Evening star., 1898-04-29
POWDER WORKS nLowN I'D
EApiosi"n at Dover. n. j.. Thought q.
BE Work of Spies.

at DoSer. n. D.. Thought to
BE Work of Spies.
The town Of Dover. N j.. and the country
"ithih radius of twenty miles were star
'ied yesterday afternoon by a series OF ter
rinc explosions, the first of which occurred
at 2:lo o'clock. The explosions occurred in
the Atlantic Powder Company's works
The plant is a complete mass of ruins. Six
workmen We're killed and four others scri-
ousiy injured, some probably fatally.
A hasty investigation into the cause of
the disaster makes il almost certain that a,
was the work of spies In the employ of the
Spanish government.
Ihis Is the second powder plant DESTROYED
within three days. The California Powder
Mills, nve miles from Santa Cruz, Cal,
which had been working night and day TO
supply the government demand were blown
up on the night OF April 26 Eleven men
were KILLED by the explosion.
me SIX men Killed In yesterdays disaster
Were: Elias Abers. home in KenvtI He
leaVes a wife and one child. William Hay
COCKS home in kenvil. He leaves a wife
and seven children. Alfred Rarick. home
in hehTi Leaves wife and four children.
carey Roy, home in kenvil. Leaves a wife
ana nVe children. David Scheer home in
Succasunna. Leaves a wife and five chill
dren William Stumpf, home in Kenyfl
Leaves wife and two children. Four men
We're seriously injured. They are: Ike Els
worth, cut about the body and burned
charles Pratt. arms cut and body burned
Ihomas smith, badly cut by flying splin-
ters John Thorpe. burned and cut by fy-
ing debris. Will not recover
The works are situated in an isolated
spot, seven miles from Dover There Nere
ten buildings in the group. and all have
been wrecked The first explosion occurred
IN one of the packing houses. The concus-
sion set off the explosives in another pack
Ing house nearby Debris and burning TIM
bers from the wrecked buildings were car
rled nigh into the air, ard fell i'm a shower
over the remaining buildings setting fire
10 the main factory and the other fiVe
packing houses and the two shell houses
In a brief time the explosives in these
buildings were set off and left death and
destruction in their wake.
The works have been running night and
day turning out rush orders for the United
states government. and large amount of
ammunition. ready for shipment was
stored in the packing houses. This witt.
all other explosives, was completely de-
troyed. People who felt the shocks and
saw the flames of the burning structures
Hooked to the place from miles around but
could render no aid to the injured. They
were terrified and held back in fear OF
other explosions A few men who were iu
the buildings managed to escape, ard they
ran about bewidered. 1t was nearly I
O'Clock before the ruins had cooled off suffi-
ciently to be approached. and before the
onlookers could be induced to go near the
spot.
Officials of the company, assisted by the
Dover police, Immediately set about to
make an investigation. 1t was learned that
TWO strange men had been seen In the VI
cinity Of the works both day before yester-
day and yesterday. The police are search
ing for the supposed spies. but ii is believ-
ed they have gone to Philadelphia and are
thus safe from immediate arrest.