Evening journal., 1909-11-11
Walter McDemoff, Who Was in Mill, Blown TO
Fragmenfs--Howard Danagh and Dominica
Dinesfo, Crew of a Car, Hurled TO Death as
They Passed the MHI---ThriLIing Escape of
Preston BiddIe's FamiIy---F. L. ConnabIe's
Home Damaged

ago some OF the windows we're broken
when >another explosion occurred.
Had Premonition Of Death.
AIRS. Dinesto. wife Of the Italian who
lost his life. seemed to have a premoni-
tion that he would be killed there. Sew
eral nights ago he and his wife quar-
relied because he insisted on working
at the powder mills. She mad a fear that
some day he would be killed in an ex-
plosion. but he only laughed at her ard
said that he only had to die once and
might as well die in the powder yards as
elsewhere.
Mrs. Dinesto was one OF the FIRST per-
sons TO rush to the powder yard gates
to inquire about the accident. She SEEM
ed TO have a vague idea that her hus-
band was killed, and with her lack Of
understanding she could not grasp the
situation. She was accompanied by Ed
ward Dinesto, brother OF the man who
lost his life. Finally she gave way to
her grief and her frantic cries could be
heard all over the settlement near the
powder yards Shs was led home by
Dinestos brother.
Edward Dinesto generally worked with
the powder car. but he explained that
he did not go to work this morning be-
cause Of a sore throat
William staniar, OF the dupont Com.
pany, had been making tests for weel
near the mills that went up, but thl
tests to-day were set for later than usu
al. Otherwise Mr.. staniar would hav
been. sarathe exploding buildings.
So great was the force OF the ex
ploson that giant trees in the vicinit!
Of the powder yard were snapped of
at the base and hurled aside like tooth
picks, some of the flying pieces beinl
forced into the ground like spears fol
4 several feet.
Neither of the destroyed buildings
was very pretentious, and the loss
sustained by their destruction will not
reach more than probably $4,000 Ir
addition to this is reckoned the powder
loss.
The greatest loss in all powder ex-
plosions is in the people killed. tbs
buildings demolished being OF little
value.
While many dwellings in the vicinity
OF the powder works suffered damage
from broken windows and dislodged plas
ter the damage among the houses wal
not so great as usual, despite the Sc
verify OF the explosions.
Train Was Shaken.
The force of the explosion was so grea
that a Philadelphia and Reading traii
leaving Wilmington, was badly shaker
and the passengers not knowing at frs
what II was that rocked the train, wcr'
badly frightened.
The shock was felt at Montchanin oil
the Philadelphia and Reading railroa'
and windows in the station there and ais
in many houses were broken.
In Wilmington the shock seemed to b
greater than usual accompanying powde
explosions and houses we're rocked an
windows ratified like an earthquake wa
! holding sway. It did not take Wilmington
t ians long TO realize that there had bee
! a powder mill explosion. Many person
2 were terrified by the rocking of the cart
3 and Of their houses. Several persons sal
they could see waves pass along the wall
, OF buildings.
a crowd made its way to the powde
yards, but nobody was admitted With
! the yards. An excellent view OF the devas
tated portion Of the yard could be see
from the hill above it and from the iro
bridge, however.
An official of the DUPONT Company oi
5 dered some photographers to cease taixin
e. pictures OF the yard from the iron bridg'
= but the men took all the pictures the
J, wanted before they stopped.
Philadelphia and woodbury.. N. j., tc
e day reported by telephone that they fe
5 the explosion shock distinctly. and this
i the detonation also was heard there.
Coroner Gaynor and Deputy Coront
Chandler removed the bodies of III
explosion victims TO the count
n morgue.. Many persons observed III
d two clouds of smoke that scared sky
. ward after the explosion.