Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-02-20
the room ON the arms Of two policemen,

ne DclVk sO CTlppiVA 1hN "o~A A'oui ~
linries received that he was not able I
walk. After he had gained sutlicien
strength he testified substantially a
follows: Came from Philadelphia o.
the morning of the explosion, and upO
arriving at the works found small fir
in the stove used for heasing the dress
ing room In the second story, and afte
putting On some coal went TO the room
below for wood. While there heard
slight explosion. fastened upstair
and found the dressing room and thu
apartment adjoining in a blaze ant
filled with smoke, which prevented hin
from entering. Suspe"ting that tn,
rock. ts, Roman candies and bombs hat
Exploded, he Immediately went to war;
the family living in the building, but
found they had fled. Thinking there
was no further danger after the explo
sion began removing the effects from
the first floor. Was engaged at this
when the tiremen arrived. Asked fol
help, and told them there was no pow.
der in that room. Two or three men
volunteered to help, among them Pen
nell, and while engaged in taking out
the cutting machine the fatal explosion
occurred was thrown to the floor
and rendered insensible by being struck
on the head. Had l considered the
place ur safe | would not have risked
my life there. | was not aware there
were any explosives in the place There
were probably twenty pounds Of stars
in the attic of the annex, among them
some blue and violet oues, which are
considered highly explosive by con.
cussiOn, but had always thought they
would burn when exposed to flame and
not explode.
In the dressing room were some fire.
works, paper. lumber and empty boxes.
Am certain there was nothing explosive
in the cellar; was always careful not to
throw sweeping into the stove; neither
of Mr.. JacksOn's sons were present &C
the fire; told Chief Engineer Dalton
there we're no explosives In that room,
as | had removed every thing except
two machines; while talking to Dalton
the tiremen went to the building; Chief
Dalton did not assist in rolling seven
kegs of powder out, AZ there was not
that quantity about the premises, had
no theory concerning the or gin of the
lire, did not understand the composition
Of ingredients in torpedoes; there were
some balls of sui phuric acid in the dress
ing room which had been prepared bya
chemist; there was no sui lphur In the
room with the potash.
In answer TO question by Professor
Jackson, the witness said the compost
tion for fog signals was IN a closet. re.
moved from everything else.
A co louuy then ensued between the
witness and Mr.. PenneIl, in which the
latter maintained that Van Horn had
told him and Chief Dalton the place
was safe, and the witness contended
that he referred to the lover room. Van
Horn closed his testimony by asserting
that no nitro glyCerine had been about
the place, nor cartridges made there
during the four years he had been en-
ployed by MI. jackson. He was then
carried from the room.
The inquest adjOurned until to day
at 10 o'clock when Professor Hill of
of the Repanno Chemical Works, will
be summoned to testify as an expert on
explosives.
In the morning Mayor Barton visi led
the houses Of tho dead and wounded.
The errand was sad enough, and the re-
suit Of his calls was painful in ths ex-
treme. In many of the sufferers he
found no improvement, and at least five
of them were learned to be almost beyond
hope. Young Wood and Frank Oaks
will doubtless die. The colored woman
Foy is hopelessly injured, and two or
three others stand but a ghost of a
chance to get over the fearful shock
''The death-roll,' said the mayor gloom
/ y to representative of the press, is
now fifteen and have no doubt it will
reach twenty, as, at the present time,
there is no hopes of five of the victims.
Chester has responded nobly so far to
the needs Of bereaved and stricken
families. Subscription lists are going
around in all the work shops, and
everybody is contributing. On Satur-
day 81 ,Gl9 81 was raised, which makes
the total S3,377. 10. Much more will be
raised before the close Of TO day. Every
thing possible is being done for relief.
Many of the victims will be buried
to, day, and business will be generally
II is thought the coroner
and jury will be through this morning
and render verdict this afternoon.