The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-10-17
Explosion of Dupont Powder Mill
Tuesday Shows What May Hap
pen at Pleasant Prairie
STATE TO BE URGED TO ACT
Explosion at Pleasant Prairie Similar
to the One in Indiana WouId Have
Vast Affect in Kenosha and the
Surrounding Country

The explosion and burning of the
big plant of the Dupont Powder com.
pany at Fontanet, Indiana, Tuesday
in which the lives of nearly hundred
people we're lost and hundreds were
injured has struck new terror to the
hearts Of people in the village of
Pleasant Prairie and in the surround
ing territory and even In Kenosha
when the reports of the Tragedy were
read people paused 10 think of the
awful destruction which would follow
should the great mag azines of the
Dupont company at Pleasant Prairie
meet with similar explosion. At the
time of the discussion of the danger
from these magazines it was pointed
out that the magazines never ex-
plode but the disaster at Fontanet
has shown the awful destruction that
would follow the blowing up of the
mag azines.
At Fontanet the magazines, like
those at Pleasant Prairie, were To-
Gated long distance from the mills
and it was thought that there was
absolutely no danger of ar explosion.
Even after the mills were in flames
the men at the plant worked about
the fire in supposed safety. When
the magazines were finally exploded
by the heat from the burning plant
the force of the explosion was felt for
more than thirty five miles. In the
city of Indianapolis windows were
broken aud walls were shattered In
towns within a range of ten miles
from the powder plant the destruction
of life and property was large. The
village of Fontanet within a short
distance of the plant was completely
wrecked. Houses and school build:
ings were leve1ed and the life of
every resident of the village was
placed in jeopardy. Many of the best
people of the village were killed.
The village of Fontanet is just about
the size of the village of Pleasant
Prairie and the powder stored in the
ma gazines there was not nearly as
destructive as the powder stored in
the magazines of the Kenosha county
plant.
The great force of the explosion
has shown that should the Keuosha
county plant blow up and the maya
zines explode the entire city of Keno
sha would be in danger of great dam
age. It is but seven miles from the
center of Kenosha to the magazines
of the Dupont company at Pleasant
trio Nd
plosive would wreck a village two
miles from the plant it is easy to see
what the result would be in Kenosha
If the great giant powder and nitro
glycerine magazines let go at Pleas
ant Prairie.
There is little doubt but that the
awful loss of life at the Fontanet
plant will result IN general legisla-
ton in regard to the handling of
powder and other explosives and the
people of this county should see to it
that the matter is properly laid before
the legislature of Wisconsin. Coro-
ners' juries have recommended action
for state supervision and this should
be brought pertinently before the next
session of the legislature. Agents of
the powder trust killed this legislation
at the last session of the legislature,
but it is probable that the legislators
will be able to see the question from
a different standpoint when the next
session is opened. A full account of
the awful loss of life and property at
Fontanet viii be found in another
column of today's paper.