The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-13
POWDER MILL EXPLOSION
EIGHT MEN KILLED AND TWENTY
OTHERS INJURED
Two Explosions Occurred, the First
in the Gun Cotton DEPARTING nt,
the Second Following Quickly,
Probably Superinduced by the
COncussiOn-Victi Were Hor-
fibIy MangIed-SOme Soldiers.

NEW YORK, July 1.-TWO explo
sions which killed eight men, wounded
about twenty others and wrecked two
buildings occurred at the plant of the
Lafin-R Rand Powder Works, at Pomp-
ton, N. j., today.
The first explosion was in the house
where gun cotton was being made, and
the second, probably superinduced by
close by.
Three men were in the mixing room
when the explosion occurred, and they
We're blown to atoms
Chief Engineer Crager was in the EN-
CINE room and had his head crushed to
a jelly in the wreckage of the boiler
house, the sides of which were blown
out 80
John Phillips was standing near
tree some distance from the mixing
house. His head was blown from his
body, and he was picked up eighty feet
away. His body was frightfully torn
by the force of the explosion, and his
clothes were whipped from his body.
The foreman of the drying room was
also blown to pieces, and number
of volunteers who were digging a
trench in the rear Of the building were
injured.
The most seriously injured was Will
liam H. Nemmons, a private of Com
pany H, Third New Hampshire volun-
teers. He was horribly torn by flying
splinters. 1t lis not likely he will re-
cover.
Charles Lukes, of Butler, was also
probably fatally injured.
The first explosion was at 1890
o'clock. Before the roar had died away
another and louder explosion took
place. The explosion was followed by
q fire, which threatened to spread to
the other buildings Of the plant IN
which high explosives were stored.
Five companies Of Third New Jersey
volunteers have been stationed at the
plant since the war with Spain began,
and they were ordered under arms ana
went to the scene of the explosion on
the double quick. Within ten minutes
the soldiers had formed a Gordon about
the buildings, and the firemen were at
work trying to quench the flames.
FRIENDS SEEK VICTIMS.
Almost Immediately after the explo-
sion the anxious relatives Of those
working in the works gathered on the
scene. The soldiers tried all means CT
keeping the crowd back, telling them
of the dangers of further explosion.
and that it was impossible for them to
PASS
rush through, and the soldiers were
finally compelled to fix bayonets to
hold the crowd back. AS the injured
came through the line Of soldiers the
scenes of excitement were redoubled.
Everyone of the workingmen who came
out was Immediately surrounded, and
begged for a word of those who had
been left behind, many Of whom are
still missing.
The fire was soon under control, and
finally quenched.
The search for the dead and missing
was Immediately begun, and will be
prosecuted diligently.
During the fire two tanks, each OF
which contained ton of nitro glycer-
inc, were in constant danger of being
exploded by flying sparks
The Laf1in-Ran company has been
engaged in the manufacture of brown
powder, nitro-glycerine, gun cotton and
smokelesS powder, under contract to
the government. The loss to the COM
pany will be great, but it is said the
work of reconstruction of the burned
buildings will be begun tomorrow, and
that the plant will be IN full running
order in two weeks.
After the explosion there was some
talk Of Spanish spy being in plot
to destroy the plant, but the theory of
the men in the works is that some sand
or gravel got into the powder. which
was in process of handling in the mix
ing room, and that as it went through
the grinder the foreign substance
came in contact with some metal and
threw out a spark which ignited the
powder.
KILLED.
John Craig, thirty-eight years Old, chief
engineer of works, lived at Wynoi1o; William
Brenn thirty-fve years old, car driver, lived
at Butler; James Phillips. forty-fve years
old, married. and leaves family living at
Ponpton Lake; Daniel freeman, thirty years
old boss of the drying room; William Fisher
inside worker; John Bonatta, laborer. of
Butler; Casper Cozzino, fifty years cid. Ital-
ian laborer, married. lived at Pompton Lake.
Guido Marine. fragment of body found.
In pocket of clothing on it was found
due slip fer work dore for the company
JOSEPH Casen, Italian laborer, killed in the
ditch.
A canvass of Pompton Plain shows that G.
W. Carrain, an emrlcye of the company Is
missing.
About 5 O'Clock in the evening, while the
night guards were being posted. they came
across body, rather ro:tisn CT one
This made eleven killed. This man appears