Evening journal., 1889-07-06
POWDER MILLS EXPLODE
Two of the DuPont's Rolling
Mills Blown Up.
SHAKING AND SOARING THE CITY

Rising Sun, and about three miles from
this city, exploded at 1015 o'clock last
night with terrific force. The damage,
excepting to the mills is slight, consist
ing mestly of bloken glass in the houses
In the vicinity.
The two explosions were distinctly
heard and felt in this city. They were
about six or eight seconds apart. The
second was preceded by arumbling noise,
probably the echoes Of the first. The
ground and all houses trembled very per-
ceptablY from the concussion Those
who were looking in a northwesterly
direction saw the flashes distinctly aud
afterwards heard the dull boom Of the
explosions Some saw the white cloud OF
smoke that arose.
Explosions Of roolling mills at the Du-
Pont powder works are not uncommon,
and generally attract little attention
But the explosions last night were
unusually severe, and whilst easily
guessing where they occurred the
severity of the explosion gave rise to a
belief that two of the magazines or store
houses had exploded, with consequent
damage.
People in the city were a little star
tied, and some women were frightened.
Many went to the doors OF their houses
and compared notes with their neighbors,
as to their sensations and impressions.
The explosions, or more likely fear and
nervousness made some women faint and
sick. Probably 100 people went out to
Rising Sun last night, including the
representatives Of the press, who hurried
out in carriages
/, j. A. Wilson, the undertaken, bravely
went out in his ambulance to bring any
wounded or dying there might be to the
/ hospital.
There was about 800 pounds Of powder
in each mill at the time of the explosion
1t was Of high and powerful grade and
nearly finished. This probably accounts
for the unusual force Of the
explosion, as q low grade of
powder would have exploded with less
force. The wind was blowing directly
from the mills toward the city, and with
the clearness Of the atmosphere, which
easily transmitted the sonnd, and the
fact that the mills are built so that the
force of the explosion was towards the
city, is probably due the distinctiveness
with which the explosions were heard in
the heart and lower part Of the city.
Just what caused the explosions will
l
machinery may have generated spark,
or some foreign substance in the powder
may have done so. The powder Is kept
damp and 1t may have become too dry
and been exploded by the heat generated
by the heavy rollers. The sparks and
fame from the first explosion ignited and
exploded the powder in the second.
No one was hurt by yesterdays explo
sion. Thomas Grant was the foreman In
charge Of one mill and an Italian named
Charles Gaino was in charge of the
other. In two minutes from the time
Of the explosion the gangs Of workmen
would have been changed. German
named Kimbiter, who is head boss wa.
waiting in house near tha mills at the
time of the explosions, for the time tc
change the gangs. He was struck on ths
cheek by a piece of flying iron and
scratched The force OF the explosion
threw him down.
Nearly all the glass in the windows Of
the sides nearest the mills, of the store
of John s. Miller, situated at the end OF
the covered bridge at Rising Sun, was
broken. Considerable glass was broken
in the sides OF houses towards the mills
throughout the village, and 9
number of doors were blown open, the
force Of the explosion wrenching the
locks off. Dishes were shaken from the
shelves in some houses and broken. A
few window lights we're broken here anC
, there in Bancrofts mills and In the
houses and in the mill workers houses OF
the banks Some glass was broken II
houses on the Highlands. In one hous,
seven lights were shattered. One Of th,
large plate glass windows In the stort
under the Highlands Odd Fellows Hal
was broken in several pieces and larg,
window in butcher store on the High
lands was blown out.
The powder mills presented a sorry ap
pearance this morning. Not a vestige o.
the roof Of either remains. The mills arr
J situated on the banks Of the Brandywine
The walls are built Of solid masonry, Z
feet thick and about 20 or 25 feet high
The side toward the river is open
so that the explosions will blow tn,
debris in that direction. The two mill
are about twenty five or thirty fee
apart. The roof Is simply laid on anC
the side toward the river made Of planks
} The remains OF the roof and side are il
+ the river and on the opposite bank
Pieces Of the tin coping tha
capped the massive walls ar
also scattered ON the opposite bank, alonI
with twigs and leaves blown from tn
trees. The tops of the walls are blown
off for or Ave feet, and the heavy wall
! of one of the mills are so cracked AM
shattered clear down to their foundation
! that they appear TO be beyond repairing
The walls Of the other mik are also badll
shattered The machinery in both Il
badly injured, and In the first mentioned
the iron trough In which the powder
Q rolled is broken in several pieces Thi
two iron rollers In each mill are not in
2 iured. These rollers are six or sever
r feet in diameter and two feet thick ant
each weighs about eleven tons.
The trees that overhang the mills ar
: divested Of their foliage and IL lie
scorched and scattered on the masonr
about the mill Part of the wooden foo
v of one of the mills remains intact. Thl
d whole interior of the mills, th
v cracked and broken massive walls ant
machinery the heavy rollers displaced
v the absence of anything movable, indi
! Gates that a terrible force has spent itsel
within them. A number of workmei
!. were at work clearing up the little debri
that had not been blown away an
: making preparations for repairs.
The water wheels and gates betwee
! the mills are not injured. Two lamps o
= posts between them are bent an
broken. The doors and windows Of
shed back Of the mills and of ston
house near it and blown out, and othe
buildings close by in the yard are like
= wise injured
The loss is only known TO the DuPontl