Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-10-17
POWDER MILLS BLOW UP.
A Terrible Explosion Near VIII.
mingtOn, Delaware.
Over Ten Persons Killed and a
Village Destroyed.

At 3:2j o'clock on a recent afternoon
Wilmington, Del, was shaken by series or
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 fiocked to the upper yard OF the
powder works. There q terrible sight met
their eyes
The large upper yard, covering over I'VE
acres, was a complete wreck. Two maya
zines packing house, dry house and the
separating and corning room had ex-
ploded one after another. They were com
pletely wrecked. or two of the build
ings nothing was left but holes In
the ground The others were heap of
stones. Twelve men who had been at work
In and about the mills and one woman had
been killed. The soda raill, 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. 1t contained
about thirty houses and not one was
off, sides are crushed in, lath-
ing and plastering torn away. the floors up
heaved, and in every way the fearful force
had done it's 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 or the
magazines in which prismatic powder Yves
being packed The conclusion of the first
explosion, or the flame from it, sent the 9th
ers off William r. Green, an old and very
careful employe of the company, was at
work packing the prisnatic powder in tin
cans, soldering q 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
Dougherty, James Dolan, William McGar-
vey, John Dietz John Hurley Michael Hur-
ley, Edward Grant, Joseph Harzar, Daniel
Harkins Mrs. Owen Dougherty.
Eugene Dupont, member Of the firm, was
missing after the explosion, and it was
Afeared that he met his death with his en-
u ployes.
III It was reported from Chester, Penn. that
the shock created a panic in a school and that
4 seven children were killed and number in
jured.
Colonel Fl. A. Dupont said that the loss
would reach 81, OO0,O and perhaps exceed
that amount.
Immediately after the explosion large
building known as the refinery" located
near the centre OF the village took fire. It
was matter of life and death to the whole
population that this fire should be extin-
guished before it communicated with the
powder the building contained.
Taking their lives in their hands, the Du-
pOnt Fire Brigade fought the flames which
had caught the roof. 1t was touch and go
between success and destruction, but the
6remen won.
Had the roof fallen in it is doubtful if any
man, woman or child n the vicinity would
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
seem hardly conscious of where they are or
what they ere doing.
The bodies of only two of the killed were
found, While daylight lasted portions of
other bodies were being collected, a limb
here, all arm there, piece Of the trunk in
another place.
The Dupont Powder Works were estab-
lished in 1902 by Elenthere Irene Dupont
d de Nemours, Il FrenchInan who came to this
country in 1873 to escape Jacobin persecu-
ton.