New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-23
A TEEEIgLE EXPLOSION.

BLOWING Up or 4 POWDER MILL.
THREE LIVES LOST AT wooDLiwS highs BY
EECkLIssSEss- EXPLOSION Al TIE JUrIrgE
POWDER MANUTACTOEY-D DESTRUCTIVE POWER
OF TIE EXPLOSIVE.
Considerable uncaSincss has been felt in the
neiglborhood 81; Woodlavn Hight, for some months
account of the manufacture Of "Jupitcr poHdor"-
which Is almost the giant poWdcI"-beil,
RE within a short distance. The Superintendent Of
the Harlem Railroad also manifested alarm at the
proximity Of the Jupiter Powder Mandatory 10 the
railroad lcSt explosion Should a train might
passing and be attended with fearful loss of life The
of yesterday afternoon show conclusyely that
such apprehcusious were by no means gToundcss
About O'Clock young man named David Riehl, Il
years Of age who was employed In the mandatory
which is carried by Messrs. Wagner HuDncr after
lighting his pipe cigar, threw down tbs lighted match
upon the bench table he using This igncd some
VI the loose explosive material manufactured In the
room and an explosion Immediately followed, which
blew out the end Of the building above the first story
The young man who caused disaster was blown out
Of the building aud into the river considerable
distance away When the body taken
up 1t was found that both legs had
been blown or and the intcstnes had been blown out
and scattered In all directions David ubner, who had
an interest the manactory and acted foreman,
discovering the fire. leapcd from window. but the
blossoms followed so quickly that he burned about
his face and hands II f. believed, however, that he will
recover is about % years old, unmarried and lives
at Washngtonyilc, quarter Of mile from the Of
the explosion Charles Wcttcr, who If about 20 years
old resident Washngtonyile and cmployG at the
manufnctory, fortunately in an outbuidng at the
time OF the xpOson and escaped with slight inju
ries before the second and third explosions occurred
VIM WcstfOul, young man about 20 years oi age, ana
resident Of Washingtonyiilc, nj work IN the pack
ing house, and very badly burned Chas Schroeder
was burned and mutated IN most shocking manner
and died about o'clock last night in great agony.
Charles Venthcm, another cmpoyc In the packing ROOM
was blown literally TO atoms and the fragments OF his
body were scattered in all directions for long distance
Part OF skull teeth. part Of leg aud pieces OF
flesh were all that could he gathered Of his remains.
There were three buildings used In the business. The
work Of manufacturing was done In a large twOstory
frame building, erected about two years ago for the
commodaon Of picnic parties, society festivities, @c
and known as the Bronx River Park IL is situated just
above the junction OF the Harlem aud Newiayen Rail
roads Fifty feet south Of the manufaciOry frame
building, about ID feet square, ON stone foundation
used rs a store room. This building blown to atoms
not even foundation stone being left In its position
20 lilo the earth beneath to the depth OF about ten feet
was blown out by the force Of the explosive material
Fragments Of the building were blown for about one
eighth OF mile The ice-house, short distance from
the storeroom also completely demolished.
Coroner Hughes OF Yonkers undertook the nvestiga-
ton OF the circumstances attending the loss Of life. Ac
cording TO the testimony OF Charles Witter, there
appeared been great deal OF reckcssness In the
mana cement Of the establishment the workmen being in
no manner restrained from smoking In the where
the powder was manufactured This powder composed
Of nitroglyccrine, acids pulverzed charcoal, and
BOMBED bone-dust The nitro glycerine was manufac
tred in small quantities, and then converted Into jup
ter POWDER" with the other substances and cartridges
were made for explosive purposes