New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-29
EXPLOSION KILLS SIX MEN.
PACKING HOUSES OF THE ATLANTIC
DYNAMITE WORKS BLOWN UP.
FOUR OTHER EMPLOYEES INJURED-THE REST OF
THE PLANT FOR TINE THREATENED BY
F1RE-THE MEN KILLED WE'RE PACK

r1RE-THE MEN KILLED WE'RE PACK
ING AMMUNITION FOR SHIPMENT.
Dover. n. j.. April 2s (speciaD.-six small
one-story frame structures belonging to the Al
lantc Dynamite Company. whose plant. COM
prsing some eighty brick and frame buildings
is situated at Kenvil. about FIVE miles from this
city. were blown UP few minutes before 8
o'clock this afternoon. causing the death OF SIX
men and more or less seriously injurng four
others The six buildings, which were destroyed
by three distinct explosions. were used as pack
ing houses. A seventh packing house and three
houses in which stored empty cartridge
shells were destroyed by fire. which for time
endangered number Of brick magazines III
which were stored many tons Of dynamite.
The first explosion occurred at 2:4 o'clock
the time being indicated by the stopping or the
office clock. a full quarter OF a mile from the
explosion In each packing house there were
two men employed. Three packing houses Die"
up In the first explosion. and the six men en-
ployed in these were almost literally blown 10
atoms They were:
ABERs. ELIAS Of Kenvl. leaves wife and one
child.
HANCOCK. WILLIAM, OF KenNl. leaves a wife
and six children.
RARICK. ALFRED. OF Kenvil leaves wife ana
RAY. CASPAR. OF Kenvil leaves wire anu "'o
children.
sCHEER. DAVID Of succasunna leaves a wife
and five children
STuTMPF WILLIAM
The conclusion ~ this explosion caused
packing house in which John Thorpe ana Els
worth Ike were working 10 collapse. ana ho'h
Thorpe and Ike were badly cut by the Tying
debris Both started 10 run. but had not got
twenty feet from the building when a second ex-
ploson occurred blowing up several more PACK
irg-houscs among them the ono they had just
left Thorpe walk ID In a dazed condition to the
company's office quarter OF mile from 'he
scene Of the explosion.
A third explosion followed a few minutes after
the second, but by this time tn" mon who had
beer at work In the other packing-houses hah
got at n safe distance. one Of them. tharieS
Pratt. who had been at work alone IN inc
furthest OF the six houses which blew up mao
mis- hand badly acerated by flying Debris ana
Charles Smith. a nailer-up employed In the
dipping room. had his right arm cut.
For nearly hour the employees Fought the
flames which threatened the destruction or the
other buildings. which are scattered over the
hundred more acres owned by the company.
The cause Of the explosion Will never be
known Superintendent r. 5. Penniman says
that only half hour before the explosion oc-
Cured he passed through each ~ the packing
houses and found everything In good order
For time past the company has bcen
rushed with orIers and yesterday morning the
men IN the packing -houses were busy se.lln 1
ammunition ordered by the Government ready
for shipment
Twelve years ago. on July 2. 1886. an explo-
sion occurred in the mixing house. by which zen
men were Killed Last month a FIRE destroyed
the ammonia building. but did no further dam
age IL,
The works will resume this morning. and will
not be crippled by the disaster.