The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-05-24
Pleasant Prairie May Seek to
Prevent Rebuilding Of the
Powder Mills
FEAR FUTURE EXPLOSIONS
Managers of the Company Are Now
Coming to Kenosha From Patterson
to Make Plans for Rebuilding
the Big Powder Plant

People residing in the town of
Pleasant Prairie near the plant Of the
Lafin-Rand Powder company are
planning to make a determined fight
against the rebuilding of the plant
destroyed by the explosions on Satur-
day morning, and it is possible that
the people will go into court and make
an effort to have the big powder max
ing plant declared nuisance and
menace to the lives and safety of the
people residing in the neighborhood.
The explosion on Saturday was not
the hrst to occur at the plant, but it
was the most serious so far expert
enced, and the people residing in the
neighborhood are little slow to take
their chances on another explosion.
While no one was injured In the ex-
plosion on Saturday, the people hold
that miraculous escapes are not to be
taken into consideration. and they are
unwilling to run the risk.
1t is expected that the managers of
the company will make speedy efforts
to settle with the people for all dam
age to property caused by the shock
of the explosions, and it is probable
that the bills charged against the
company on this account will amount
to a considerable sum of money.
People in Kenosha are beginning
to fear the explosions from the powder
mill and after the experience of Sat
urday there are grave fears that
should an explosion occur which
would include the entire. plant, Keno
sha would be pretty badly shaken and
In the explosion on Saturday plaster
was thrown from one house in Keno
sha.
The managers of the powder COM
pany will, of course, make hard
fight to secure the rebuilding of the
destroyed buildings. Sites for powder
mills are very hard to find as people
in all parts of the country are strenu-
ously opposed to the location of these
plants in their ighborEoods. The
powder trust has expended more than
$15O,000 in building up the Kenosha
county plant and it is row one of the
largest plants in the United States
engaged in the manufacture of blast
ing powder. Al this time the entire
western business of the company is
being supplied from the Kenosha
mill
The company formerly had big
mill at Platteyille but after serious
explosion the people residing near
there made it so hot for the company
that it was decided to abandon the
plant.
Attorneys seem to be in doubt as
to the rights of the people in the case
and it is possible that the courts could
not prevent the rebuilding of the
plant if the company decided so to do.
Should the plant be declared nuis-
snce by the courts it is probable that
the decision would be fought in
higher courts. The company owning
the plant has millions of dollars be-
hind it and it is safe to say that the
Pleasant Prairie site would not be
given up without a long struggle.
The powder mills have not been Of
great value to the county as the plant
EN- p1oys only small number Of men.
notwithstanding the big investment
the company employs less than sixty
men in this county.
Reports from the earthquake"
are still coming in from Michigan
points and it is evident that the shock
miles.