was
stripped from their bodies, and their hair
and whiSkcrs were burned off as smooth as
though taken off by a razor. In the race
way near where the pressinS-mill stood was
found the apparently lifeless body of Mr..
Fay, with one car torn oil, his hair all gone,
and a severe wound in the head just back of
the ear.
"The bodies were placed upon wheelbar-
rows and taken to the house OF MIR. Potter,
the superintendent Of the mills. On arriv.
ing there it was discovered that BIZ. Fay was
still breathing, and instantly every effort was
made to re>usci;ate him. The operation of
conveying bodies to the house, some quarter
CT n mile distant, apparently resulted in ex-
polling the water somewhat as rolling n
drowned person OH barrel will do. The
efforts TO revive him, under the direction of
DR.. Barrett, who was quickly on the spot,
were attended with partial success, but he
had sustained SO severe injuries internally
that he survived only some seven hours,
wien death put az end to bis sutlerinGs."'