The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-22
POWDER MILLS BLOW Up.
A Terrible Explosion Near Will
mington, Delaware.
Over Ten Persons Killed and a
Village Destroyed.

At 3:25 o'clock on recent afternoon
Wilmington, Del, was shaken by a series Of
terrific explosions, which caused every house
to tremble to its foundations. People rushed
out of their houses and inquired the cause.
Every one suspected that the powder mills
Of E. Dupont & Co., on the Brandywine
River, about four miles from the city, had
exploded. The report was soon confirmed,
and people aocked to the upper yard OF tue
powder works. There terrible sight met
their eyes.
Tho large upper yard, covering over five
acres, was complete wreck. Two maga-
zines, packing house dry house and the
separating and corning room had e1-
ploded one after another. They were COM
pletely wrecked. or two Of the build
ings nothing was left but holes In
stones. Twelve men who had been at work
In and about the mills and one woman had
been killed. The soda mill, the charcoal mills
and the numerous other buildings In the yard
had their roofs and sides blown In and were
wrecked.
The little village Of Dupont's Bank, situated
on the hill overlooking the river and mills,
was completely wrecked and women and
children buried In the ruins. It contained
about thirty houses and not one was
left habitable. Roofs are torn
off, sides are crushed in, lath'
ing and plastering torn away. the floors up.
had done its dreadful work. Women and
children were standing In groups, crying
and lamenting the loss Of husbands and
fathers and the total destruction Of their
homes.
Doctors were summoned from Whining
ton. and administered to the wants Of the
dead and dying. Fortunately the large
magazine Of corrugated iron, used as the
main storehouse for powder, escaped, as did
also smaller sporting powder magazine,
both Of which were about two hundred yards
from the blown-up buildings.
The first explosion came from one OF the
magazines In which prismatic powder was
being packed. The concussion Of the first
eTniosdon. % or the flame from it, sent the 9TH
ers of. William r. Green, an old and very
careful employe Of the company, was at
work packing the prismatic powder In TIN
cans, soldering sheet Of tin over each Layer;
It Is supposed that his irons got too hot and
ignited the powder. :,
Following are the killed: John Newell,
william Green, Martin Dolan, Patrick
Doucherty, James Dolan, William McGar-
yey. John Dietz John Hurley, Michael Hur.
lev. Edward Grant, Joseph HarZar, Daniel
Harkins, Mrs. Owen Dougherty.
Eugene Dupont, member Of the firm, was
missing after the explosion, and 1t was
feared that he met his death with his en-
ployes.
Il was reported from Chester, Penn, that
the shock created panic IN school and that
seven children were killed and q number In
jured.
Colonel q. a. Dupont said that the loss
would reach 81, ,OO0,O 900, and perhaps exceed
that amount.
Immediately after the explosion large
building known as the refinery" located
near the centric Of the village, took fire. 1t
was matter Of life and death to the whole
population that this fire should be extin-
cuished before it communicated with the
powder the building contained.
Taking their lives In their hands, the Du-
popt Fire Brigade fought the flames which
had caught tho roof. 1t was touch and go
between ssueesesS- and destruction, but the
iremen won.
Had the roof fallen in it is doubtfdf II an
man, woman or child IN the vicinity Tould
have escaped death or serious injury.
About fifty families are rendered homeless
by the disaster, and many are so dazed by
the terrible events Of those few seconds as to
sesm hardly conscious Of where they are CT
what they aro doing.
The bodies Of only two Of the killed were
found, While daylight lasted portions OF
other bodies were being collected, a Limb
here, an arm there, piece Of the trunk in
another place.
The Dupont Powder Works were estab.
lished in 1902 by Elenthero Irene Dupont
de Nemours, a Frenchman who came to this
country in 179s to escape Jacobia persecu,
tion