Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-23


day week. The members Of the iurv nj,
Of the coroner'a office and at 10 oicluc
left the city in hack for Squirrel Rut
which is part of Rising Sun, and We've
the body Of Daniel Harkins at his SON
residence. The jury then proceeded /
the headquarters Of the Victor iu Pom
Democratic Club, over Thompson's dru
store, at Rising sun, where the eyidenc
OF nine witnt sies was heard.
On motion OF w. Il. Long, the Wit
uessses were brought into the room. be
ore the jury, one at time, aud CAV,
their evidence alone.
The first witness was Timothy Toomey
who bad worked for e. l. du Point Il 90
Tor 10 years, and 10 foreman of the uppel
yard. He testified that he could not saw
how the explosion occurred. Mr.. G. seei
was working at magazine ia which there
was over two tons OF powder. Sometimes
there were about four tons in the naapa.
zine. There were two kinds Of powder
IN the magazine, prismRtio and black.
Witness had helped HI. Green solder
covers on the cans Of powder, which held
from lou to l54 ponds. BIS soldering
iron was black hot, about steam heat. He
heated it with a plumber's turnace. En-
worked in the door OF the magazine
about 10 feet away from thelowdsr. ma
door Of the magazine was kept clean.
/ The work of soldering cans was NOT par.
ticulariy dangerous. Witness would do
II now.
The tin Tapped over the edge Of tire
boxes half inch. Could not say whether
ail the cans were new cans or not The
cans Mr.. Green was working on the day
OF the explosion were all new ones, for
witness had seen them. Boys packed
The powder IN the cans. They were
packed in the Hsgley yard and then
shipped to the upper yard. 1t Was
packed in separate room. Witness
eould rot tell which magazine explod a
nrst. No one could. Mr.. Green had
done this work for four years. phare
were four magazines in the upper yard
and 10 or IL mills and buildings. i've
OF the magazines are left. Gould not
say how mcchs powder was in TIE uppst
yard. The grinding mills held about a
ron and the glazing mill about two tons.
Oould not toll how much powder was ia /
the new magazine, which wRs left |
" was about half full. Witness
thought it would hold 20 tons I
when full. Did not tank the q.
Plosion could have been caused by
dragging box over the floor, as The I
noor was clean. The soldering iron did
not nave to be heated red hot, as the
solder melted at low temperature. Tho
furnace Yves % feet away from where
Green was working. William Mcgaryev
was his helper.
Frank Kelley had worked for the On
Fonts about eight years, but Yves moi an.
ployoo oS them now. He knew nothing
spout the accident. All he saw yas ths
nash. He was in the yard at the tima
with his team backed up to the yrindina
mlll. Conld not ten where the fasb on
noise came from. Tbs grinding min Il
which witness was a. work svniod,S
Witness was 80 yards away from liz
grinding house when it 7xnIoaa5 ~
WAS in his wagon and tried y bniJ Ne
horses. One horse had its leA byohen
Witness had hauled the bnxes d nsis
natic powder when they had The ids IN
he had seen the boxas packed al tAs
packing house. Did not know whether
second hand boxes were filed or not.
Did not think that Mr.. Green's lob
was any mora dangerous than any other
other ia the yard. Heat would not OK
plode powder. Il took file, q spark. Wit
neRs did not think that the SQUEEZING iron
heated black, would explode the prisnntic
powder. Witness quit work after the ex-
piosion, Of the request Of his wife and
son & ShRrp's
Witness had Reen Mr.. Green working
An the door Of the magazine. Hiq furnaee (
was about five yards away. The DIV of
the explosion, there wes about 500
pounds in the grinding mill. There woes
sometimes 10 OF Is tons Kept in The mills
or magazines. Witness thought tl,st the
bIS magazine would hold about 80 or I'D
tons.
John Dsary had been employed by tbe
4u Fonts ~ years. The day OF tho *
ploalon he was outside of the grinding
ndl- he teit the shock and then ratl. (
pecsuae he did not know but THAT .la /
nlsll beside him had exploded. He ~. /
iieyed that it did, Tor there was nothing
left OF it. Mr.. Green was at work n tI,a
door Of the bnilcing, with his furnace /,
about 10 feet away. Mr. Green he'd n6t
SAID that It vas dangerous Job, bit Rad
sald that be would gEil,ar do il lUmssf i
shan see another do 1t. II would take
I'VE men TO carry boz Of prismaIse
powder. II was brought 20 Mr. Green a.
ms door Of the mill. Lie soldeeed The t!a /.
cover on AND his helpers took i away. !,
Ihete was about one ton or powder ii /
me grinding mill. Gould moi sly how j
mnch powder these was in the various y
Witness was in tha Bis 6
at Montchanin yestsrday. I
lho0gtt 1t had about 25 tons Of powder {
II 1t. Thought it would hold about 3D.
.ona
Dennis Deery had worked about the 3
powder mills sbout 10 years, lis ~ps il
Ae HAgisy yard at the time Of tie ex- =
plosion. Had carried the beZss OF iii
matte powder when Mi. Green gas WORK /
ing. He worked 81 the doogsiu, with hfB i
furnace outside. Thought aone oil the
mills had 9 ton and half II powder in i
hen. Was Ia the large magazine last d
month. 1t was about L4if fali O.
James mckinney had worked in powder
" years. Was not working on dc day =
y the explosion. Had helped NJ. Green i
yhiie he was acldss!ng boxes. Knew I
lo.hing about his soldering iron. If i
FITNESS had considered the work dan. Il
sssous, he wouid not awe EarEod there. r
Had PACKED prismEsic powder some 81
: in second hand boxes Ihey wers as I
rood as new. Filling i've boxes w4g y
lays work. Mr.. Green's furnace was rs /
ards distance wheu 40 vas "a WORK
Had never klown the large storage mega Il
lns TO be more than hBif fuil, L
After Mr.. Mckinney hEd testified The
ury adjourned for dinner. Shortly !.
fter O'Clock tho iary reconysued. =
Francis U. du Poni, member Of tie I,
lrD, testified that 30 had rs;urne3 tl0f1 \
trip the night before tho explosion and 1
lid not know how much powder was ID =
he yard. Eugene and CHARLES du Pon E.
lad charge. Since thea Ae had baaa iii 4
be big magazine. II contained about 4
Ine-third of the usual RECo1at carried I,
tara III 10 & IL I