Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-12-01
Du Pout Powder Factory
Blowup Is the Worst
in Many Years.
FLESH PICKED UP
IN SMALL CHUNKS
Only Hole in the Ground
Marks Spot Where the
Building Stood.

!
w worlunen were killed and sew
en- injured today in an explosion of
about four tons Of black powder at
the Upper Hogley yard Of the uu
Point Powder company 1t was the
worst accident that has occurred in
any of the company's plants in
quarter of a century.
The cause of the blast is not known.
According to a statement ISSUED by
the company the origin "probably all
ways will remain a mystery" Never
theless a most searching investigation
has been instituted.
There was the usual rumOr afloat
that some outside agency may have
caused the explosion but officials of
the plant said tonight there was no
evidence to support such a theory
Nearly all the victims of the blast
were young men between l6 and -
years of age. The greater number OF
them lived in and about Wilmington.
The explosion occurred in a packing
house where black powder pellets are
prepared for shipment. These pellets
are used in rifles and for other pur-
poses, Much Of the powder, if not
all was being shipped to the nations
engaged in the European war.
Bodies Torn to Pieces.
1t was 1880 o'clock when slight
explosion was heard followed by an.
ether, a tritle heavier, which was
quickly succeeded by a terrific blast
that not only rocked the whole valley
but shook and startled Wilmington.
when The smoke cloud disappeared
there vas only a big hole in the
ground marking the spot where the
packing house had been.
Twenty-siX men were i'm the pack
ing house when the powder went off
and not enough of any Of them was
found for Identification with the cN-
Ccption of Allan a. ThaNter, the fore
man. whose home was Portland,
Maine Part of his body was found
hanging on a tree across historic
IrandyWiuo creek.
1t was identified by shrcds of cloth
ing that still Clung TO it.
Arms legs and bits Of flesh were
found as far as a quarter of mile
distant from the scene of the dlsas-
ter. Parts Of the bodies OF two
horses caught in the blast were blown
more than a quarter of a mile.
4 Grucsomc Task
one workman who rushed to help
Mt whatever rescue work there was
to do. spied an arm floating down i'm
the rapid current of the creek ana
fished it out with a stick
Four of the thirty men killed were
blown to pieces while at work out
side the packing house The work of
gathering up what was left of the
dead was a gruesome task. Baskets
and boxes were employed for this
purpose and the men searched the
ground for bits Of flesh as though
they were picking mushrooms. Some
climbed trees and brought down
parts Of human bodies and small
pieces of clothing.
Company officials said there were
about eight thousand pounds of pow
der i'm the packing house at the time,
The property loss was small.
The men injured were outside the
plant. They were struck by bits Of
machinery flying boards, rocks and
other debris and all were badly mutt
lated They were rushed TO hospitals
i'm this city one or two had been
blinded and several lost an arm or a
leg Physicians said they were so
badly injured that none Of them Is
expected to survive.
Spark Caused Explosion.
One theory advanced by workmen
at the yard is that the explosion may
have originated in a spark from a
horses shoe or from spark caused
by a small car running over some
spilled powder.
The shock of the blast struck terror
to the hearts of residents Of settle
ments along the Brandywine accus-
toned as they are to powder mill eX-
plosions Every home in the neigh
borhood is represented among the
employees of the plant. There was
rush to all the gates by relatives and
others to learn if any one had been
killed. Every entrance was barred
by uniformed and armed guards. No
one was admitted except some of
those who rushed out from Whining
ton in automobiles when they learned
the seriousness of the accident