The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-22

ROMAN Fir
WORKS ! ( E J Lode DE-.
Ono Man Seriously Hurt Hot and q
Another 2 Painfully Injured.
THE AFFAIR cAu sEs. A. PANIC 7 NC;
.con.ecration Of ST. Jo.eph's Episcopal
Church-city Of Petersburg In
stitutes Suit Against Aque-
duct Company.
THE. AFFAIR e eau SEES. "A PANIC q MI
tsp.o,., pi,p.tch .o The T.n.s.)

Especial Dispatch 10 The Times
PETERSBURG, VA. April A.-An s1-s
.plosion at tho Romano Fireworks plant
just beyond BIandford. In this city, about
o clock this Afternoon. totally DESTROYED
eight Of the company's small buildins@
Injuring Edward Adams seriously and
William Parker quite painfully. There
was one heavy explosion, followed by
seyeraIs minor ones, and soon the report
spread throughout tbs city that four men
had been killed and several others IN
jured. Crowds rushed out to the site OF
the plant, but on arriving there ana learn
ing that the drying-room in which four
patches Of powder were stored was IN
danger Of catching fire from the burning
debris, did not go within half 2 mile OF the
place where the explosion occurred It
was Just eight years ago on tho after
noon Of an April day that the great OK.
plosion occurred which totally DESTROYED
this company's factory, killed thirtesn
men and injured many more.
AFRAID OF a CATASTROPHE.
The crowd and employees remembering
that fateful day kept far away from the
place, realizing the danger of succeeding
explosions.
In one building, where dynamite was
stored, there was a sufficient quantity OF
this explosive to have caused concus-
sion that would have knocked man
down a distance Of half a mile or more.
Other houses quickly caught fire from the
burning timber, and there was no way
to stop the flames. The explosion 90
Cured in the loading room, in which
Adams was at work. He was horribly
burned about the face, arms and chest.
The company's loss will be heavy and
total, there being no Insurance. on any
Of their buildings.
Parker Is one OF tho men who was
badly injured in the explosion eight
years ago. He has been working In the
factory ever since he left the hospital.
CONSIDERATION sERVlCH
ST.. Johns Episcopal Church, in this
city, Of which Rev. W. A. r. Goodwin
is pastor, was consecrated yesterday
morning by the Right Rev. Bishop A. NJ
Randolph Tho conservation sermon was
preached by Rev. r. A. Goodwin, of Rich
mond, formerly pastor of this church. The
rectors, vestries and congregations Of all
the Episcopal churches in Petersburg par
ticipated In the service.
East Hanover Presbytery convened In
Old-Stree Presbyterian Church, In this
city, this evening at o'clock The SER
| mon was preached by the Rev. DR.. Jere
Witherspoon. Of Richmond. The presby-
terry will be in session several days.
About s., 400 has been contributed for the
Improvement Of Cox Road between Pc
| tersburg and the new country CLUB mouse
in Dinwiddie county.
IN ExTREMIS.
| Mr.. Samuel T. Short, formerly OF Law
renceyille, but for sometime er<5Q1 ed at
| the store OF II. P. Harrison. in Peters
burg, is critically i'll at the hospital In
this city and is not expected to survive
! the night. He suffered an attack OF apen-
dicitis a few weeks ago and after recov-
erine from this his physicians advised
an operation. He yielded to their judg-
ment. after he had recovered sufficiently
| to be out and was operated on seventeen
DAYS ago. The operation was thought 10
| be successful, but the crisis came last
| Friday and there is now no nope Ior nus
recovery. Mr.. Short has become one OF
| the most popular men in this city
The Methodist Sunday school Associa-
! ton met at Ettrick Church yesterday.
The musical programme vas one of the
best that has been rendered at meeting
| of the association for many months. Out
| Of a. total reaching 1861, there was an
average attendance of 1869, or percent
age Of 80.
MIR. Anthony Harrison, who is an ac-
tive machinist at the e. E. Titus foun-
drv,5 Celebrated his seventy-elghth bi tn
day to-day. and was presented with a
handsome gold-headed cane by his fellow
machinists.
The city of Petersburg to-day Instituted
! suit in the Circuit Court of this city
against the Petersburg Aq,1educt Com
pany, praying that this company be en-
Joined and restrained from digging up
the streets Of the city and LAYING their
water pipes in the same This is the be-
ginning or a litigation in which the entire
city Is interested. The CITY is represented
by its attorney, Mr.. George Mason, and
his associate, Mr.. W. B. Mel wal g.
The Aqueduct Company is represented
by Davis 8, Davis. The case will come
up for trial at the June term Of court.
DR M'II IJAINF. INSTRUCTED