Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-02
second EDITION
i FATAL POWDER
MILL EXPLOSION
Al the HasIey Yard Of the
dupont Powder Co., at
ZOO O'clock This
Morning,
GRAINING MILL WRECKED
Samuel Buchanan WsS Blown TO
Pieces.
HE WAS THE ATTENDANT
several Other Men Had Just
Left the Building.
GRAINING MILL WRECKED
Samuel Buchanan WsS Blown TO
Pieces.
He WAS THE ATTENDANT
Several Other Men Had Just
Left the Building.
MONEY LOSS ESTIMATED AT $4,000

nexplosion occurred in what is known
.s he corning OF granting mill, in the
inner part Of the Hagley yard OF the du
p3Pt pPP Powder Co., at 7.55 O'Clock this
,,orning which totally demolished the
bmlding and killed one man, who was the
onIy person in the mill at the time
ihe man killed was Samuel Buchanan,
AGED AZ years, who had worked in the
graininr mills for about l6 yean. He
Sas blown to pieces and small parts of his
bodv we're found in the vicinity OF the
About five minutes before the accident
occurred two or three other men had lett
Me building. 1t was their duty to visit
Me grainng mill TO see that everything
stunning all right.
Buchanan was the only employe who
was required to remain in the building.
He had started 10 work only a short time
previous to the explosion.
Officials OF the company say they do not
know what caused the explosion.
The explosion shook buildings all over
the eitv and surrounding country. The
nnort of the explosion startled people for
mie. around and in an instant a large
cloud of white smoke was seen TO rise from
the northwestem part of the city and it
wa, then known that the trouble was at
one of the du Pont mills. The conclusion
/. said 10 have been felt distinctly az the
Carney Point plant of'the company on
the NewJersey side Of the Delaware River.
Along the Bmndywine, IN the vicinity OF
Rockland the ground vibrated percep-
hby Houses we're shaken to their ioun-
datons and a number OF window panos
and sashes were broken.
So tar as is known nobody in any of the
houses was injured, but many were stunned
for an instant 10y the conclusion.
Many people flocked TO the scene Of the
disaster. but nobody but employees was
allowed inside OF the yards, and the site
where the mill stood could not be even
seen by those who congregated on the hill
above the Brandywine. The upper part
OF the Hagley yard is nearly two mile.
above the Rockford water tower.
Alfred J. du Pont, vice-president of tho
powder concern. and several other oiiciall
were on the scene a short time after thl
accident and took charge. The mill wa
about 20 by 80 feet. Very little of il Z
standing. Large pieces Of stone wer'
blown for nearly half a mile, and somi
weckage went across the Bnndywine
No houses are located in the immediate
vicinity. the nearest dwelling being prob
ably that Of Federal Judge Edward G
Bradford. which is 500 or 600 yards away
The powder which exploded was know
as fuse powder and is said to be the fines
and strongest made The exact quan
tity in the mill could not be learned, a
there seemed to be a difference OF opinio
on that point Several employees int
mated that about two tons were in Oh
mill Ibut the officials Of the company state
that the mill was cleaned out last nigh
and al the powder there had been take
in this morning.
A mill which stood on the same sit
exploded about two years ago, KILN
William Mcdowell The granting an
press mills are said TO be the most dal
ge1ous ones in the yard.
Buchanan lived at Squirrel Run. Il
leaves wife and FIVE children. job
Moore, a brother of Mrs Buchanan, W,
KILLED m an explosion about six years ag
Officials OF the company estimate Il
loss at $4,000.
Anthony Dougherty, an employe, WI
reported to be missing, and it was thougl
ihat he might have been in the building
the time Of the explosion. AT the Hagl,
yard oihce this report was denied and
was said that Dougherty had been a
counted for.
lhe explosion was felt probably mo
IN bmndywine village than in any 9th
section OF the city. Three panes of gla
N the store window OF Joseph Maloney,
lsOl Market street, were shattered by &
eoncnsslon. A pane Of glass in the sto
o. William Bullock, at Thirtieth al
Market streets, was also broken.