The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-09
THREE KILLED
FIVE WOUNDED.
DuPOnt's Lower Mills De.
stroyed this Morning.

through life evidences Of the Accident
The dead are:
Robert McIlhenny, married.
John Wright, married..
John Moore, married.
Ths wounded are:
James Mclaughlin, married.
| Thomas Knox, married.
| Thomas MoCann, unmarried.
John Muiherin, married.
. Samuel Stewart. married
4 The explosion occurred at TO- 10 O'Clock
and the six mills which went up In
less than three seronds scattered death
and destruction for half mile around.
AThs EXPLOSION was due to the shyine Of
o pair Of horses which were used to car
which carried powder from mill to mill 10
the yard.
This car had just left the main grinding
| mill in he yard with about 100 pounds Of
powder to be carried to one Of the press
rooms As the horses started off Charles
Frizzell who conducts the grocery business
at Rising Sun, drove his horse ahead Of
the horses attached to the car. The horses
frightened, upset the car and the powder
exploded at the grinding mill door.
Mcllhenny aud Wright saw the car tilt,
and fearing an explosion rushed from the
grinding mill They did not succeed how.
ever. The powder on the car exploded and
the conclusion produced, destroyed the
grinding mill and Its 1900 pounds OF DOW.
der. In the mills splintered embers and
crushed stone fragments the WUrkmen's
bodies were carried through the air and
lodged In tree tops near by or deposited
in the Brandywine creek, This destruc.
tion was that Of but second.
Stones from the mill fell Through the
roofs Of the second press mill and Of the
four rolling mills, and entirely demolished
them. In these buildings were the six
wounded men aud how they escaped in
stant death is mystery. The majority
building stood almost nd joining the grind
ing mill and 1t was torn from Its founda-
tioD micro completely than 1t could have
been by natural means. Among the fiy-
ing embers the six men ran
Some had been terribly burned BY DOW.
der while Others were cut down by heavy
tinbers and roak. Stewart was the one
who Jared the worst: He was terribly In
jured about the head and Il superficial ex-
animation by the many physicians on the
ground revealed the fact that he was
mortally wounded. The Delaware Hos.
pital ambulance later took the dying man
to the Delaware Hospital.
AS soon as the explosion occurred the
DUPONT Company sent out guards 10 keep
from the ruins sight seers No one was
allowed within tho hnstily set uD lines OK
SSP'sa6 PhysASi0nS ouu SuTlsUIdu minis.
tiers. Many Of these were there and while
the physicians did all within their power
to alleviate The suffering Of the wounded,
the preachers proved Of great comfort also
They were IN the darkest of the ruins
Stewart was sought afts- but he was I'M
concious and needed no assistance. Father
Bermingham saw him as we'll as several
other Catholic clergy Rev. Il H. Dash.
iels OF Mt. Salem Church also lent spiri-
tual aid.
Inside the yard oil was confusion. Tho
Messrs. DUPONT hurried to and fro lending
whatever aid possible to the wounded,
Messages for physicians were hastily sent
out and dozen responded. In some cases
these were required, aud after the injured
had been attended too, they were carefully
placed in one of the companys wagons,
an improvsed ambulance, and carried to
the homes Of their families.
1t was pitiful sight. Duponts have
had many explosions which wrought
more death and property destruction til an
that OF this mornings but there was no
more sorrow. Women rushed 10 the Hag.
Ley yard gates with their aprons to their
faces fearing that loved husbands or sons
haI sacrificed heir lives In the mills.
Fathers, who had left the mill mt 6
O'Clock, returned expecting to find dead
sons: The families Of Mr.. NcIlhenny and
Mr.. Wright were Of course the most dis
tressed. They learned from the Dupont
Company that their husb bands and fathers
had been killed and that they would
never again recognize their forms. At that
time workmen more fort innate than they,
were climbing trees to dislocate an arm
or leg and graphing in the waters of the
creek for olher portions Of the body.
The scene was beyond description. One
hundred trees uprooted, heavy timber
lodged in trees pieces of wearing apparel
and portions OF dead mems bodle 9 here and
there, with fleeing man as the only liv-
ing object, describes it as clearly rs it is
possible TO do so.
One hour after the explosion the guards
had aboutas much work a. they could ace
too. Several hundred people from the CITY
were there by that time and crowd, Of
20 or fifty forced their way into the yards
and to the ruins.
At tbs time several of the wounded men
were in hastily provided places of comfort.
stewart could not beseen by any excepting
members of his family. They urged ply
siclans to give them most attentive care to
him, ard they did.
People who were on the streets several
minutes after tho explosion saw cloud nf
white smoke waited on the morning wind
toward the east. They later recognized i
the smell of powder and all concluded that
the mills had exploded.
Eight panes Of glass In tho drug store OF |
George Frizzle were shattered and many
houses which were closer to tile var were
treated in a like manner, many Of them |
being left without Il single window glass.
Christ church was damaged badly in |
many places and many windows were de-
stroyed. Large rents were made In the |
walls while the inside was ina wrecked
condition. The fine residence OF Judge
Bradford situated on an elevation about
quarter of mile from tho scene Of the ex-
pIoson wasstripped Of every sash and 9TH
er damages entailed several thousand dol |
lars loss.
Two servants in the kitchen who were |
edgaged in cleaning glass and si!verware
were so frightened by the explosion that
they dropped heir work und ran from the |
house crying to the other inmates that the |
house was falling.
4'he six explosions were distinctly heard
IN this city and the utmost excitement pre-
vailed. While many used the street
cars and others vehicles and went to the |
scene, Others used the telephone as a source
of Information. and for u time the wires
were hot with messages OF Inquiry Of what
damage was done and how tho accident
occurred
The teachers in the public schools did
their utmost to keep order amongst thu
pupils who persisted in exchanging views
with their neghbors US TO what
had caused he school to rock and the win.
uows to rattle.
THE DESTROYED MILLS
The six mills were all Of stone. The
grinding mill in which tho men were
killed was the largest, being about 40 by
80 feet. The other mills were of stone and
almost OF tho zane size. All were of mod
ern cons fraction and Il ted with the best
machinery. This, Of course is damaged
beyond repair. The mills will be rebuff.
THE DEAD AND WOUNDED.
Tho three dead men resided In neighbor
hood of the mill as also did the injured
with the exception of Moore and Wright
who reside on the Highlands. All were
taken to their homes. excepting stewart,
who was sent to tho Delaware Hospital
Both Mcssrs Mcllhcnnv and Wrixht
Were I'D AMI trusted employees Of the CON-
pany. Several Of the injured are also old
employees
The explosion was tho first Of any conse.
qucnce at the mills since Isl! whvr uu,te
a number Of men 10 t their lives
This mornings atnSirGphe occurred
Just after the men who are dead aud in.
iured went 10 work. The inttlS are 3ner-
ulea on the turn sys ON, five gangs get.
ting ont tho product Of The yard, The first
day gang gors to work at o clock anu Is
relieved At 10 O'Clock by he men who Gy-
ureu in thu. lnOru!uyS pyDla. ion but |