Evening journal., 1890-10-14
THE GREAT EXPLOSION.
CORONER GAMBLE BEGINS u IN
VEST r DEATHS.

Hear More Testimony.
The coroner's jury to inquire into the
cause OF death Of the victims of the ex.
plosion at the Dupont powder mills, sat
last evening at the coroner's Office and
heard testimony. The first witness ex-
amined was Charles Link. who testified
that he was foreman OF the Henry Clay
key factory and worked for the DuPonts
for fourteen years He believed William
| K. Green was a born mechanic and a
very careful man. he then described
the boxes In which the powder was
packed. They are wooden boxes lined
with tin, on the top OF which tin cover
is soldered and over this is placed a
wooden cover tightly screwed down. The
lid has half an inch lap The tin used ia
about as thick as ordinary tin, but Is the
best that can be had He believed there
YVES little danger to careful man and
from his kno Wedge Of Green he did
not believe him to be careless. He
never heard Green say that the job was
peculiarly dangerous. or that he intended
to leave it. Green had done this work
for three years. When boxes are re-
turned they are used again II unin-
jured; by uninjured he meant II the tin
was without rust When any colder or
powder sticks to the tin It Is carefully
scraped off, and the boxes are then as
safe as new ones. II the tin is rusted
boxes are unfit for packing and are laid
aside. The boxes sometimes are not re
turned for year, but generally oftener.
About rs per cent. Of the returned are
used again. New lids had to be used in
every case. The boxes were described
They are 30x15x8 inches made OF inch
boards, screwed or riveted together. and
lined inside with tin. On the outside
are handles for carrying the boxes
Either Charles or Eus enc Dupont had
charge Of the men who were soldering
the boxes Francis G. Dupont generally
sent Green to do this work on account OF
his csrefulness.
William Horty testified that he was
machine hand and had worked for the
DuPonts for fourteen years. He had
seen boxes unloRded and sent TO the
upper yard for filling, but had never
examined them nor never was In the
packing house while they we've filing
He had seen Green examine boxes. and
in case there was pin hole they were
repaired; II more than one, they were
not used Green had been EMPLOYED at
this work for two or three years. and he
believed him TO be very careful man.
He thought that when the boxes were
overhauled they we're as good as new.
He thought IL would take spark to
explode powder, and did not think that
either the hot iron or a drop Of hot
solder would so. Only prismatic powder
Is packed in those boxes He knew Nc.
Garvey, who was employed as a laborer.
but did not know OF his own knowledee
whether he helped Green that day or
not.
Robert Pullen. swore that he had
worked in theeHenrY Clay yard for two
years He knew Green well and had
sometimes worked with bin, but never
when he was soldering boxes. He did
not know whether Green had q helper or
not. He sometimes worked with lSreen
when the latter was inspecting boxes.
but he never examined or repaired any.
nor saw any boxes with rust inside. He
had never seen any boxes packed. He
had helped Green 10 line new boxes. he
thought that Charles /. Dupont was
Green's overseer when doing this work.
Major Cochran testified that he worked
in the Henry Clay keg shop and had
been employed by the DuPonts for Eve
years. He knew Green and had hel ped
him to line new boxes BE saw old boxes
retinned that we're damaged, these were
always thrown away. II they were
slightly rusted or covered with powder
the rust was sorapsd off and they were
retidned. This made them as good az
new. He believed that Green never
allowed box to pass through his hands
until 1t was made as good as new, fer he
was very careful man. He never saw
him solder any of the boxes. Either
Charles |, or Eugene DUPONT had charge
OF him while he was soldering the boxes
He had never heard Green say he was
dissatisfied, or that he wished to leave
his work. He never heard an employe
say Green's work was more dangerous
than any other.
Harry Carter testified that he worked
In the Henry Clay keg factory and had
been employed by the DuPonts for ten
years. He knew Green, but had never
worked with him. Green had inspected
the boxes after they were returned, but
witness never saw the inside Of those
boxes. He could not say whether Green
did his soldering inside the magazine or
outside The tin lap might be half an
inch or an inch wide. He never saw a
box filed He could not say where
Green heated his iron He never saw
him carry a furnace He himself had
not been in the upper yard since the re-
fnery was burned eighteen months ago
He heard more about those boxes during
the inquest than ever be had done before.
He had never heard anyone say that
Green's work was dangerous. Green
had solderSd boxes for two or three
years
Joseph Russell testified that he worked
in the Henry Clay keg factory, and had
been employed by the DuPonts For over
Eve years. He worked with sheet iron
making kegs. He had seen old kegs
but never inspected them. he knew
Green and had sometimes worked with
him in the shops He heard Green say
that the job was not nice one, but
never heard him speak OF leaving the
firm. Green once asked witness, how he
would like TO do the work. He now con.
sidered Green's work dangerous. but he
did not before the explosion. He would
not have any hesitation in doing the
work before the explosion If he under
stood IT, He did not know whether
Green did his work inside the magazine
or had the boxes taken to the door.
william H. Miller testified that be
was foreman Of the mAehinists, mill
wrights and backsmiths and that he
was thirty-three years in the service OF
che DuPonts. He knew Green but never
saw him solder boxes He knew the
boxes were filed with prismatic powder
The boxes might contain 100 pounds
He never saw Green at work
John Comfy testified that he was
| master mAann and had haan i'm the arn :