Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-21
xAxrNc DEATH.
RsssinIseen<es u PEI ser-ssIii-stsrses OF
$3.50 Exptssisn--A Narrow Esrspe.

An Albany correspondent writes ;
The fatal explosion at the powder-miils
near Newburg during the past week re-
called some Of the experiences OF the
writer, whose first venture in LIES work
was at powder-mannfsctory near New
York.
Powder is made from three ingre-
dients--charcoal (made from willow or
alder wood for good riae-powder and
from poplar for blastng-powdcr), salt
petre, and sulphur. The saltpetre is
refined and ground a. fine a. flour. and,
with the charcoal, is taken to sepa-
rate building and mixed in proper pro-
portions with the sulphur. The whole
is then taken to the first nill-the bar
rel-mill--where there are a number Of
large casks made to revolve on shafts. A
certain quantity Of the mixture isput into
each cssk, with large supply ofeommon
playing marbles; the whole is then set
in motion and is allowed to run for
certain number OF hours, the marbles
serving TO thoroughly mix the different
ingredients in their continual reVolu-
ton with them in the casks. The
noise made by the marblesis deafening.
| remember going to this mill once
with a load of the mixture in bags just
as a heavy thunder-shower was coming
I'D. The interior Of the mill was as
black as pitch from the powder-dust,
and in the few minutes required
to set the bags inside the door | lived
seemingly for years. As each Hash Of
vivid lightning came imagined that the
mill had exploded the noise OF the
rolling casks was so great could not
hear the thunder. From the barrel
mill the powder is taken to the rolling
mills, each Of which contains large
iron pan with two heavy wheels
weighing seven tons apiece, which run
round and round inside the pan. The
powder is spread over the bottom Of
the pan, about one hundred pounds
making q charge" The wheels are
set in motion and allowed to run over
the powder from two to three hours,
according to the quality Of powder de-
sired. The attendant at these mills
starts the machinery and then very
prudently takes walk until the time
is up, as the process is an extremely
dangerous one. The powder not being
as yet far advanced toward completion,
when these mills explode it rarely ever
kills outright the persons who happen
to be in them, but it burns them so
frightfully that they linger in the most
fearful agony for several hours.
From this wheel-mill the powder is
taken to the press-house, where there is
a powerful hydraulic press. The pow
der is built up in tiers with heavy can
vas between each tier, and then the
pressure is put on. This is so great
that it presses the powder III cakes
about two feet square and one inch
thick, and it comes out almost "a hard
as glass. 1t Is then taken to the
corning-mill, where the cakes are
run between heavy rollers, and
ground up in the different sizes
required. After that it goes to the
clearinghouse, where it is spread out on
trays with canvas bottoms and sub
jected to as great heat as il will bear
until it is thoroughly dried. The whole
process is ended in the glazing-mill,
which much resembles the barrel-mill,
except that instead Of using marbles
with the powder small quantity Of
black-lead is put into each cask and the
polish is thus given to the powder,
which before this is of blackish gray
color. On leaving the glaze the powder
is ready TO be packed and sent to the
market
One who has never looked upon the
scene after a heavy mill has exploded
cannot imagine the destruction involved
in the immense force eXerted by ton
or two Of first-clasS powder. The first
explosion after my connection with the
works occurred in the packing-hOuse,
where the powder was being put i'll
kegs for delivery TO the Government.
1t took place about : o'clock on
short December morning, just as |
was eating by breakfast. A pane Of
glass from tho window, six feet away,
suddenly slapped the side Of nv head,
and at the same time heard and felt
tremendous report and heavy jar which
made me think the world was coming
to an end. Running out of doors saw
a heavy column of smoke shooting up
in the air; all the tree-tops in the
vicinity Of the building were full of
burning powder-bagS. which gave the
scene a strangely weird look in the twi-
light of q dismal winters morning.
The only occupant of the mill was
blown into a thousand pieces, the large,t
bit found being his left arm. These
relics Of poor humanity were scattered
around in the woods for fully half mile
from the mill. At night when the cor
oner arrived to hold an inquest he asked
for the corpse. Some one silently
pointed to a peach basket placed on the
stone wall it was foil of small pieces
Of flesh and bones, all that was left Of a
stalwart man. The victims wife and
daughter were in the house he had DC.
cupied not over 200 feet from the mill
the house was racked to pieces. but
neither received scratch. and the
horse in the stable beside the house wa,
found roaming around the yard I'M
harmed.
The next explosion that ! witnessed
took place at noon of July day. The
hay in the yard about the mills had
been cut and eight OF ten men had been
working around the corning mill all the
forenoon drawing the hay away to the
barn. At noon they went to dinner.
and while they were eating the mill ex-
ploded, killing only its regular attend
ant. IL it had occurred either an hour
earlier or later eight or ten lives would
have been lost. The mill stood on the
bank Of pond about two acres in ex-
tent. The explosion forced the water
completely out Of the pond and over the
dam, leaving nothing but the creek run
ming through the centre. Where the
building had stood pit was dug large
enough to hold a two-StOry house.