The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-12-20
THE BIG EXPLOSION.
Tho Cause OF which still Remains a
Deep Mystery.

Tho Cause OF Which SIN Remains a
Deep Mystery.
| The explosion OF the grinding mil
In the Hagley yard OF Messrs. Z. l.
DUPONT 4 Co. which took place or
Tuesday morning. killing Edward Gal.
llagher, brings to mind the big explo.
sion that took place on Tuesday, DC
ltober It'll, ut 500 O'Clock In 1890. at the
lEluetheran or upper yard reducing
the factory house to a mass of ruins.
Then with but a few seconds be
tween came four more explosions,
and the grinding mill the new mixing
house and two magazines were blown
to atoms. The men employed In the
other yards ran, they scarcely knew
whittier. but upon glancing toward the
upper yard they saw pieces OF metal,
stones and timbers flying skyward
land then arose that black cloud OF
smoke which always follows an ex-
Iplosion OF large quantity OF powder.
lJhey knew that the explosion was a
SERIOUS one and rushed to the upper
Iyard to relieve such of their fellow
lworkmen as might he injured. They
found tho yard scene Of desolation
every mill and packing house being
gone. II was ecene of ruin on every
hand, and the ground was covere Il
with stones, cannlsters and other de-
brls from the exploded mills.
THE SCENE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The scene OF tile explosion and the
Ward In which IL took place is situated
on the south bank OF the Brandywine,
about three miles northwest of the
lCity OF Wilmington. The magazines
and mills which were destroyed
bordered the creek, and the force OF
the explosion seemed to have been
spent in that direction, rs from the
creek to the place where the mills
stood, great trenches, fifty feet wide.
were torn in the ground, some OF
which were ten to fifteen feet deep.
The railroad track running through
the works was torn up for almost the
entire length OF the upper yard. Trees
which stood In the way OF the mighty
force of the exploding powder were
uprooted and broken while Others
were twisted like reeds. The earth In
the vicinity was cleared OF every ves-
tige OF grass, not even blade remain
ing.
LOOKED LIKE A HURRICANE.
A piece OF woodland to the west and
south looked as though q hurricane
had passed, while trees across the
river suffered also. fourth of mile
away across the stream stood
large stone barn. One side of IL was
completely shattered. Two coal
houses where the charcoal is manu-
t&etured had taken fire, the shock of
. he explosion having wrecked the fur
naces. The flames were soon extin.
euished.
GAUGE OF H. EXI LosIoN.
The cause OF tn Q explosion will new
or lie known, but it is supposed to
have been cnused by William R.Green,
who was at work in one OF the maya
zines soldering cans OF prlsmatic pow
der.
The material is packed in layers In
tin cans, then tin cover Is soldered
in place. Green was the only man
who did this work, and ho was com
siGered one Of the most careful men
In tho compaDy's employ. Here were
two magazines containing some two
or three tons each. 1t is supposed
that some twenty tons OF powder ex-
ploded. while some place tho amount
at nifty tons. Oh all the houses occu.
pied by tho men along DuPonts
banks, not one was left fit for ocou-
pancy. Forty or fifty families had
been rendered homeless.
The handsome stone residence OF
Mrs. Henry DUPONT located about two
squares from the works, was severely
shaken.
The grocery store of Victor Stirling
not a whole window pane was left III
the building. The plaster in many of
the rooms was torn from tho eeilihgs
and the wood work greatly damaged.
The loss amounted to over one hun
dred thousand dollars. The following
were killed: John Newell, William n.
Green, Martin Dolan,. Patrick Dough-
ertl. james DOlan. William McGarvey,
John Hdrrigen. John Dietz. John Hur-
IL he, Michael Hurlehe Edward Grant.
Joseph Hargar Mrs. Owen Dough.
arty, Isniel Harkins. The injured
were: AIessrs. James Hunter, A. d.
William Logan, Patrick
Gibson. John McClaflerty. Jr.. John J
Airs. VIM. Dowell, William
Logan. Mary Dolan. James Wand.
Hugh Ferry, Andrew Godfrey, William
Jcbn Ieery, William Casey,
NlIe. Moses Moore, James Ward. Kate
Ward, Mamie Ward. James Dennison, G
Charles Bond. John Freeman, Mrs. I
Kate Ward, Henry Bledden. Frank l
Hollis, Annie Harkins, Robert Hunter, {
homns Iougherty. Lydia Anderson,
.i2zie Haley md others. {
$50