The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
The Recent -" Jupiter-Powder'' ExplO.
sion ut Washingtonyille, N. Y.

400 pounds OF Jupiter POWDER in a
mill in Washingtonville, a suburb Of
Mount Vernon, Westminster County. The
place is a small collection of buildings
about half way between the depots of the
New Haven Railroad at Woodlawn and
Monnt Vernon, and short distance
from the junction of the Harlem Rail-
road. About four years ago large, two
story frame building was erected on the
banks of the Bronx River, close by the
Harlem Railroad tracks, and was called
Bunse's Park, a summer garden and con-
cert hall. 1t was not success, and
abou, eighteen months ago it was leased
to Mr.. A. Huber, of Morrisania, who
made of it a mill for the manufacture of
Jupiter powder,"a combination of nj
tro- glycerine, and possessing the power of
exploding under water, and used in blast
ing. The large building was used for
storage and for boarding-rooms for the
WOrkmen.
A small frame building, in which the
ingredients were mixed, was put up about
200 feet distant, and small packing
house was built about fifty feet away near
the river.
The mill has been running short handed
of late, and yesterday only six men were
at work. A large mass of the liquid in
gradients had been taken to the packing
house, preparatory to being mixed with
charcoal, bone black and cement, to give
it safe consistency for handling. Mr..
David Huber, a brother of the proprietor,
and the manager in his absence, was
seated on bench on which loaded cart
ridges were placed before being packed.
Jacob Schreiner, workman, was near
him mixing the explosive. William
Doihl, Charles Ventheim and William
Westlall were packing the cartridges on
the other side of the room near the stove.
The room, but twenty feet square, was
blocked with packages.
About ten minutes past three O'Clock
Delhi, aged eighteen, pulled out a pipe, lit
the tobacco, and threw the half burned
match on the bench where Huber was sit.
ting. A little pile of the powder that had
been split caught fire. Mr.. Huber,
whose back was turned, saw the flash,
and, as it burst upward into his face, he
uttered a cry of alarm and sprang for the
window near him. Within three minutes
slight explosion was heard, then anoth-
er, another, and then one that shook the
buildings in the neighborhood to their
foundations.
Charles Wetter had just finished wash
ing boiler outside when he saw the light
of the fire. He was scared into lethargy,
but the first small explosion startled him,
and as he ran toward the railroad track
the heavy explosion occurred. Turning
his head, he saw the air filled with flying
timbers, cans, dirt and water. Mrs.
Schreiner, who was the only occupant OF
the large storing house, saw the fire. She
seized her child and ran out of the build
ing. She had left it but two minutes be-
fore it was almost blown from its founda-
ton. The roof was shattered, and pieces
of plank was thrown through both walls
and into the river. The corner of the
building that she had just quit was
thrown to the ground, and not window
frame was left in the building.
The defamation startled the men in the
vicinity, and they ran to the spot. They
met William Westfall crying out: "Come
over herer' He had nothing on but
scraps of clothing. His body was mass
Of scorched flesh. He had jumped
through the window and into the water
just before tie heavy explosion. Justb
hind him was David Hunter, running
homeward with one leg burned and bare.
His head and hands were black as Goals,
and his eyes we're nearly burned out.
Jacob Schreiner was found lying help
less near the main building. They spoke
to him, and he answered: "Give me q
drink of water" It was given to HIM.
He then said: ooh, kill me, kill me!''
They removed him to house near by, and
a physician was called. He died at seven
O'Clock last night.
A search was made for the 10y Delhi.
In the rear of the main building black,
burned hand stuck out of the water. The
men took hold of it and drew ashore the
body of young Delhi. He must have been
thrown fifty feet into the air and nearly
seventy from the place where he was al
work. His father saw the body brought
ashore. One more workman, Charles
Ventheim, was to be accounted for, and
the party searched the ruins of the main
building, the river, and the deep hole in
the ground where the packing house mad
stood. On the track Of the New Haven
Railroad, over 800 feet from the building,
they found the skull, and in other places
small pieces of bone and burnt flesh.
Ventheim must have been standing close
by the packages at the time of the explo.
sion, as Mr.. Huber saw him when he
jumped out of the window.
The men say that they knew the danger
GUS nature of the compound in which
they worked, but grew careless as they
became accustomed to it. They have
been in the habit of smoking pipes while
at work.
A house half a mile from the scene OF
the explosion had nineteen panes of glass
broken by the shock. The conclusion
was felt as far east as New Rochelle, and
south as far as West Chester.-N. Y. Sun.
THEY daily with paradoxes on the Pa
cific slope. Though grumbling about
their surplus Of silver, they are still in
pickle over paying six bits apiece for
cucumbers in San Francisco.
A CERTAIN woman, never widow, fire..
quently speaks of her " late husband, /" be-
cause lie never gets home until after mid
night.
SoFr hearts often harden, but soft heads
never change