Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-10-08
Explosion of a Powder Mill.

Explosion of a Powder Mill,
Six of tDe Dupont gunpowder mills, about
four miles from Wilmington, Del, exploded
yesterday afternoon. Eleven bodies were
found and nineteen we're wounded. Fifty
houses were blown down. The check was
felt 10 Philadelphia, about 80 miles distant.
Six or seven startling explosions occurred 10
quick succession.
The frat explosion occurred In one of the
packing mile, where workman named
Grau was receiving a can of hexagona pow
der to be shipped for the use OF The United
States government In some way spark
communicated to the can and 1t blew up.
Iustantly the packing mill exploded, aud
the other mills In the upper yards, four or
| five in number, followed at intervals OF less
| than one second. All these except one were
| "gollipg mills" in which the ingredients OF
gunpoWder are pulverz9d By the action OF
vertical rollers OF stone tnrning slowly
around central post. The whole machine
ry is driven by water power. The odd one
YVES linking mill"
Immediately after the explosions large
building known as the refinery" located
near the centre OF the village, took fire. l.
was matter of life and death to the whole
population that this fire should be extin-
gushed before it communicated with the
powder the building contained. Taking
their lives In their hands, the Dupont fire
brigade fought the f1ames which had caught
the roof. II was touch and go between sue
sess and destruction. but the frenen woD.
Had the roof fallen in it is doubtful if any
man, woman or child in the vicinity would
have escaped death or serious injury.
About fifty families are rendered homeless
by the disaster.
The office of the Dupont Company ia a
complete wreck, and six mills are 10 ruins
Several members Of the Dupont firm we're
Injured by falling walls and broken glass,
but none of them seriously. Among the
slightly Injured are Eugene Dupont, the
head of the firm, Francis G. Dupont and
Charles L Dupont. They and several clerks
in the Office were cut by fragments Of
broken glass, but none OF them seriously.
The dead were all employees of the ccm-
pany, and were In and about the mills that
exploded. Several workmen are missing,
and are believed TO have been blown into
fragrants.
The force OF the conclusion broke win
dows in some parts of Wilmington, four or
FIVE miles away. The shock OF the explo-
siou was plainly felt 10 many sections Of
Philadelphia, at Millviile. N. j., Chester,
Pa. and other points thirty to thirty-6Ve
miles distant.
At the Office of the Dupont Company, one
of the members of the firm staten that the
loss in mill property was az follows: dry
house, one magazine, q packing house,
separating house aud corning mill. The
structures partially destroy ed are glazing
room and press room.
No exact figures in regard to the quantity
of pow der lost can be given, but estimates
run all the way from ten tons to forty.
1t ia estimated that the total loss cannot
be less than $500, 900. In 1854 three wagon
loads of powder belonging to the Duponls
which was being conveyed through the
streets of Wilmington exploded, blowing the
drivers and horses to atoms and killing sew
erai passers-by. o. August % 1857, an ex-
plosion occurred at the BtandywiHe works,
In which several Workmen we're killed.
Alexis Dupont, member of the hrn,
mounted the roof of building filed with
powder, and was sweeping burning brands
from it when tho powder within became IL
nited, snd ALEXIS was blown up with the
building, no portion OF HE body being found.
The gunpowder produced at the Brandy
vine mills bas been an i'm portaut factor In
every American war since the REVOLUTION,
and also In several European op6icts.
The men who were killed were sll work
ing in and about the msgsZnes and mills,
and, except 10 the case OF three. we're blown
to piecss 30 that only fragments OF their re
mains have been found. 1t Ia the theory Of
the workmen that the explosions we're start
ed in some way by soldering iron which
Wm. B. Green was using In soldering tin
covers on cans of powder. This work Is ex-
tremely dangerous and Green was the only
man trusted to perform it. He was an old
employee who thoroughly understood bis
work. John Brsder, who is employed by
the powder manufacturers as teamster, had
q miraculous escape. He was driving dou-
BILE team through the powder yard when the
explosion occurred. and his wagon was de-
rnolished and the horses attached to it were
killed. Mr.. Bsader was not hurt. Toe
800 or 400 homeless people were provided
with comfortable quarters By their friends
living In more favored localities and will be
looked after until their homes eau bs re-
stored. County Coroner Gamble is summon
ing Jury this morning. II may be Two or
three days before be will be ready to hear
the testimony.
a WARNING TO MOTHERS IN-LAw.-There have
been macy burglaries in the northern part OF
Ithaca county, n T., within the last two weeks,
-. Looo,,, p,ucb aycitad non-