Evening journal., 1909-11-11

to the ground. They were literally crush I
ed to the earth. The horse lay between
the two men The animal had been dis
emboweled Darragh and Dinesto we're
blackened by the force OF the explosion, |
but were not mangled.
AS soon as the shock was over and It
was assured that no other mills were
likely to go up, workmen rushed TO the
scene. They picked up the bodies OF
Darragh and Dinesto and they were
later taken in charge by Deputy Coroner
Chandler and were removed A search
had to be made for the pieces of Nc
Dermotts BODY some Of which were
hurled clear across to the other side OF
the Brandywine
officials OF the powder company were
soon on the scene and took charge Of
the operations there. Pickets we're sta
toned along the line of the yards and
nobody excepting workmen or officials
was permitted TO enter. Newspaper men
and photographers who went TO the
works were given no information except
ing what they could pick up by ques-
tioning individuals.
About two hundred feet away from
where the packing house stood is a stor-
age house for empty and full cans Of
powder. So great was the force Of the
double explosion that the boards from
the four sides Of the structure were strip
ped from the uDrights leaving nothing
standing but a skeleton of a building.
Above this building is another structure
and this too. sunered considerable dam
age.
Just outside the gate at the upper end
OF the yard is little Matchbox. some
distance from the destroyed buildings,
and it was completely demolished.
Home Wrecked, Occupants Hurt.
one of the narrowing results Of the
explosion was seen at the home of
Preston Biddle, on the brow Of the
hill overlooking the destroyed mills.
Biddle himself was working way down
in the yards at the time. His wife
was in the kitchen Of the house with
their five small children, the oldest
twelve years, when the explosion oc-
Cured. All of the children were hurt
by falling plaster and flying debris,
and Harry, the one year old baby, was
caught under a falling door and would
probably have been killed had not Sam
uel Glatzs head broken the force Of
the falling door.
The house was wrecked. One end
of it. that nearest the mills, was COM
pletely crumpled in and huge tim
bers were hurled through it like pro-
ijectiles from an immense gun. Win
dows were shattered, sashes were
blown out, doors were knocked from
their hinges, and little waves were
formed by the buckling floors
The house was a picture OF DESC
,lation. But with all the destruction
. 4 rr4fr- IN
the house was broken. The frame Of
one mirror was torn off. but the glass
remained intact.
Il was in the kitchen with the FIVE
/. children and had just dressed them
, when the explosion occurred" said
Mrs Biddle. "The first explosion tore
off the door, and as the door fell il
struck Mr. Glatz in the head, cutting
his ear and then falling on the baby
in the cradle. Mr.. Glatz stopped the
force of the fall and then immed-
lately freed the baby I grabbed two
of the children and dashed out Of
D doors, calling the other sto follow me
b. As / passed out the second explosion
occurred. We were all cut or bruised
5 by the falling plaster and other wreck
age"
DR.. Meredith Samuels was called in
to attend the baby. which was uncon-
scious. Harry had two cuts on his
head. He was revived by the physi-
e clan and his recovery is looked for
s The other Biddle children are Preston
s George. Albert and John.
{ There was not whole dish left in th'
h house and much of the furniture wal
s ruined Mr.. and Mrs. Biddle at noon ar
? ranged to remove into the home OF {
o friend in the neighborhood.
G Mr.. Connable's Home Damaged.
4 At the home Of Frank L. Connable
e who is in charge Of the black powde
e department, which is about two hundred
yards from the mills that went up, tn
2 effect of the explosion also was severe
G Nearly every window in the building
/. was blown in. The Connable residenc
II is on a hill, and at the easterly end o
it was a large conservatory, glass en-
closed. The flowers and frame work re
> mained after the explosion, but ever
v pane OF glass was broken. It was tn
. same way on all sides of the building
k Away up toward the roof two who'll
4 panes of glass held their position den
II antly.
l. Mr.. Connable was not at home at tn
r time OF the explosion, but he returne
n lheio u Wow 'h0 uohiosS oAe'i Ho ha
a gotten through his supervision OF the res
II cue work IN the powder yards Much @
e the plastering was knocked from wall
, and ceilings throughout the house. an
some dishes we're broken. It was stated
d however, that none of the statuary wa
II broken.
Il Mr.. Gonzales residence has suffere
" considerably this year. The window
N were shattered IN the explosion in Eel
ruary of this year when two men los
d their lives. and again about two month