Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-09-25
The Recent Explosions at the Wa-reI
Pow der mills.

T.
Pow der mills.
Mr.. EDITOR: Il notice in your issue of Sept.
Goth, two articles concerning the explosions which
occurred at the powder mills last week. The agony
which the writer piled on to make vivid de-
scription,' makes the narrative of q sad disaster
appear almost ludcrou to distant observer, and
TO correct an erroneous impression which the ar
ticles in question calculated TO produce beg
the indulgence of your columns in which to do an
act of justice to the Warren Powder Mills by
stating some facts relative to the late occurrences
heic, a well as TO powder mills in other places.
In the first article named, the writer states the
whole mill Was demolished" whereas the mill was
an old decsyed one, built some fourteen years ag o.
and when built had the covering lightly fastened,
so that in case of an explosion the sides and roof
would come off readily without in Jury to the frame
or TO The machinery and nothing more happened
in this case The frame of the building, with the
machinery, is all standing to-day, notw outstanding
the expl' sion and the greater damage by fire the
next day.
The writer has known powder mills of that kind
10 explode many times without material damage
to building or machinery, other than to blow oil
the covering.
In regard TO the CONSERVATION which seems to
have b' en- so wide spread, | am willing to admit
the facts as stated by YOUR correspondent, but
must beg to remind the writer of the article of
maxim often quoted by the lamented Abraham
Lincoln to political managers, when they pr posed
to repeat IN one Campaign the tactics and speeches
of previous successful canvass-"tbat he never
knew the same powder to burn twice, and
among manufacturers of powder the statement
that powder had been blown IN every direction
nnburned, by an explosion, sounds like Joke,
and can be accounted for only As Gen. Putnam &C
counted for a nervous affection on the part of
British officer who had challenged the General to
fight a duel. The General procured an empty
powder keg on the head Of which, around the
bung hole, ne had sprinkled few grains of pow
der, and placing the officer and himself in chairs
facing each Other, he placed the key between
them and said, You see our chances are exactly
equal, and proceeded to light the powder on the
key, when the officer, supposing the keg to be
full of powder, with yell of flight, jumped up
and ran The General calling after him, cried,
NV hats the matter-aie you afraid of the smell
OF POWDER SO 1t seems to be with the good
people OF Warren-much scared but no one hurt.
OF course the fatal accident caus ed by the care
lessness OF an operative is one of the incidents Of
manuiactull ing gunpow der in any locality, which
the wisest foresight and supervision does not al
ways prevent.
1t is hoped the writer of the article referred to
will be 9 lad to learn that the powder company
has settled the damages done to the property OF
the cit zens the whole amounting to SSl .60 an
amount tilen exceeded by damages caused by
firing a salute; and having thus learned the worst
that IN haIpen, let us hope Warren " i'll "tremtl,
III It's >ti't no more.
ours respectfully,
CHARLES BURRILL,
Treasurer Warren Powder Mills.