Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-06-12
TWO CENTS
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
Rand Powder Mill at Fair
chance Blown up.

One Man Killed and one Badly Injured
by the Acknowledgment Of Expio-
sion Heard For many Miles-How
the Accident occnred-Full Particu-
lars.
Eight thousand pounds OF powder
exploded at Fairchance yesterday ia
the Rand Powder Mill. The factory
was completely destroyed, one man
was killed and one Injured by the ex-
plosion. Frank Duncan was killed.
He lived at Fairchance. John Hughes
was badly burned about the body but
is expected TO recover. A special from
Fairchance says:
Two explosions took place.
Duncan was the only man working
in that part of the factory where the
explosion occurred. He was feeding
large cakes of powder into the coinage
mill and it is presumed that match
became imbedded in one OF the cakes.
When cake, which had just left his
hand, passed between the rollers there
wasa deafening report and the machine
was blown from its foundation and
Duncan hurled through the air and
wrapped In the burning flames. The
entire building in which the coinage
machine was located, was torn apart
and the debris scattered in every di-
rection.
The second explosion occurred In the
press mill. which is located in build
ing two hundred feet from the coin
ing mill. A running way connected
both these buildings and small
amount of powder was scattered along
In the grooves. The flames travelled
with lightning-like rapidity from the
coming mill to this part OF the factory
and in an instant it reached the
building where 200 kegs Of powder
were stored. John Hughes, one OF
three men in the building, saw the
fame coming and cried out to his
companions to get out of the build
ing, which they did. Hughes, how
ever, did not escape as quickly as his
companions, and was caught in the
explosion and badly injured by the
flame and flying debris.
About distance of two hundred
feet from the press mill was located
| magazine containing tons of powder.
1t was badly wrecked by the flying
timbers, but luckily no flames were
carried to the building, otherwise the
| destruction would have been complet-
ed by another frightful explosion and
all Of the tifty men employed about
the works would have probably been
killed. A number OF smaller build
ings about the grounds were wreck
ed.
The shock of the explosion was felt
in Scottdale and Uniontown and soon
persons began arriving by train and
vehickles to investigate tn cause OF
| the terrible noise. At noon today
fully hundred people were grouped
about the grounds. They are not per-
mitted to go within distance OF
two hundred yards, but all that any
one wishes to see can be seen from.
that point.
| In Fairchance windows were broken
and dishes smashed by the force of
the explosion. People here thought
that second Mt. Pelee had broken
loose and ran In terror from their
buildings. Johnston station is locat-
ed about two hundred Yards from the
Baltimore s. Ohio railroad. All the
trees in that vicinity are stripped Of
their leaves and nothing but the bare
| trunks remain. The little place GER
tainly presents scene of desoation.
A particular rule which is enforced
about the powder works by Mr.. Rand
is that not more than three men are
employed 10 one part OF the works at
one time, thus lessening the POSSIBLE
ity of loss of life in any occurrence of
the kind like this morning. Fifty
men are employed in the different de-
partments, but 1t is rare occasion
when more than three men are seen
together.