New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-19
EIGHT MEN BLOWN UP.
EXPLO OSION OF POWDER WORKS
AT LAKE HOPATCONG.
SIX MEN KILLED OUTRIGHT AND ONE OTHER
so BADLY INJURED HE WILL PROBABLY
DIE-wINDOw-PANES SHATTERED
FOR MILES AROUND.

| FOR MILES AROUND.
Mount Arlington, April 1s.-The works of the
American Forcte Powder Company on the shores
Of Lake Hopatcong. about a mile below here,
blew up about 3 O'Clock this afternoon, and six
men were blown to atoms, and two others so
badly hurt, that one will die. The list of the
dead is as follows:
CARLSON Jacob, aged thrtyGve; leaves widow and Ave
children.
JOHNSON A.. aged thirty; unmarried.
PIERCE, William aged twentyeeht leaves widow and
two children.
SMITH J. D.. superintendcnt OF the works; leaves
widow and one child.
| VAGH james aged twcnty.six; unmarried
! ---, Unknown Swcle
Besides these, two men were injured; OF
| them, Benjamin CassimOre will probably die.
The explosion occurred a few minutes after
O'clock, and five buildings were shattered What
caused the disaster will never be known. The
works of the company consist Of number of
small buildings, scattered at distance of about
300 feet from each other Most of the build
ings are used in the mixing process and only one
man was employed in each Other buildings.
which stand further away from the lake on the
side OF the mountain. used for the storage
Of dynamite, nitro-gyccrine and detonators. Tie
works have been frequently the scenes OF eN-
plOsions but never so disastrous as to-day.
The explosion occurred while all the men were
at work and created a panic The men working
in buildings distant from those blown mp, irst
heard n roar and the buildings in which they
worked shook and trembed for fully a minute ;
then came an explosion which sounded far louder
than the simultaneous roar Of half dozen OF
the largest cannon. The startled men rushed from
their work and saw a cloud of dust and smoke ily-
ing through the air. near the lower part OF the
company's grounds They knew in moment what
bad happened, and fearing that the conclusion
might set of the NposYcs in the other buildings,
they took to their heels and ran for the mo'ntain
side. After u few moments when they saw that
no further danger was imminent. they cautiously
advanced 10 the scene Of the explosion Tie
wreckagc was already fire. and was burning
nercely. The men went to work at once To over
haul the wreck in search of those who had been at
work in the ruined buildings In few minutes
they succeeded in finding two men, both of whom
were badly injured. These were quickly removed
10 the .compny's Office, and II doctor sent for
Meanwhile the company's fire apparatus was run
ont, and water from the lake was used to fight the
fire.
Ar soon III the flames were under control the roll
Of the compnnys employees called ard 1t
was found that six were missing. \
search was then begun for their bodies
The scarchers were rewarded in their work by
finding 100 pounds Of flesh and bone which is
all thnt remained OF the six men. What could
hc found wns gathered up in boxes and will be
buried by the company. The two injured men
who were taken 70 the cOmpanys Office were
attended "a by Drs. c. X. Mcldcn and \. +.
Jacobus, OF Stanhope; DR. Taylor. Of Succasunny,
and the company'S chemist.
A representative OF thc company who was seen
after the explosion. said that it would be impossi-
bic 10 ascertain what caused the explosion. The
company had never expected that such a big
explosion could occur. The buildings being
scparaied and each oric Independent Of the other,
II was seldom that more than one mans life was
thought 10 bc in danger. All the explosions of
the past have been in the houses used for miN
ing the explosive. and the storage rooms hal
never before been affected When asked if an
investigation would be made, he said it was Use
less 10 hold one The explosion had left little
70 sit upon There was one man VINO,
II was possible might have been able to
tell how il occurred but he was the man at
whose bench the first explosion occurred and con
.rucntlv was dead. The last explosion at the
works occurred on December 20, 1890. at when
time two men were killed. Smith. the suprln-
rendcnt. had been in the employ Of the company
-cyen wears, and had been superintendent Tor
three ycars.
The explosion shattered all the windows within
ryyo miles OF the scene. The glasses IN the paF-
room Of SchneGer's Hotel were broken. and the
fc,y quests in the house were startled. At Land
i,c the railroad depot was shaken
mil rho beams crealSed, and every pane oi
yass in the builling. ~ well ~
go in the houses around. was blown out.
There are two other p0w'lcr companies III inns
vicinity The Atlantic Giant POWDER 'o,npaR
s AZ kcnvic. three miles away, and the ! ntrd
states Storage Department station IS nj Dover
which is about seven miles from the scene "i me
cvplnsion The explosion was pIlinN ielt al he,-
yi6n and Dover where the employees M work,
thinking it was part Of their own works wh'!
had blown M. left their benches The miners az
NJ Hope left the mines, thinking 1t an earthquakes
The Offices Of the American Foicitc Powder Manu-
featuring Company are in the Washington Huiio'n
X, ! rroad,voy The officer, ~ the company I'm this