The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-03
HITR0-GLYCERINE EXPLODED.
Seven Buildings Demolished and the Shock
Felt Ten Miles Distant.

There was terrible explosion OF nitro
glycerine at the J. l.. Rand Rendrock Works.
N. j.. yesterday afternoon. The works are
about two miles from Wayne Station on the
Montolair and Greenwood Lake Railroad. The
explosion occurred at about 1 80 o'clock, and II
shook buildings in Paterson. seven miles dis
tant.
II seems that the workmen had kept Mt work
later than usual TO finish abatch OF ntro-glycer-
Inc. and they did not go to dinner until about
o'clock. There were only eight men employed
in the factory. under charge OF George Keeler,
the Superintendent. While they were at dinner
In their boarding house. not far distant.
they were frightened by seeing the
roof OF the storehouse on fire. How
the fire caught is a mystery. The mon think
tho intense heat OF the sun set fire to tho tar
and gravel roofing. In that building. which was
the storehouse. there were 400 or 500 pounds OF
nitro-Rycerine, which had Just been completed.
The alarmed workmen hastencd from the To-
calty as fast as they could run. In a few min
utes there was an explosion that shook the
earth, making, devastation in every direction.
set fire to the other buildings.
In their desire TO save the rest OF the build
500, pounds Of eunpowder in another Of the
buildings, which was even then in flames
They had nearly reached this building as the
second building was blown up with almost as
terrible effects as the first explosion had.
Both shocks were felt in Paterson and in
other places ten miles distant. AT Barney Sis
co.'s hotel. n mile distant, the plaster was
Knocked from the walls and some of the. win
dows were broken. The chickens in the barn
yards spranR a yard from tho ground, and the
cows staggered as II drunk. Some OF the men
near the works were knocked over and others
were lifted from the ground and hurled several
There Ia left hardly piece that would not go
into small cooking stove. The buildings were
located 400 or 500 feet apart
Seven buildings in all we're demolished-the
nitro-gyccrine storehouse, so by rs feet: n
pack ing house, "a by 80; an leo house full OF
ice. about 80 by % in size n wagon shed, 25 by
30; a cartridge house. used for storing empty
cartridges, 25 by 80; and the mons boarding
nothing left but q cooking stove. The rest
were small buildings. Two were saved from
destruction by fire. although they were blown
TO pieces and the roofs lay fiat on the ground.
covering, the barrels Of material with which
they had been filled. The stable. containing
several horses, although at the distance of a
quarter OF a mile from the factory. was terribly
shattered.
Trees in distant wood were twisted OF Mt
the roots and in some places paths were swept
tory covered two or three acres OF ground.
which bear the general appearance OF having
lust been ploughed up. In an adjacent corn
field great holes were torn in the ground
Yesterday morning all the buildings were
surrounded by tall grass and weeds a yard
high. but not trace OF them remains. The
roof OF the foreman's house. a mile distant,
was blown of. and the chimneys were knocked
within radius Of a half mile that was not moro
or less shattered. That no one was killed
seems to be almost n miracle.
The loss is estimated at about $4,000. Tho
buildings were all common frame structures.
The same factory was blown up two or three