The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1907-10-24
fONTANET'S DEAD
Estimated At IS.
PROPERTY LOSS FROM TERRIBLE
EXPLOSION in INDIANA
TOWN is $750,000.

|..... ~ WV -HH.tH III
Injured All Doing Well-Workman In
the Powder Mills Says Disaster
Mas Caused by Sparks from Loose
Boxing on a Shaft.
Fontanet. Ind, Oct. 17.-Thirty.
eight lives snuffed out, 600 in
jured, of which number SO were
seriously hurt, and a property loss of
approximately $750,000 is the latest
estimate of the destruction wrought
by the explosion at the Dupont Pow
der mills Tuesday morning.
From a workman employed in the
glazing mill it was learned Wednes-
day that a "hot box" which was
caused by too much friction on the
shafting, causing sparks to be trans
mitted to some loose powder, was in
all probability the cause of the ter
rible catastrophe.
Loose Boxing Blamed.
The employee, whose name is Viii.
liam Sherrow and who is dangerously
hurt as the result of the explosion,
said:
1.-THE explosion in which SO many
lives were lost was caused by loose
boxing on the shaft. The day before
this terrible explosion happened we
had to throw water on it when it be-
came too hot. This time it got too
hot and sent off the sparks that
caused the explosion"
Another company of state militia ar.
rived from Indianapolis Wednesday
evening and Immediately went into
camp. The town is now under mar.
tial law, the two companies of state
troops being in full control.
The injured at this place and Terre
Haute are getting along nicely and it
is thought no more deaths will occur
Dupont's Honeymoon Spoiled.
Wilmington, Del, Oct. 17.-Alfred
G. Dupont, vice president of the Du
pont Powder company, who married
Miss A. Bradford Maddox in New
York Tuesday and who intended tc
take a long motoring trip as his hon
eymoon, was Informed of the explo
sion at Fontanet Immediately after
the wedding. Mr.. Dupont at once
Cancelled his trip and wired $1,000 tt
Gov. Hanly for the immediate relie'
of the sufferers. He authorized the
governor to use any amount IN excess
of the $4,000 if he finds it necessary
Mr.. Dupont left Wednesday for Fon
tanet to personally supervise the worl
there.
Story of the Disaster.
Fontanet, Ind, Oct. 16.-Fontanet
was practically destroyed by the ex
plosion of the plant of the Dupont
Powder company Tuesday. The dead
number from rs to SO. Over 600 per
sons were injured and every building
in the town was wholly or partially
leveled with the ground.
Without warning the powder mills
seven in number, blew up at GLE
Tuesday morning. They employed 20(
men and of these rs were at work
when the first explosion occurred il
the press mill. In quick succession
the glazing. mill, the two coming mills
and the powder magazine b@ew up
followed by the cap mill. In thu
magazine, situated several hundred
yards from the mills, were stored 40,
900 kegs of powder. The conclusion
when it blew up was felt nearly 20t
miles away.
Every house in this town was de
stroyed. Farmhouses two miles ava,
and schoolhouses equally distant were
torn to pieces and their occupants in
jured. A passenger train on the Ri:
Four railroad four miles away hat
every coach window broken and sew
eral passengers were injured by fly
ing glass.
The Identified Dead.
Following is a list of the identified
dead:
A. B. Monahan, general superin
tendent; Mrs. A. B. Monahan, Mrs
Monahan's sister, George Justice, JON
Bobo, George Bobo, William Sheriff.
Henry Harrington, Sylvester Dial, A
Webster, Tommy Nevins, - Yates
Will Dalton. T. P. Kellup. Whining
ton, Del; Henry Chandler, w. E. Criff
Earl Wood, l.. J.. Carroll.
The mills went up with three dis
tinct explosions, followed 80 min
utes later by a fourth even more seri
GUS than the others when the maya
zines went up. Immediately following
the explosions the wreckage took fire