Daily Republican., 1889-09-27
Terrific Exp,oslon.

PoTTsvirLE, Sept. &. About twenty
mlnutes alter ~ o'clock this morning the
Lafiin 81 Rand powder mill, situated at
Cressona, about two miles and q half
south OF this city, blew up for the
fifth time In eighteen years, and the
number Of It's victims 10 raised from Eve
10 eight.
Those who arrived on tho scene were
terrified at the sight OF ruin, but II was
soon discovered that three men had been
killed and three injured.
1t Is supposed that one OF the kegs
thrown to the floor struck Are and caused
the explosion. The head part Of the
trunk and one arm OF Sotsln were found
6fty yards from tiis mill. Part Of
Schrope's body was also found, but not q
shred has been obtained Of young Red.
Here and there bone or q piece oil flesh
mains were gathered. Some of the re-
mains OF the men were found $50 yards
away and none Of them were found less
than fifty yards. Becx's son, from
which Tie kees were belnS unloaded, was
blown 10 atoms and tLa horse Instant
y killed and blown toipleces imme-
diately.
OTHER MILLS EXPLODE.
After the packing house went up tn
glazing mill, which, with the engine
house, was situated about sixty yards
south OF the packing house, exploded
This was followed Immediately by the
explosion OF the corning mill, which vas
situated about twenty-five yards north of
the packing house. The magazine to the
west went next
| The force OF the explosion took a south
| arl " nnnraa nd tool a hro the
tall trees that completely surrounded and
shielded the works, such as might be
made by q Calling battery in an hours
steady playing. The tops OF trees were
cut Oh, and the trees that stood In tho
lima were either felled or stripped oil their
branches, and they now stand like spec
tres In the path.
The public highway 500 yards away
was littered with the crushed and black.
ened powder-keRs and tmoking pieces ci
timber and limbs of trees wire picked
| up near Spring Garden, more than Q
| mile away, across the bills ia the direc.
tion In which the greatest force was
spent.
| Three distinct shocks were felt In
Pottsville. Windows and dlshns ratified
In the houses, and the earth shook, but
As there II 60 much heavy blasting going
| on on the new railroad work on the out
skirts Of town, the ccinmotion YVES gen.
orally attributed to that source until the
real tacts became known.
This is the fifth explosion Of thes,
works. The first occurred October
1870, when. the glazing mill went up
killing two men. The barrel mill ex-
ploded 10 1877 and In 1884. In July
1888, the corning mill exploded, killing
three men. That mill, which had beef
but recently rebuilt, is now again de
stroyed.
Mr.. Muir, the Pot,syille agent, esti
mates that in the four buildings ther,
were not over 200 kegs of powder In
various stages Of compilation. The cak
ing house Is como distance up the creek
and with its three ocrrpants escaped
The charcoal ovens also escaped. Mr.
Muir could give no idea Of the loss by III,
explosion, but II VIII exceed 500, 900
The injured are George Klpp and Josepl
Kantt er, who were employed as carpen
ters below the works, aud Winfield Hen
dricks, who was at work in his quarrJ
200 yards away. Kipp has his right lef
aud LOFT ear cut, and Kahtner is also cu
by 1Jing pieces Of wood aud metal
4 y