The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-10
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.
The Oriental Powder Co.'s Wheel
Mill Blown TO Atoms.
WALTER MAXFIELD AND FRANK
GUPTILL LOSE THEIR LIVES.

Timbers Flung in Every Direction
Value of Property Destroyed Not Large
There is Grape on the doors of two
homes in the little village of Gambo, as
result of an explosion which took place
at the Oriental powder mi lis. yesterday
afternoon. WalterisB. Maxfeld, fore
man, and Frank Guptlll, who had charge
Of all repairs at the mills. are the victims
| of the disaster
The explosion occurred at 2.20 o'clock,
in the No. 3 wheel mill, located at the
extreme southerly extremity of the COM
pany's premises. There are four wheel
mills connected with the plant. In them
is carried on the first process in the man
ufacture of powder. In each mill are
two huge iron wheels, each Weighing sew
eral tons, which slowly revolye above the
'bed nlane," q cast iron receptacle re-
sembling mammoth bowl In this re-
ceptacle are placed in powdered form the
ingredients from which the powder is
made. A small copper rod, termed the
"plow," is attached to the axle and moves
simultaneously with the wheels, its mis-
sion being to prevent the powder from
"crowding."
In the No. 8 mill, a one-story wooden
building, standing some distance from
the surrounding structures. sporting pow
der was being manufactured up to the
noon hour yesterday, when change was
made to blasting powder. The charge in
the bed plane was nearly ready. to be
taken outswhen Messrs. Maxfield and
Guptill went into the mill.
Nobody else was in the wheel mill at
the time. From the position in which
one of the bodies was found it is known
that the machinery was stopped and that
they were at work on the bed plane, in
which was charge of 200 pounds of pow
der. 1t is supposed that they were setting
a plow, and in doing SO accidentally
struck the whesl and caused a spark to
fall.
The explosion was so terrific that the
villagers thought the whole plant had
blown up. The machinerysin all the 9TH
workmen rushed to the scene of destruc-
ton. Roof timbers were scattered in
every direction, but the frame of the
mill was still standing and was envel-
oped in flames.
Being well organized for just such an
emergency. the employees manned the
hand engines and in twinkling had a
stream playing on the burning building.
They succeeded in exiting gushing the fire
in season to prevent it spreading to adj
joining property. The gate-house caught
fire once, bu5 the flames there were
quickly under subsection.
q The villagers, frantic with fear for the
safety of their fathers, husbands and
brothers, rushed to the mill gates and be-
sieged the guards to allow them to enter,
but the gate tenders strictly enforced
the company's standing rule not to allow
anybody enter the enclosure without
permit.
George Maxfield, proprietor of the Port
land and South Windham express and
brother of The foreman of the Inflated
mill, left his home at South Windham
village when he heard the explosion. He
ran all the way, across fields and pastures,
to the mill yard. One of the gate hands
attempted to stop him, but without
avail. The runner kept on till he reached
the disabled mill, and when he learned
| that his brother was in there, the work
men had all they could do to restrain
him from rushing into the burning
building.
When the flames had been extinguished
he search for the bodies began. Max
fields body, headless and horribly mutt
lated, was found close against one of the
wheels. GuptiIIs body had been blown
through the roof, and the limbs torn
from it in its flight.
The manned bodies were borneHby SYM
pathetic hands to the company's Office and
placed in rear room to await the under.
takers arrival.
When Treasurer John B. Coleman ar
rived on the train which left Portland
at 8. 30, he was met by sad-faced work
men who briefly related the story of the
disaster. Mr.. Coleman's statement to a
PRESS reporter, that "there were not
two men in the whole force whose loss
would be more sorely felt by the compa-
n.y." shows. in what high esteem the
victims Of the explosion were held.
al never heard a louder explosion in
my life.'' was the way the foreman Of the
press mill expressed it. II was standing
by my work when suddenly a deafening
crash came. and the shock from it was
SO severe that it threw me backward sew
eral feet I shut off the machinery as
quickly as 1 could and rushed for the
wheel MILL
The clock in the company's office was
stopped by the explosion. All the houses