The New York herald., 1876-03-23
NITRO-GLYCERINE DISASTER.
Three Men Killed by an Explosion
in Westchester.
STUPENDOUS RECNLESSNESS.
Throwing a Lighted Match Into a
Mass of Gunpowder.

terrific explosion OF nitro gycerne occurred about
hree O'Clock yesterday afternoon the line OF the
Harlem Railroad, at Washingtonville, between Wood
avn and West Mount Vernon, in westchester county
rhe casualty resulted in the death OF three men and
The serious injury Of three others, one Of whom at
least is hardly expected to survive long The killed
well as the mutlated all employed in nitro
glycerine manufactory, owned by W. A. wuber who
leased the premises for tho ostensible purpose OF
manufacturing powder and safety fuse about twelve
months ago The effects OF the shock were plainly per-.
ceptibe throughout all the lower portion Of West
chester county, while, within radius of mile win
dows were smashed and houses shaken to such
alarming extent that many of the inmates into the
streets and roads in the belief that earthquake was
taking place
THE SCENE DISASTER.
Wuber's premises are within few feet OF the Har-
em Railroad track, and consisted OF three separate
buildings the main one being two story wooden
structure about eighty feet long and forty wide used
as storehouso for the dangerous compound
packed in tin ready for transportation.
About fifty yards from the building was
small sned in which the materials prepared and
aiterward taken to what called the mixing house,
another story wooden building about fifty feet
rom the siorehouse In the mixing house the nitro
glycerine Incorporated with other ingredients SO
as TO make the handling OF 1t sale
HAPPENED.
At the hour named David Huber, the foreman OF the
works and five OF the men employed were in inc mix.
Ing house. William Dieh aged nineteen undertook
10 light his pipe with match when the explosion
lowed, shatterng the building TO fragments and
teriDg death Hnd destruction among the unfortunate
men
THE VICTIMS
The body OF Diehl thrown about 300 yards
through grove OF trees and fell into the Bronx River
where the remains. IN piecemeal, subsequently
picked up. In field about half mile distant a skull
was found, which believed to be that OF Charles
Benheim, another OF the workmen who has not
been lound.
Jacob schriner, aged thirty, was blown about
100 yards away and when discovered was
found TO be terribly mutilated, both of his
eyes having been torn out ana the flesh stripped
from portions of his hodv He ingarod
In terrible agony until seven O'Clock, when death
heved him schriner worked In the factory, aud,
with his vile and child occupied room the main
building The two latter escaped unhurt
William westfal. aged twenty years, shockingy
been injured internally His recovery is regarded as
eeng doubtful Charles wetter, aged eighteen years,
had his hands and badly burned He was outside
the building when the explosion occurred
HUBERs STATEMENT.
David Huber, the foreman OF the factory, who
seriously burned by the explosion made the following
statement to the writer last evcning''About three
O'Clock on Tuesday afternoon myself. and five the
workmen were in the mixing room was tn en- sitting
at table dong some figuring and had my back turned
toward the men while they packing William
Dieh lighted match and lii his pipe With 1, and LEI
the match drop into OF powder
lying on the table. The powder. which had been
made ready for mixing, must have been about
400 pounds weight II bsZed at once, but did
not instantly explode owing TO the circumstance that
'he doors and windows securely faEtened; after
moment OF so the intense heat while the powder was
burning caused 1t TO explode and catch the nitro
iycerine; before II exploded opened window and
Jumped out; ran about ten steps from the building
Hhen was thrown my face, and, jumping up imme-
tiatcly found tnat my clothes were ali on ire | at
snce ran and threw myself into the Bronx River or
would have been burned to death; Diehl had only
been working at the factory short time and had
often cautioned HIM against lighting matches In the
mixing room.
A CAREpuI.
In answer 10 an inquiry to whether the men had
Seen warned against lighting matches smoking In
Lhe mixing ROOM Huber said that there was NO pro-
libition IN regard thereto, adding, 'there was no
langer II a man was careful" Huber is badly burned
bout the face and hands, and should he recover he
Kill be dIsiigured for Lie.
Coroner Hughes arrived early at the scene Of the ex
ploson, and, after empanelling jury, commenced a
thorough investigation of the disaster The inquest
"as not concluded at u late hour last evening