Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-05-04
SIX PEOPLE BLOWN TO ATOMS
Explosion at the du Pont Pow
der Works, in New Jersey.
OCCURRED SATURDAY AFTERNOON
While Experimenting With a
Twelve-Inch Shell.
Tho Disaster Supposed to Bave Been Caused
by the Pressure on the Guncotton Being
Too Great or Applied Too Quickiy-The
Financial Loss About $1,000.

Six men were killed by an explosion
at the Carney's Point, N. j., plant Of
the du Pont Powder Co., shortly after
2 O'Clock Saturday afternoon. They are:
Capt. Sydney L. Stuart, 40 years old,
government powder inspector, home
Brandywine Banks.
Joseph Yeager, % years old, Penn's
Grove.
Amos Morris, II years old, Penn's
Grove.
Villain Freint, % years old, Penn's
Grove.
Harvey Smith, 50 years old, Penn's
Grove.
William Pussel, about % years old,
Penn's Grove.
With the exception of Morris and
Pusse all the men are married and
leave families.
The explosion occurred while Capt.
Stuart was experimenting in loading q
12-inch shell, pieces of which were
found scattered about, but the exact
cause is not known.
The press mill in which the shell was
being loaded was badly wrecked.
The explosion is supposed to have
been caused by the pressure on the
guncotton being too great or applied
too quickly. Joseph Yeager, foreman
on the 30-calibre line, was blown 30
yards from the building, and had the
right side of his face torn off. Amos
Morris had part of his stomach torn
away. Smiths body was cut in twain,
while Freint's body was blown to
atoms.
Young Morris did not work in the
fatal building, but had just stepped
inside for something when the explosion
took place.
Robert Dougherty was walking toward
the building at the time, and portion
shell, about $50 pounds in weight,
passed near his head, lodging in
the earth 500 yards distant. 1t
buried itself almost out of sight. The
du Points gave orders not to disturb it
pending an investigation. The works
were shut down at once.
Immediately after the accident Joseph
Sparks was sent on his bicycle to
Penn's Grove to summon medical aid.
Drs. N. II. Barnart and Daniel Gar
rison hurried to the scene. Capt.
Stuart and Pussel had their injuries
dressed and were then brought on the
Philadelphia & Reading tug, Amanda
Powell, to this city, and taken in the
Pbmnix ambulance and the patrol
wagon to the Delaware Hospital, where
Capt. Stuart died on Saturday evening
and Pussel on Sunday morning.
Coroner Thomas j. Torton viewed
the bodies of the men who were in
stantly killed and will hold an inquest
not later than Thursday next. Under
taker james ID. Torton took charge of
the bodies. The damage will not exceed
81, 900. a
The explosion was witnessed by
several persons who happened to be on
the pier here. They saw shower of
the air, followed by puff of gray
smoke and faint report. News quickly
spread that another accident had
occurred at the du Pont works. The
streets were soon filled with weeping
women and children. Following as it
did so quickly on the explosion of
March 23d last, when three men were
killed and score or more injured, it
has thrown deep gloom over Penn's
Grove.
The sorrow caused by the accident is
not confined to Penn's Grove, for the
death of Capt. Stuart will be felt not
only among his friends and acquaint-
ances here, but also in the Ordnance
Department under which he was most
efficient officer. He was native of
Pennsylvania and graduate OF West
Point Military Academy, class of 1881
and of the Artillery School at Fortress
Monroe. For a time he was second
lieutenant in the Second Artillery. He
was probably the greatest authority on
ordnance in the country. He has been
stationed at the du Pont powder works
4 IL. a il t.s-
at the old Admiral S. f. du Pont house
on the Brandywine Banks. A wife and
three children survive him. His funeral
will probably take place tomorrow
afternoon.
Francis G.. du Pont, who was at
Carney's Point at the time of the ex-
plosion said that it was caused by the
filling of shell with explosive. The
explosion did not make as much noise
as an ordinary quarry blast, because
the explosive substance had to exert
itself against the steel casing of the
shell and did not have free play. Capt.
Stuart was making an experiment ac
cording to new and original method
and under the order of the Ordnance
Department 1t was not considered
dangerous, although known to have
some risk connected with it. 1t was
not part of the regular business Of
the plant. Mr.. du Pont paid high
tribute to Capt. Stuart's personal worth
and ability.
Coroner Vandever summoned Jury
including Harry Van Gasken, Charles
Whann, William P. Windish, Harry
Parker, Horace Groves and j. Fighter,
which viewed the body of Capt. Stuart
Saturday night and the body of Pussel
last night and will hear evidence later.