The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-08
E x PLO $40 N. .
An Accident at the Brides
burg Arsenal.
ONE KILLED AND NINETEEN WOUNDED,
Full Details of the Explosion and
It's Probable Cause.
BRrDEsBURa, Pa, Auru,

BRIDEsBURG, Pa, August 7. 1875.
portion OF the enclosure OF the Bridesburg
Arsenal near the eastern walls OF the yard, con-
tanned yesterday morning nve or six frame-cov-
cred buildings, varying In area from twenty by
forty feet TO about twice that size These build
ings are built on a system OF what is called the
Laidley Iron Laboratory. Slight but strong iron
posts support similarly constructed roof trusses,
the lower portions OF which are about twenty
feet from the ground. the whole making q very
hight iron frame Tor one story building.
tin roof IS laid on, and wooden panels, slightly
attached TO the iron frame, form the sides. These
structures are devoted TO the OF the laborato-
rians and pyrotechnists In the government SER
vice, the peculiar style Of The building being for
the purpose OF providing, far as possible,
against the terrible dangers OF the explosions
| which cannot occasionally be avoided, even
with the utmost care, by those handling
the dangerous explosives used in the manufae-
Nure of ammunition and fireworks. These build
! ings arranged that when explosion &C.
! ours within one the panels forming the sides. be-
ing so lightly attached fall to the ground, like
! box with It's sides on hinges. The roof, being
merely laid on, without much fastening, Is easily
| lifted and turned over by the force OF the expo-
! sion. The whole frame OF the building remains
standing the force OF tb Q conclusion having been
expended. There is, therefore, no debris from
walls, floors and roohngs to overwhem those who
| happen 70 be within the building at the ttme
and the explosion itself will be much less
severe. because it meets with so little re-
slstance. II is only when gunpowder
or other Illuminating materials are exploded
! within a close, confined space that their effects
are so terrible. When such accidents occur in the
open air they are not so apt to be disastrous.
! Experience has shown that in casualties from
explosions more loss OF life has been caused from
falling debris than from the in1ammable material
Itself, and buildings OF the kind just described,
therefore, have been found to diminish the terrors
or the accidents which will occur at intervals, In
spite OF all precautions. They are in general use
by the United states government, especially at
this arsenal, where are manufactured nearly all
the explosives and pyrosechnics used by the army
and navy.
BREAKING UP CARTRIDGES.
Another use to which these Laidley structures
have recently been put by the Commandant OF the
arsenal is workshops for boys and men from
outside the yard, temporarily employed by the
government to break up old army cartridges and
Shells These cartridges are OF the metallic kind,
ana, having been stored away for q long time in
armories, cartridge boxes, or on board ship and
| in damp places, have been condemned by the War
Department anc ordered to be broken up for the
old brass and bullets. This work OF breaking up
consists OF three operations: FIRST, the bullet
is knocked out OF the case or shell.
Then the shell Ia handed over to q
second hand, who srts out the loose powder
from the metal case over basin OF water. thereby
saturating the powder and rendering It harmless.
The case Is then passed over to o third person.
who goes over the shells with a piece OF brass
| wire, scraplng out all the old powder which be-
comes caked inside This work ia dangerous un-
less proper precautions are used. because, as the
cartridges have never been fired, each one con-
tains little Eliminating powder under thin
| plate at the end. Usually q hard knock Is re-
CURED to explode this powder and discharge the
cartridge, but sometimes the old cartridges be-
come treacherous that the slightest blow will
set them on. The workman must therefore avoid
! striking them on the end, and II this caution Is
always used the operation is not very dangerous.
THE SCENE.
In the northeastern corner OF the Arsena al yard
this operation of breaking up was going on
yesterday morning. The Laidley Building was
about forty feet long by twenty WIDE and twenty
nine boys and young men were at work on the
OLD missiles under the direction of Mr.. Samuel
/ Cole, laboraJorian ana professional PVT otech-
nist who is employed by the government in the
manufacture OF ammunition and explosives. The
building stood a beautiful green turf ard
majestic old elm spread its sturdy branches over
IL, as though to shelter 1t from harm. There
were i've benches, extending crosswise OF the
| room, and all the operations OF breaking up were
| going on by the boys seated in front OF them.
About $4,000 cartridges were In the room.
THE EXPLOSION.
At quarter before ten O'Clock q sharp explo-
sion, like the discharge of single cartridge was
heard coming from q bench In the southeast cor
ner OF the laboratory, where q number OF boys av-
! eraging about twelve or fourteen years OF age
probably, were at work scraplng the powder from
the shells. Instantly afterward a loud explosion
! followed and Hash OF flame burst out, the sides
OF the building falling away she roof being hurled
over into heap OF twisted tin, ana the wood
| work taking fire. The noise, which sounded like
! O dull thud at the Commandments once, near the
! entrance to the yard, quickly brought great
portion OF the soldiers and On1cers OF the post to
the spot, when the young workmen were seen
running in all directions with their clothes fire
! or writing in agony the fresh green grass With
commendable promptness the little sufferers
| grasped in strong arms, their burning clothes
/ torn Off them ana either wrapped In the first
available covering or carried Immediately to the
hospital Of the post. 1t was found that nineteen
| OF the lads, or about two-thirds OF those in the
laboratory, had been hurt, most OF them not
very dangerously. One, William Mclaughlin,
aged fourteen, the son OF a soldier belonging 10
the post, ana residing with his mother at Frank
! ford, was
RUN THROUGH THE BREAST
| with q splinter from an ammunition box and died
In a few minutes alter being picked up. George
] ZIller, another lad OF about the same age was
badly burned that hisfecovery is improbable; but
all the others, VINO were speedily taken to the hos
| pltal or to their homes, will doubtless get well.
Dr.. Robert Burns, Acting Assistant Surgeon,
United States Army, is the surgeon OF the post.
and by him and several physicians from the vii
lage ana the vicinity, who quickly volunteered
their services, the wounded we're cared for.
| Nearly all the injuries are fom burns mostly
about the face, chest and arms; but, while ali the
injuries are painful and most distressing to look
upon, few are dangerous. Those who were the
least hurt and able to be moved were taken home
this afternoon by their parents ard friends. The
others win be well cared for in the Arsenal Hos