Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-04-06
The Recent " Jupiter. Powder Explo-
sion at M.saingtonvilIe, N. Y.

Three men were killed and two serious
ly wounded, about three O'Clock yester-
day afternoon. by the explosion OF over
400 pounds of . Jupiter powder In a
mill in WashingfonviIle, suburb Of
Mount Vernon, Westchester County. The
place Il a small collection Of buildings
about halfway between the depots of the
New Haven Railroad at Woodlawn and
Monnt Vernon. and q short distance
frn,n 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 Jy the
Harlem Railroad tracks, and was called
Bunse's Park, summer garden and con-
cert hail. Ii was not q success, and
about eighteen months ago il was leased
to Mr.. A. Huber, of Morrisania, who
made of il mill for the manufacture of
!" Jupiter POWDER 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
workmcn.
A small frame building, in which the
ingredients were mixed, was put up about
200 feet distant, and a small packing
house was built about fifty feet away near
the river.
The mill has been running shorthanded
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 we're placed before being packed.
Jacob Schreiner, workman, was near
him mixing the explosive. William
Delhi, Charles Ventheim and William
Westiall 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 q pipe, lit
the tobacco, and threw the halt. burned
match on tie 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 fash,
and, as II burst upward into his face, he
uttered cry Of alarm and sprang for the
window near him. Within three minutes
slight explosion was heard, then anoth-
err, another, and then one that shook the
buildings In the neighborhood to their
foundations.
Charles Wctter had just finished wash
ing a boiler outside when he saw the light
of the fire. He was scared into lethargy,
but the first small explosion startled him,
and rs he ran toward the railroad track
the heavy explosion occurred. Turning
his head, he saw the air filled with flying
timbcrs, 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 ii but two minutes be-
fore 1t 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 a 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 here!' He had nothing on but
scraps Of clothing. His body was a mass
Of scorched flesh. He had jumped
through the window and into the water
Just before the heavy explosion. Just be-
hind him was David Hunter, running
homeward with one leg burned and bare.
His head and hands were black as Goals,
and his eyes were nearly burned out.
Jacob SchreiDer was found lying help
less nearthe main building. They spoke
TO him, and he answered: "Give me a
drink OF water" II was given 10 him.
lie then said ooh, kill me, kill me!''
They removed him to house near by, and
physician was called. He died at seven
o'clock last night.
A search was made for the hoy Delhi.
In the rear of the main building black,
burned hand stuck out of the water. The
men took hold Of IL 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 at
work. His father saw the body brought
ashore. One more workman, Charles
Ventheim, was 10 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 300 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, az 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 rs they
became accustomed to 1t. They have
been in the habit of smoking pipes while
at work.
A house half mile from the scene of
the explosion had nineteen panes of glass
broken by the shock. The conclusion
was felt as far east ~ New Rochelle, and
south as far as West Chester. IN. Y Sun.