Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-16

o'i''HS', Aiiu', WI. lo.-r OIltdUtl
was practically destroyed today by the
explosion Of the plant of the Dupon,
10 so. More than 600 persons were in
jurea and every building in the town
was wholly or partially levelled to the
ground.
Where stood a thriving and busy town
of 1000 people this morning, tonigh;
there is ruin ana scattered wreckage.
The dead and more seriously injured
have been taken away Five hundred
Inhabitants, all more or less wounded
remain To gather their scattered house
hold goods and sleep under tents and
on cots guarded Lv soldiers Of the
stare.
Without warning the powder mills,
seven III number. blew up at 9.15 this
morning. They employed 2G0 men and
81 these 4, We're At work when the first
explosion occurred in the press mill. In
quick succession the glazing mill. the
two coming mills ana the powder mag
aZine blew up, followed by tie cap
mill. In the ma gazine. situated several
hundred wards from the mills. were
stored 10000 kegs az powder. When it
blew ~ the conclusion was felt near
lN 3C0 miles away
Farm houses. two miles away and
school houses equally distant We're torn
to pieces ana their occupants injured
\ passenger train on the Big Four
Railroad four miles away had every
N-j.,
passengers were injured by flying
glass.
Following j.; a list Of the dead
4. T.. Monahan. general superintc nd
Cnt.
Mrs \. +. M"ual,an.
Mrs. MonahHn's sister
G"org" Justice.
John H,bn.
George Bul'o.
William Sh,rrill.
Henry Harrington.
sylvester D.Il.
a. ID. Webster
Sammy Nevins
Yates.
viii Dalton
Two unidentified bodies
The following died in St Anthony's
hospital. Terre Haute:
Henry Chandler.
w. f.. Criff.
Earl Wood.
l.. J. Carroll.
Unidentified man.
The mill went UP Win three distinct
explosions. followed 90 minutes later
by fourth. even more serious than
the others. when the magazine went W.
Immediately following the explosion
the wreckage caught fire and the in
habitants of the town who rushed To
the rescue of the mill employees found
themselves powerless to aid those burn
ing the ruins. They worked frarti-
cally. in constant danger from possible
succeeding explosions, unmindful Of
their ruined homes. Dead and dying
were picked up and collected. Eighteen
bodies. burned and manglcd, were cart
ed to 4 protected spot to await identi-
fcation, while the badly injured. num-
bearing upward of 80 We're put on a
special train ana taken to Terrc Haute
for hospital treatment. Nearly all Of
the 1000 inhabitants carried blood on
t1ItIi anu iIpIiI ti'ii wv u
wounds or those of others whom they
assisted.
The mills were located one mile south
of the town. With the first explosion
the employees ran for safety. but most
of them We're killed or wounded by the
quick following explosions in the othc.
mills. When the heat from the burn
ing mills exploded the giant
powder magazine later. prac-
tically destroying the town by
the concuSsicn. many of those en-
ga ged in rescue work were badly
injured and several killed.
Superintendent Monahan of the plant
was killed while sitting in the office.
and his wife and sister-in-law were
killed in their homes, some distance
away. That the death list is not larS-
er is due to the fact that the people
Of the town had left their houses ut
the first explosion and were not in
them when the explosion Of the 10000
kegs of power in the magazine shatter-
cd their homes and piled their house
hold goods in heaps of debris.
Among the buildings totally destroyed
in this town were the Methodist and
Christian churches, the depot all bust