The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-29
BLOWN TO ATOMS.
THREE MEN KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION OF REND.
ROCK NEAR PATERSON, n. 1.-THE sHocE

| THREE MEN KILLED BY AN EXPLOSION OF REND-
| ROCK NEAR PATERSON, n. J.-THE SHOCK
FELT FOR MILES.
About miles west from Paterson. N. j. in
Wayne township. two miles from Pequannock Post
Office in the Preakness Valley. located the rend-
rock works of j. r. Rand 4 Co., which have been in
operation for several years past. Four explosions
have occurred since the works built-the first.
February o, 1875, the second January T. 1876. the
third July l. 1878, the fourth yesterday At none OF
the former explosions there any serious casual
ties, except in January, 1876 when workmans eyes
were destroyed. But yesterday three workmen
instantly blown to atoms. The explosion occurred
about quarter past nine A. NJ. Windows ratified in
their easements doors were caused to shut open.
and jar like that from incipient earthquake was
distinctly felt not only in Paterson. but at points
much more distant from the of the explosion.
In the Valley of the Rocks ut Passaic Falls. the con-
cussion sent great masses of overhanging rocks
tumblng down from the cliffs above. and at a dis
lance of two and three miles from the works window
| lights broken. doors slammed and other
| unwonted occurrences startled the inhabitants.
SEARCHING FOR HUMAN REMAINS.
| Soon the news went over the wires to Paterson
that the rendrock works had blown up. and in little
| more than an hour afterward HERALD reporter
the spot where the disaster had occurred. Here
| CHASTITY witnessed. Gangs Of men. under
direction Of a Paterson undertaken. were securing
| the vicinity for the space of quarter of mile
| in search Of the remains of the unfortunate
! workmen who had been killed. These were
| found scattered hundreds Of acres, in
GLIDING marshland. wood and pond. and in this
cupation about half dozen engaged from
before noon until late hour in the afternoon. The
1 three killed were Ferdinand Marks, of No. 20
| Spring street Paterson. who leaves wife and Ave
children; Charles Hensel. of No. Al Madison street
Paterson who leaves wife and seven children.
| and John Marley, of No. 10 Mill street. Paterson.
who had large family These workmen en-
gagged in the mixing house. wooden structure about
sixteen feet square. in which the materials form
| ing the rendrock amalgamated Rendrock is
| a much more powerful explosive than gunpowder
and is put up in cartridges chiefly used in blasting.
1t is not thought to be as dangerous to handle as
nitro glycerine which is of the ingredients used
! in its composition Besides ntro-gycerne mixed
acid. nitric and suphurc, is used, with other mate
rails.
THEORIES OF THE ACCIDENT.
The workmen engaged in the hazardous business
of mixing all sober. steady men, experienced in
their work 1t is suspected that they were working
the materials at too high temperature and that it
this that caused it to explode. Nothing of this
kind has happened before at the works, all former
] explosions having been caused by fires The work
men not permitted to any metal tools in the
George Keller said that they had been re-
explosive violently. even with wooden tool.
The long experience of the men at this work would
to preclude the possibility of their having been
careless forgetful of these iniunctons. and the
overheating theory seems to be the most plausible
| advanced The superintendent could not tell how
much of the material was finished. and therefore
plosve, but thinks there could not have been over
two hundred pounds at the utmost. He also thinks
that the men might have found unusual difficulty in
working it, owing to the extreme cold which rem
ders the glycerne hard and stubborn. The boiler
which supplied the steam and hot water to the mix
| ing house placed ut distance of fifty feet or
more. and no fire was permitted near the mixing
house.
| DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
Besides the mixing house there were several other
buildings, all within about 00feet large storehouse
Just the hill was badly wrecked; composition
house. 100 feet distant, blown to atoms pack
ing house about 300 feet away, the bank of pond
tered but not destroyed Still further away than any
OF these il brick vault in the hillside, also the
ton of the perilous stuff sufficient to have blown
the Preakness Hills from their foundations had IL
poded with the rest still further on. perhaps
600 feet. in southerly direction. large frame
buildings were being constructed for extending the
operations of the manufacture Several carpenters ut
work in these barely escaped with ther lives, the
buildings being tunibled down about their ears. A
workman named Charles schultz was ut the vault.
but no damage was done there. At the superin-
tendents house. quarter of mile distant the win
dows were broken, the doors torn from their hinges
and the house generally rackcd No one was injured
| however The most remarkable escape that of
| Friteus Jaga. who was in the composition house
when the explosion occurred and escaped with but a
about him and he was knocked down and stunned by
the force of the conclusion.
GENERAL HAVOC
Great iron tanks Of acid. weighing. IL was said.
ton, hurled from the vicinity of the mix
ing house where they stood. across the pond and in
other directions from fifty to one hundred and fifty
feet distant. As for the building in which the cxplo-
sion occurred it was annihiated in an instant. Not
| piece, not splinter is to be found. Nothing can
be whore the building stood but an immense
yawning pit. The rocks in the hillside against which
il was standing are shattered and great trees are
torn ont and dismembered their branches being
hurled hundreds Of feet away In the woods along
the mountain side at a great distance from the
works, large limbs were Topped from the trees and 1t
looked as IL furious tornado had passed over the
place.
OF the remains of Marks very little could be found.
What pieces found had been blown in south
crly direction; but only small piece of the cutice
of the abdomen, finger with ring on il. portion
of the hand and piece of the could be positively
Identified Other fragments were found in the same
direction and paced with the above probably
| belonging to his body Hensel was blown northward
across the pond, and long spoon which he had
been using went with him. distance OF perhaps $50
feet The head. shoulders trunk and leg found
| together but torn and disembowelled-a most hor-
| riblc sight An found just as the HERALD
reporter upon the distance OF 500 feet
in the underbrush of the wood that surrounds the
place on nearly every side. The missing leg and foot
were afterwaru found quarter of mile away. The
whole surface of the pond was covered with bits OF
flesh frozen into the ice. Manlys body was also
be found being portion of the head with the hair
burned or Small fragments afterward picked up.
|
| u pound more in weight The whole for
several hundred feet in every direction strewn
with shreds Of hesh and patches OF clothing.
INQUEST BEGUN.
These bits of what but a few hours before had been
vigorous active bodies tcnderly placed in scpa-
| rate boxes. Coroner Warner proceeded to hold an
inquest. which not concluded at late hour last
night. the search being continued long there
was daylight lett. The inquest held ut hotel on
the Prcakncss road. and vast crowd thronged the
place. including several members of the families OF
| the dead men.
The loss by the disaster could not DO approx
maely stated by the superintendent. The buildings
all very cheaply constructed, as IL appears such
works later expected to blow up and
no great outlay is made upon them. Perhaps $4,000
| will the loss.
ROBERT PEDRICK ARRESTED.