The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1892-04-22
SEVEN MEN KILLED.
EXPLOSION OF THE AMERICAN FOR
CITE POWDER CoMPANY's WORKS.

EXPLOSION OF THE AMERICAN FOR
CITE POWDER CoMPANY's WORKS.
The Cause Will Never Bo Known-Other
Buildings Full OF Dynamite, Nitro-Gly-
cerine and Detonntors Escapc-Panic
Created.
MoUxr ARLIsGroS, N. j., April 2l.-The
works of the American Forcitc Powder
company, on the shores of Lake hopat-
cong, about mile below here, blew up ut
about 3 o'clock this afternoon. and seven
men were blown to atoms. The names OF
FIVE of The men killed are J. D. Smith, SUI
perintendent of the works; Jacob Carlson,
William Pierce, James Vagh and A. john
son. Another body has been recognized
as that Of a Swcde whose name is un-
known. Two men were injured, one of
them Benjamin Cashmere, being so ter
rilly burned and mangled that he will
probably die. The explosion occurred
few minutes after CLOCK, and five build
nTS were EudttCrcu. W siN
explosion will never be known.
The works Of the company consist Of
number of small buildings scattered about
at distance of about 500 feet frcm each
other. Most of thc buildings were used in
tbemixing process and only one man was
employed in each. The other buildings,
which stand further Away from the lake
on the mountain, are used for the storage
of dynamite, nitro g!ycerinc and dctona-
tors. The works hnvc been frequently
the scene of explosions, but never to such
an extent as to-day. The explosion &C!
Cured while the full force of men were at
work and crcateda panic. The men work
ing in the buildings distant from those
blown I'D first, heard the roar, and the
buildings in which they were working
shook and trcmblcd for fully u s"innte,
then came an explosion which sounded far
louder than the Simultaneous explosion Of
half a dozen Of the largest cannon.
rho stnrtlcd survivors rushed from their
work aud saw cloud of dust and smoke
Aving through The air near the lower part
Of the cnmrany's grounds. They knew
what had happened and fearing iln; he
concussion might set of the explosives in
thc other buildings they took to thei."lec's
and ran for the moun!nin eide. AT a
few moments, when they saw that no fur
ther danger wns imminent. they can icasly
returned TO .he scene of the explosion.
The w:eckasc was already OH fire and
was burning fcrccly. The men went to
work al once To overhaul the wreck ~
search af men who had beer at vo:& iii
the ruined buildings. Within few min
ntcs they succeeded in Gudns two men,
bot. of whom were badly injured Mcan-
while the companys fire apparatus was
run out md water from the lake waF used
to fight The fire. As soon MS the flames
were under control the roll Of the en-
paws employees was called and il vas
i'orud ;lat seven were missing. Tie scarc:::
BEGAN, knowing tha! in n ease like tia
nrcsert one, it WAS useless to lock in TIA"
ruins. Scattered over several acres OF
ground they found I5t' pounds Of flesh and
bcncs. which ia all that rcmains nf tlic
bodies Of the victims. What could be
found was gathered up i'll boxes and VIII
be buried by the company.
There are two other powder companies
in this vicinity. The Atlantic Giant Pow
der Company at kenyillc, three miles away,
and the United States powder storage
apartment station is Mt Dover which is
seven miles from the scene Of cx.l 's;cn
The shock was plainly felt at kenv:l!e. and
the employees at work. thinking that it was
mart of their own works which had blown
IN, left their hrcechcs. The people Of
Dover thought the United States powder
dcpot had exploded and at Noun! Hope
the miners at work under ground telt TN
lar, thought it Was An earthquake and has
tily went above ground.