The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-10


cause of the death OF the victims and
the orisin of the lire. The body Of Nit.
James W. Perkins was selected upon
which 10 hold the inquest Mr.. Perkins
was prominent citizen Of Blaudford
and lived only a short distance from
the place Of the accident Hc was pres
ent at The fire as a spectator. and Was
assisting in eXtinguishing the flames. Mr.
i. G.. Hoy. who. for the past five years.
has been in The employment Of the Messrs.
Romano Bros. as foreman of the fire
works department. was one OK the first
witnesses examined Sunday morning. lie
says that when the first explosion oc-
CURED in the fireworks building, about
g O'Clock, be was in "a building in the
lower corner Of the yard overlooking
some ten or fifteen children AT their
work. The children were much frghten-
ed and began 20 scream and cry. lie tried
10 quiet them. believing 10 was only one
OF the loading machines that had exc
pioded. ON going out he saw smoke is
sums from the boiler room. and sup
posed hy that that the boiler had eX-
pioded. Upon still further examination
DE found that the fire was in the manu-
featuring room Of the fireworks factory,
where the yellow powder Tor the fire.
works was made. AT the time Of the fire
only Charles Lee (coiOred). the assistant
10 the manufacturer Of this powder. was
in the room. AS the fire was burning
very slowly. Dir. HOY ran out and gave
the alarm. and organized a bucket bri-
sade to put out the flames.
rHE FATAL Explosion.
At the entrance of the yard he met
Mr. Charles ~ Romaine coming in. VINO
told him - DO what be could with the
buckets Was pumping water al the
piugs in the street. about one hundred
yards distant. when the second exDio-
sion occurred. TINS was the explosion that
killed and wounded all the people. 10
occurred in The drlfne room where the
yellow powder is dried While the wit
ness was at the plug. Chief Engineer Ed
ear Farley drove up in his cart and
Mn Hoy warned him of the danger in
going in shat direction The chief made
no reply but drove up 10 within eight
feet of the drying room. The witness
remarked 20 some Of the boys that
Chief Farley was in a mighty bad place.
The latter had only been there a few min
utes when the drying room exploded.
Farley was seriously injured. The dry
ing room is a building used for the pur-
pose Of drying powder, and ON Saturday
contained twelve trays of yellow powder
weighing eighteen 20 twenty pounds IN
the aggregate. This yellow powder is
five times as strong as gunpowder. When
the explosion occurred everyone who
could do so ran behind shelter. I'm
little while there were rumors Of the
death of Mr.. John =. Bland. Sir. Charles
N Romaine, Captain James r. lOsh,
and others. Witness said the fire was
started by an explosion In the manufac-
turing room. Charles Lee told him Sat
urday night "that he did not know the
origin of the fire, being at work pressing
powder al the time BE saw flash and
ran from the room.
WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE.
AIR. Hoy, when asked by a juryman
what in his opinion. caused the fire.
said. MY opinion is that the dust of
the dry powder which was all over the
walls OF the room. and which wili ignite
from the slightest spark. was the cause;
and that a spark must have gotten into
the room through a window which was
open-facmg southWard-the way the
wind was blowing at the time of the first
explosion.
Other witnesses testified 10 seeing
Messrs. Bland. Romaine Tosh and Per
kins going toward the drying room just
before the second explosion. and 20 not
seeing them any more until their mutt
lated and burned bodies were recovered.
one witness. II. T. Walker (coi0red). said
that az the second explosion he saw Chief
Farley and several men near him fen
90 the ground. and that when the smoke
cleared away he saw the Chiefs buggy
was turned over. and the wounded horse
trying TO get up; that he was SO stunned
DE could not move for a minute or two.
The bodies Of the men he saw fall were
lying on the ground near the buggy
Farley on his back. with one arm across
his breast. Several of the bodies were on
fire. and witness poured water on them.
The jury adjourned over until ] o'clock
to-day, to continue the investigation.
Yesterdays SESSION or rHR JURY
The jury met pursua 70 adjournment
at O'Clock this afternoon. The FIRST Wit
ness examined was Felix Cardeina He
testified that he was an emplOye at the
fireworks factory Of Romaine Brothers
After the frs explosion he found his
mother, who was crying She beCkoned
TO him to go back home as She was
afraid DE would get hurt When witness
got between Main and Old Church
streets be heard the second explosion. He
then went home and staid there Witness
could not tell what caused the explO-
sion.
Charles Lovelle testified that he had
been an employe Of the fireworks fac
tory for seven years. About a quarter 20
three o'clock on last Saturday afternoon
he was in his loading room at work. Capt.
Tosh was talking 10 him ut his OYitness)
door about balloung and ali at once
witness heard a big report of an ex-
plosion The first thing witness did was
10 run of in "A different direction To that
from which the report came. He jumped
two fences. and in that time heard that
SIR ROmaine had sent for some water.
Witness kept running until be got home
to his wife and children. Capt Tosh and
witness ran i'm opposite directions. Capt.
Tosh ran right in the direction Of the
explosion.
TEE VERDICT.
The coroners jury completed its inves-
legations at o'clock this afternoon. The
verdict was that Mr.. Perkins came 10
his death by an explosion at Romaine
Brothers fireworks .factory, Saturday,
April sth, al Sl7 o'clock.
IHK FIRE LOSSES.
The losses by the fire is estimated at
$4,000. Bland Brothers & Wright, to-
bacco manufacturers, had $50. 300 insurance
on building. machinery, and stock in the
following companies: Fire Association or
PHILADELPHIA 5000: Commercial Union,
5000; Pennsylvania, $l5D, Petersburg SAY
ines and Insurance Company, S2coO:
Phoenix of London $500 Hartford $50;
Imperial 81 900; London and Lancashire,
81 900: Queen. $1,000: Germania. 5000,
Phoenix, 81 800; Royal. $50. sun, $1,000,
Lancashire. 5000: America OF New York,
5000. Westchester 5000.
Romaine- Barham COmpany's insurance
on stock In storage warehouse was $i3-
500. ia the following companies: Liverpool