New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-11
MAY GUST POWDER PLANTS
INDIGNANT Wisconsin People Will
Appeal to Legislature.
PLEASANT PRAIRIE HUNGRY
Not One Stove in Working Order
After Explosion Steel
Hurled Two Miles.

Pleasant Prairie Wis. March l0.-With
the country Immediately surrounding the
wrecked du Pont dc Ncmours powder mill,
which blew Up last night, waste OF us
mantled homes. the first action to-day OF
the residents was 10 seek the elimination OF
powder works from their county. lndlgna-
ton meetings At which this demand was
voiced were held in Pleasant Prairie ana
at Kenosha. The effort TO safeguard their
homes IS to be taken before the Wisconsin
Legislature. according 10 present plans.
The question of liability for the damage
inflicted is a serious one with the victims.
The destruction of their homes In most in
stances is calamity to the victims al
though only one person was Killed. NO at
tempt was made to-day To accomplish any
ing beyond temporary patching OF shauereu
houses Few women remained IN ''"h'
Not one stove was in working order. Lack
OF food became a pressing problem DURING
the day.
There have been nine explosions IN zen
years at the powder works, but none mas
compared with the present one IN the en-
tent Of property damage. although more
lives have been lost. In the explosion oil
1905 nine men were killed. Two years ago
tho Du Pont company Won suit brought
against il on the ground that II was
public menace.
Il was generally believed tonight. after
communication had been established with
the fsrmhouses in the danger zone and
after physicians had made records Of the
cases treated, that Joseph Finn. night en-
sineer, is the only person seriously injured.
ha ET4 f.ll loss IN he Il
roughly estimated al 10000. but tho total
loss duo to the explosion is too widely dis
tributed even 10 be estimated Powder men
to-day began flooding the ruins. TO safe
guard the community against further ex-
piosons
Contradictory estimate were given as to
the quantity Of powder left I'm tho danger
zone Western Superintendent Bumstedd
declared that there is a quantity in
process Of manufacture in several of the
small buildings. 4 stOrehouse standing
about half milo from the main group Is
filed with dynamite detonstors.
Fragments Of the body OF l.. $ Thomp-
son. the only person killed. were found to-
day iu a pond half mile from the glaze
mill where he met his death in the initial
explosion.
\ jury was empaneled to-day hy Coro-
ncr Stanton and the hearing was continued
until tomorrow 10 obtain the attendance
Of enough witnesses to Az the cause OF the
explosion
That the explosion started in the glaze
mill, where Thompson was killed. and that
IT'S cause was defective working OF the ma
chincry used I'm tho delicate process Of put
ting the last finish on giant powder Wee
indicated to-day by the statement of Finn
who was a witness OF the first Of the hye
explosions.
\ piece Of ono OF tho glazing cylinders. \
steel fragment more than three feet I'm
diameter and six feet long. was hurled two
miles. II crashed through the roof Of a
two story store building occupied by II
a. King. Tho cylinder made an eight.foot
hole in the roof, and, passing through the
structure. was buried in tho cellar
The five magazines which exploded last
night contained 15o tons finished dynamite.
$50 tons dynamite unfinished. $4,000 kegs
finished giant powder and 500 kegs uudu-
ished giant powder
This is learned despite Geographic orders
from tho main Offices n the Du Font Com
ldNN ll " lHllSl'lt l'F't 20 MAKE fl
statements as 70 th" cause or nature &c
the explosion. the amount Of powder dc
stroved or the amount still I'm ma gaines.
Almost Immediately after tho crash the
village was invaded bv CURIOSITY seokcrs,
and II was asserted that looting and va ~
dalism was beginning Sheriff Stshl i'm
pressed . hundred deputies and cleared the
village.
The escape ~ superintendent clarence
Brady was remarkable he was IN the
soda house with Finn. tho engineer, at the
time Of tho explosion The men were
blown through tho building and landed IN
the roof 81 the adjoining magazine. Thla
exploded instantly and Brady and Finn
were thrown q hundred feet from the
building Finn suffered internal injuries
and inhaled poisonous fumes. His conii-
ton is precarious. Brady escaped prac-
ticaHy unscratciied. Brady's wife was cut
by broken glass and bruised by falling
debris
Nearly every one within ton miles or the
factory when the explosion occurred Is
wearing bandagc to-day. Philip Hess.
farmer. living near Trucsdell over two
miles from the factory. probably will lose
his right ear. which was nearly severed by
piece Of Aging glass which struck him
,-. rrfc