Milford chronicle., 1907-10-18
TOWN DESTROYED
BY EXPLOSION
Powder Mill at FOntanet, Ind, Blows
Up, Killing Thirty-fvs.
OVER 600 PERSONS INJURED

Fontanet Ind, Oct. 16. - Fontape
was practically destroyed by the explc
sion of the plant of the Dupont Powde
company. The dead number IS. Nor
than 600 persons were injured, ant
every building in the town was wholly
or partially levelled to the ground.
Where stood a thriving and busv
town OF 1000 persons there is now ruin
ana scattered wreckage the dead and
more seriously injured have been tax
en- away. Five hundred inhabitants
AL more or less wounded. remain n
gamer their scattered household goods
ana sleep under tents and on cots
guarded by soldiers of the state.
without warning the powder mills
seven In number, blew up They en-
Ployed 200 men and and of these rs
were at work when the first explo-
hon occurred in the press mill. In quick
succession the glazing mill, the two
coming mills and the powder magazine
blew up, followed by the cap mill. In
the magazine, situated several hundred
yards from the mills, were stored 40
600 kegs of powder. When it blew IN
the conclusion was felt nearly 200
miles away.
Houses Two Miles Away Wrecked,
Farm houses two miles away and
school houses equally distant were torn
to pieces and their occupants injured
A passenger train on the Big Four
railroad four miles away had every
window broken and several passengers
were injured by flying glass.
The mills went up with three dis
tnet explosions followed later by
fourth even more serious than the 9TH
ers when the magazine went up. I'm
mediately following the explosions the
Wreckase caught fire and the fnhabI- s
tants of the town who rushed to the
rescue of the mill employees found
themselves pOwerless to aid those burn b
Ing in the ruins. They worked fran t
-ically in constant danger from possible t
explosions unmindful of l.
heir ruined homes. Dead and diving
we're picked up and collected Eighteen II
'edles burned and mangled were cart IL
ID to a protected spot to await iden a
lncatlon while the badly injured. num- Dl
ering upwards of So were put on a
pecial train and taken to Terre 10
taute for hospital accommodations yc
early every one of the 1000 inhabi- Ii
lnts carried blood on hands and face III
ON his own wounds or those of peo-
e who had required aid.
Reseuers Killed and Injured. St
The mills were located one mile
nth of the town. With the first ex- mel
osion the employees ran for safety 10
t most of them were killed or wound bot
by the quick following explosions
the other mills. When the heat ph'
I'M the burning mills exploded the die
INT powder magazine. practically de- VII
Dying the town by the conclusion.
ny OF those engaged in rescue work "a
re badly injured and several killed zen
Monahan, of the plant lah'
Killed While sitting in his Office.
his wife and sister-in-law were M
ed in their homes Soma distonae late
~. That the death list is 49, e. eide
ater is due to the fact that the peo- the
OF the town had left their houses I'll
he first explosion, and were not in N
when the explosion of the 10000 Prise
OF powder in the magazine hurled coun
r homes to pieces and scattered WI
r household goods in heaps of de- frien
nearl
nong the building totally DESTROYED Is dc
he town were the Metbodiet ord Dealt
stan churches the depot, all bus A
blocks. including a large bIocI, meme
completed. large warehouse and was
homes. In many of them the held
8 were blown away, while in 9TH survl'
he roofs were hurled into space. untee
ldes blown out or they were left
infused mass Of collapsed wreck
rec school buildings were DESTROY
go at Fontanet and one at Coal The
two miles away. All were fill
tn school children and every one I'll FIJI
use were more or less injured by v w1nisi
'llapse of the buildings mills.
school building was firm, a
o pieces and not one of the 200 1rm
en- escaped unhurt. None was S9c cal
? hurt. The school building at white.
Bluff was turned over and col SIC. h
The teacher and 80 pupils were SSV.S0 l
or less injured. p DsS- b 5d'
e Haute and Brazil sent physi- steady;
md nurses with supplies in care lie d.
Itomobiles across ooI,r,+-,, IT, old roos
80. - 07, So'ii1iS' WINE ira cref
trains were maze upand run lected,
he Big Four railroad for the ern, zoo
the injured. bushel,
rnor Hanly at indianapolis or. PU5atP 2 +
he Terre Haute company of Che SPOT.
! National Guard here to patrol spot, 81.
ned district and protect life and Ii. CC
y. Later the governor arrived. 9Gss44cc'
lght with him 700 tents and cots G54c.: n
use Of the homeless. 541z055C
~ the dead ie n n LyoI1,,- - firm; CT
- - NNSAAuP' VI 6D32c h