Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-04-21
SEVEN MEN TORN TO PIECES
Frightful Results of a Powder
Explosion.
A SHOCK LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE
Only a Few Fragments of the
Victims Remained.
An Awful Disaster at tho Works Of the
American Forcitc Powder Company, ON
Lake Hopatcong, n. J = Seven Men
Blown TO Pieces and Others Injured.

Lake Hopatcong, ". - Seven Men
Blown 10 Pieces and Others Injured.
MouNr ARLINGTON, N. T., April 49,
| The works of the American Forcite Pow
der Company, on the shores of Lake
| Hopatcong about mile below here blew
up 1T about 3 o'clock this afternoon, and
seven men We're blown to pieces The
names OF five of the men killed are as fol
| lows j. D. Smith, superintendent Of the
works, married and leaving widow and
one child jacob Carlson, aged IS years,
married, and leaves five children. Will
liam Pierce, aged 2S years, married,
4 and leaves d widow and two children;
James Vagh, aged g years, unmarried; a.
Johnson, aged 80 years, unmarried.
| Another body has been recognized as chat
of a Swede, whose name is unknown.
| Two men were injured. One of them,
Benjamin Cashmere, is so terribly burned
and mangled that he will probably die,
The explosion occurred few minutes
after 3 o'clock, and five buildings were
shattered. What caused the explosion will
never be known.
The works OF the company consist of a
number of small buildings scattered ut
about distance of 800 feet from each
other. Most of the buildings were used in
the mixing process, and only one man was
e.
which stand further away from the lake
on the side Of the mountain. are used for
the storage Of dynamite, nitroglycerine
and detonators. The works have been fire.
quently the scene of explosions, but never
10 such M extent as to-day.
The explosion occurred while all the
men were at work and created panic.
The men working in buildings distant
from those blown up first heard rear,
and the buildings in which they were
working shook and trembled for fully u
minute; then came an explosion, which
sounded far louder than the simultaneous
explosion Of half dozen Of the largest
cannon. The startled men rushed from
their work and saw cloud of dust and
smoke lying through the air near the
lnwer part Of the company's grounds.
They knew III moment what had hap.
pened, and fearing tnat the conclusion
might set of the explosives in the other
buildings, they took 10 their heels and Iun
for the mountain side. After few
moments, when they saw that no further
danger was imminent, they cautiously nil.
vanCed 10 the scene of the explosion The
wrcckage was already ON fire and was
burning tiercely. The men went to worl. 1T
once to overhaul the wreck iii search Of the
men who had been at work in the ruined
buildings. Within few minutes they site.
teededin finding two men, both of whom
4 QUICKLY
removed TO the Gpmpany's Office aud q
doctor was Sent for. Meanwhile the com
pany's fire apparatus was run out and
water from the lake was used to fight tht
fire. AS soon as tile flames were under
control the roll Of the company's en-
ployes was called and it was found that
seven were missing. A search for theii
bodies was then begun. The seareheg
we're mostly old employees Of the company
and knew that IN a case like the present
one it was useless TO search among iii,
ruins, They found fragments of iiesl
and bones scattered over several acres d
ground. In fact, they found 1850 pound
d flesh and bone, which is all that 10
mains Of the bodies of the victims.
What could be found was gathered upil
boxes and will be buried BY the company
/ The two injured men who were taken l.
the conlpanyis Office were attended by Drs
G X. Modem and \. ". Jaeobus, of Stan
hope; Pr. Taylor, Of Succassunny, and til
companY's chemist.
A representative of the company VIII
was seen after the explosion, said that
would be impossible to ascertain whil
! eaused The explosion. There had beel
numerous EXCLUSIONS, he said, at the work
but none go extensive us that to-day TIL
same gentleman said that the compan,
had never expected that such u big explt
= sion could occur. The buildings bein
! hEplEtlEN anu tHtCl lHItpnuutlI Oh TIL
other. il was seldom that more than on
mans life was in danger. All of the eN
!, plosions of the past had been iii the house
Y used for mixing the explosive and tn
!, storage rooms had never before bee
r affected
When asked if an investigation would
made he said II was almost useless to hol
one. The explosion had left little Of til
6 building. 1t would be impossible TO ascei
. tain how the explosion occurred or eve
4 the simplest thing about it. There wa
| one man whom it was possible might hay
. been able to have told the story, hut h
/ was the man 1t whose bench the first eS
q plosipn happened, and consequently h
i was dead
= The last explosion at the works occurre
1 on December 26th, $50, at whichtim tw
( men were Killed superintendent Smit
had been III The employ of tile cumpan
!, seven Sesrs, and had been superintendent
:, for three years.
y Tile ex plosion shattered all the window
within two miles Of the scenn Of the O.
: posion. The glasses in tile bar-room 1
z Schaeiier's Hotel were broken and iii
!. guests IL The house We're greatly startled.
Al Landing the railroad depot wa
shaken unit! the beams cracked and ever
pane Of glass in the building, rs well
y those III the houses around, were blown on
Y There are Two other powder epmpanit
= IN this vicinity, The AtlAnuc Glant Poy
Y der Company is 1T kenyille, three mil,
q away, and the Omitted states storage d
i partmelt station il At Dover, winch
=; about seven miles from the scene Of Il
y explosion. Tie explosion was plainly fl
p II kcnvillc, and the employees at worl
th!tiking hat it was d part of their ow
r works which had blown up left the
Iii benches.
1T DoyFR N. 4, April ls.-The explosie
u, Which Occurred at Lake iIopatcong to-da
q was heard plainly hone. rhe United Stat
io supply depot is located near his place, ri
r i Was ~ first supposed thai il was til
IN Which had blown itp.
re Al0lNT llQrE, ". j., Aprl ls.-rhe me
a work ia the mines here thought that h
(. earthquake had occurred when the powfI
u mills II Lake ll0patcGng exploded III
a. afternoon. They left the mines, but so I
IL rs sliqwll no cave-iu occurred.
of
Ii CORRETT'S CH.fLLfNGE.