Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-01-30

Attempt 10 How UP Que OF abe
du PDnt Powder Willis,
There sAsms to DO little doubt but that
an organized effort ~ hAing maae 70 in
jnre the property OF q. |. du Pont de
Nemours d Company, by fire and Other
wise and ruUlof strongly duplicates acme
former nployss who had been dis.
charged during Che past few months.
Yesterday, the fourth dastardly attempt
was made TO wresk vengeance on tue
company and the misofeants who con
oocted this laat ievilish scheme did not
hesitate at the thought of sacrificing
human lives ia order 10 accomplish their
nefarious ends. But tne ends which they
desire TO accomplish are as obscute az
the means which they employ, for tho
perpetrators OF these deeds cannot hope
to regain any tayors by these means
Their sole desire seems 20 be TO satisfy
their revenge for some fancied wrong.
The third attempt to iajure th com
pany'a property, mention OF which Is
now made for the hrst time, ocourred on
Friday night last shortly after duss,
when an attempt was made to either
wreck or burn the four mill CT Pyle "
McIntire at Henry CLAY. Il ia q large
tive-story building owned by the du
Points. The person or persona who com
mitted the deed gained an entrance by
means of the grain shoot through which
the farmers deliver grain. Taey opened
the food gates aud started the mill run
ing at full speed. The absence OF the
grain and the friction OF the unoiled
journals, would soon have generated suf-
iicient heat to start fire. Fortunately
Mr.. MoIntire, who lives in the vicinity,
heard the noisA of the running mill and
stopped it before any damage was done.
Monday an attempt was made. to blow
up one Of the powder mills by placing
matches under the door In suob manner
as to cause their ignition when the door
of the mill was opened. The attempt failed
simply because the door OF the mill did MOI
ignite them when 1t was opened. II il
had succeeded several lives and thou
sands of dollars worth Of property would
have been destroyed.
TIE plot waa discovered about
O'Clock Monday morning, when Edward
Grant, an employe, in opening the doc
OF the press room discovered IL matches
lying In row underneath the door. Tn
door slides back like q barn door on
track overhead and the plotter evidentl,
intended that when 1t was pushed back
should set off some Of the mstches ant
there would be sufiioient powder scat
tered along the floor to communicsts I,
the several tons of the explosive stored II
the building.
Further search OF the premises discoy
cred another match on Car load Of pow
der which STOOD near the press room.
close search OF 0thsr parts OF the premise
was made, but nothing more was disccv
| cred. Some of the mills were delayed i
starting up until it was certain that thsr
was no danger from some hidden cause
! Efforts are being made TO discover tn
! identity of the plotters, but any convict
inc evidence ia difficult to procure
| although suspicion has bsen cast on on
particular gang as knowing mcse Q
these crimes than they cara to tell. Afte
the recent fire, the force of watohme
] was increased from about four men
: sixteen, and every precaution Is bein
taken to guard the company's ptopart
, from further depredations. Tho theor
l has been advanced that the attempt VS.
terday could hardly have been done b
/ ary one not an employe, on account
the difficulty Of. Rocess, and that SON
i one employed by the concern laid u
/ matches. This is not generally believes