The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-19
WERE BLOWN TO ATOMS
A Terrible Powder Explosion Near
Mt. Arlington, New Jersey.
SEVEN MEN INSTANTLY KILLED,
And No Ono Knows How the Accident
occurred--.Narrow Escape of the
Others IN tho NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
of tho Victims Scattered Over Scv.
cral Acrcs..-rho Shock Like That OF
mn Earthquake.

MOUNT ARLINGTON, n. j., April Is
Tho works OF the American Forcite
Powder Company OH tho shores OF Lake
Hopatcong about milo below hero,
blow up ut about 3 o'clock this after
noon, and seven men were blown 10
atoms.
The names Of fvo OF the men killed
are as follows:
]. ID. SMITH, superintendent OF tho
works, married and leaves q widow and
one child.
JACOB CARLSON. aged 35 years, married
and leaves five children.
WILLIAM PIERCE, aged IS years, mar
ricd and leaves widow and two child.
rem.
JAMES vAoH, aged % years, unmar-
ricd.
a. JOHNSON, aged 80 years, unmarried.
Another body has been recognized as
that OF n Swede, whose name is un-
known.
Two mon were injured. One OF them,
Benjamin Cashmere. is so terribly
bruised and mansled that he will prob
ably die.
Tho 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 consists
OF q number Of small buildings, scatter.
cd about Il distance OF about 800 feet
from each other. Most OF the buildings
were used in the mixing process and
only one man was employed in cach
The other buildings which stand further
away from tho lake on the side Of tho
side OF tho mountain are used for the
storage OF dynamite, tro-clycerinc and
dctonators. The works have been ire
quently the scene of explosions, bu.
never 10 such an extent as to-day.
The explosion occurred while all tho
men were at work and created panic.
The men working in buildings distant
from those blown up first heard roar,
and the buildings in which they were
working shook and trembled ior fully n
minute, then came the explosion which
sounded louder than the simultaneous
explosion OF half n dozen OF the largest
cannon. The startled men rushed from
their work and saw cloud OF dust and
smoke flying through tho air near the
lower part OF the 'company's ground.
They knew in q moment what had hap
pcned, and fearin: that the conclusion
might sot off the eXplosivesin,theothe
buildings, they took TO their heels and
ran for the mountainsidc.
After few moments, when they saw
that no further danger was imminent,
thoy cautiously advanced to tho scene
Of the explosion. Tho wrcckage was
already OH fire and was burning fierce
ly. Tho men went to work at once to
overhaul the wreck in search OF the mon
who had been at work in the ruined
buildings. Within few minutes they
succeeded in finding two men, both OF
of whom were badly injured. These
were quickly removed to the company's
office and doctor was sent for.
Meanwhile the comuany's fire appar-
atus was run out and water from tho
lake was used to fight the fire. As soon
rs tho flames were under control tho
roll oil the company's employees was
called, and it was found that seven were
missing. 4 search for their bodies was
then begun. Tho searchers were most
ly old employees OF the company, and
knew that in case like the present ono
it was useless to search among the ruins.
They found fragments OF flesh and bones
scattered over several acres OF ground.
In TACT they found $50 pounds OF flesh
and bone, which is all that remains Of
the bodies oi the victims. What could
be found was gathered up in boxes, and
will DO buried by tho company. The
two injured men, who were taken to tho
company's Office, were attended by Drs.
S. c. II. Moldcn and A. L. Jacobus, OF
Stanhope, DR.. Taylor, of Succasunny,
and the company's chemist.
A representative OF the company who
was seen after the explosion said that it
would be impossible to ascertain what
caused the explosion. There was one
man who, twas possible, might have
been able to have told the story, but he
was the man at whose bench the first
explosion happened and consequently
he was dead.
The explosion shattered all the win
!dows within two miles of the scene.
all -'s, F- y "