Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-10-11
blown UP BY POWDER.
An Explosion on the Banks Of the
Brandywine
oupont'S MN Properly Destroyed. and
Twelve Persons known 60 Have
Ron ISllled-NIanN Ininrch.

I
Been IItiled-Many Injured.
Several startling explosions in quick sue.
eesston-some counted five, others seven-at
$50 P. NJ, announced 10 Wilmington, Del, a
disaster at the Dupont Powder Works on the
I Brandywine.
The widest rumors prevailed, and the tele-
phone and telegraph offices were besiesed by
people who had friends or relatives at the
/ works
/ 1t is known that 70 persons lost their lives.
I Several others are missing, aud IL is feared
1 that they, too, are killed. Many others were
/ seriously injured.
The deadare; Martin Dolan, James Dolan,
/ William Mctiarvey, John llartygan, William
I Dennison, John Dietz. Thomas aud John Hur-
| like, Patrick and Rose Dougherty, William
I Green and John Newall
OF the killed tue bodies Of three only have
been recovered. Mrs. Rose Dougheriy was
/ found dead In her attic. The body OF VIII.
4 lam McGarvey was found with his head COM
I piotely blown OF, and che body Of Green was
I found unmasked lying near the magazine.
! where he had been engaged soldering pow.
I der key.
The Dupont Powder Mills extend along
! the Brandywine chiefly on the west bank
and close TO the water Tor about two miles.
/ ihey are divided into the Upper. 4" "ilagley"
md Lower" yards The iormcr Is three
| miles and the latter five miles from Milm.ng-
I ton. At the Upper" was the Office aud bust.
{ ness headquarters Of the company.
/ There are about fifty houses inhabited by
| employees Of the powder mill clustered there
and they are all wrecked. The force Of the
coneussion even broke windows Ia some parts
/ OF Wilmington, four or FIVE miles away. The
I office Of the Dupont Company is a complete
/ wreck and six miles are In ruins.
I Several members of tho Huu0nf Il nm vYcra
I injured by falling walls aud broken glass,
| but none ct them seriously. Among the
slightly injured are Eugene Dapant, the head
| OF the firm; Francis G. Dupont aud Charles
l l. Dupont, They and several clerks in the
I Office were cut by fragments of broken glass,
| but none Of them seriously.
/ HOW II HAPPENED.
The first explosion occurred in one Of the
{ preparing mills communicating fire 10 The
drying min, which was Instantly blown 10
pieces. The magazine, containing 80 tons Of
| powder, next exploded, eaus.n g the great los,
I OF life. William b. Green, the head of The
I shipping department, was soldering a can Of
prIsmaiic powder lie wa considered one Of
i the most careful men IN the companyis en-.
I ploy, aud was the only man who did this sort
1 OF work. The theory oil the cause Of the ex-
( plosion is that his soldering iron became too
] hot thus iguiting the powder in the can. The
I head OF William McGarvcy. his helper. waa
( blown Oh Martin Dolan aged 10, o powder
maker, was blown 10 pieces Patrick Dough.
! eriy, powdermakur, was killed in one Of
Z the mills. John Newell WIS killed by the
{ torceot the explosion. The other. were Killed
| IN and about the destroyed buiidnps An
but one Of the dead were employed by Tie
company. Thirteen were scycrally injured
{ and twenty-scyen slightly hurt All the
dwellings aud companys buildings were
! butt OF stone most OF them only one story
( high, and 70 THIS fortunate circumstance many
/ persons owe their lives, lor the reason thai II
/ tue buildings had been constructed Of lighter
material they would have collapsed entirely.
immediately after the explosions "a llarge
building known us the refinery located
near the centre Of the village, took hrr. "a
{ was llte OF death t0 thr whole population that
J this IRE should be cXiin uisllei before II com
l muuicated with the powder the building con-
I taieed. Taxing thair lives in their hands the
/ Dupont fire brigade fought the flames which
had caught the roof Ii was touch and eo be-
tween sue sess aHd destruction, but the fire.
/ men won Had the root fallen in il ~ doubt.
iul II any man. woman or child 10 The vicinity
would nave escaped death or serious injury.
About oViumiiies arc rendered homeless by
the disaster ami many of them we're w daxod
by the terrible events Of thlsc lew seconds as
! TO seem bar ly c0nsc Gus Of where they arc or
what they ue doing. liie injured IRE being
gathered into the hos, "a buiidiug appe tain
ing 10 the works nu Gre receiving such
,urgieal and other ald ms tuey need.