Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-01-22
Xenln Powdre Nm ErpIoslon.

About half-past nine O'Clock Oh Mon
day morning four Of the mills of the
Miami Powder Company, located near
Xenla were blown up, with fearful
explosion, the report of which was
plainly heard in this place, near thirty
miles from Xenia. The shock from the
explosion was so severe, even at this
distance, as to cause windows in the
houses to rattle, and buildings to shake
perceptlbly, and caused some alarm,
and general comment.
These explosions are Of occasional
occurrence, and the reports Of former
explosions have been distinctly heard
here; and as there was no other way of
accounting for the shock experienced
Monday, people soon arrived at the
conclusion that it must have heen Caus-
ed, as proved to be the case, by another
power mill explosion at Xenia.
This explosion was the most terrific
of any which has yet occurred, some
four thousand pounds of powder being
stored in the houses blown up. Two
men, a white man named Charles Tag
CART, and a colored man named Dan.
Karney, who were employed in the
mills, were blown to atoms, and num-
ber of persons in the vicinity were in
jured; houses in the neighborhOod were
destroyed, and Xenia was pretty well
shaken up. The superintendent of the
mills left one of the houses just few
minutes before the explosion.
A Gazette correspondent, writing
from Xenia says:
The two men killed to-day make
thirty-four men that have lost their
lives by explosions at these works since
they were first put in operation, near
thirty years ago. The company en-
plOys a large force Of men, and the
buildings belonging to the mills are
eighty-three, these are scattered along
the banks of the Miami for near two
miles at safe distances, and the beauti-
full grove is as neatly kept as a lawn.
To-day, however, everything looks des-
Olate; many Of the tall, strong trees in
the grove are stripped of their limbs
and in many instances the very bark is
torn from the trunks. Black and brok-
en- pieces of timber and machinery are
scattered in every direction, and the
houses of the poor wOrkmen look as
though they had been struck by hur-
ricane; everything wears a look of des-
olation and ruin. This is the most ter
rife explosion known in the history of
the country, yet the loss of life and
pecuniary loss is not so great, The
President, Mr.. A. o. Fay, since the
condition of affairs has been explained
to him, says that the pecuniary loss can
be made good for So, 900, and it certainly
will not exceed $4,000. Two wheel
houses were uninjured, and men will
be put to work Immediately to clear
away the debris aud put matters in
shape, and by the end Of the week the
Superintendent says they will be run
ming. Some idea of the extent of the
works can be determined when it is
known that their capacity is 500 kegs Of
powder per day. To the public, an en-
ploye in the powder works seems stand
ingin the very jaws of death, yet the
statistics here show that no more men
haYe lost their lives here than in most
any vocation employing a like number
of men. This, however, does not bring
comfort to the families of the poor un-
fortunates Of to-day's calamity.