Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-12-02
RUMOREDGERMANS
RECEIVED WARNING
BEFORE EXPLOSION
30 Mill Hands Killed In Du
Pont Powder Plant Explo-
sion Cause of Blast
a Mystery.
SECOND DISASTER TODAY
Nobody Hurt In Latest Acct
dent-Secret Service Agents
Seek Clews and Scout
Rumors.
SECOND DISASTER TODAY

Wilmington, Del, Dec. There was
small explosion Of smokeless powder
today at the Du Pont powder plant at
Carney's Point. N. j., not far from tho
Upper Hagley plant. where 80 men and
boys lost their lives in an explosion
yesterday. No one was hurt and tho
damage was slight, company officials
say.
Company officials said the explosion
was what Is called "flareup" In q
blending mill, but the few employees IN
the place were not touched by the
flash.
There have been no more deaths
among the five injured in the Hagley
explosion of yesterday. It is feared.
however. that several Of them will die.
One of the injured, Edwin Davis, left
the hospital today. Louis Booker. who
died in q hospital last night, making
the death list 80, left a widow and eight
small children.
Deputy Coroner Nichols today took
charge Of the remains Of the victims.
nearly all of which, however, were but
human fragments and began an in
vestigation. Later he will summon q
Jury and formal inquest will be held.
Wilmington, Del. Dec. 1.-1nvesti-
cation of the explosion yesterday at
the plant OF the Du Pont Powder COM
pany. which killed 80 workmen and in
jured six others went forward today,
but, because every person who was in
or near the building when the disaster
occurred is dead, little hope is held
out Of determining the cause. Not
one Of rs men who were in the pellet
packing house escaped. Now there is
only a huge hole in the ground where
once the building stood.
Rannrfa that notices had hppn found
mailed to trees and fences leading to
the Du Pont plants at Upper Hagley
and at Carney's Point warning en-
ployes OF Teutonic origin that they
wesild imperils their lives by contin-
11ing to work at either place. are being
ports were discredited by the investi-
gators and officials Of the company
alike, but It was decided to run down
every possible clue.
Men accustomed to travel the roads
in the vicinity of the plants were said
occasions, but stated they had re-
manned in position for only few
hours at q time. The notices, accord
ing to one of these men, read as fol-
lows:
Americans who lost their lives with
the sinking of the Lusitania, did so
after due warning. All men of Teu-
they continue in the employment Of
the Du Pont Powder company they will
do SO at their peril and will be taking
their lives in their own hands"
The theories most widely credited
are that the explosion was caused by a
spark from a horse's shoe striking a
stone or piece of metal or from a
spark caused by a small car running
over powder spilled in the yard.
Slight hope is held out for the re-
covery of the six injured men who
were taken to hospitals.
Charles B. Lands, an official of the
Du POnt company, gave out a state
ment today in which he said every
care had been taken to protect the
Du Pont plants and that precautions
had been redoubled with the receipt of
war orders. He said every means
would be exhausted in an attempt to
solve and explain the explosion. but
that the task seemed a hopeless one.
A revision Of the list of employees in
the illfated building, as completed by
the company officials today fixed the
death list at 80. The names of 81 had
been placed in the published list, but
1t was ascertained that the name of
William Oliver included therein, was
o duplicate Of the name of William
Holliver, who is in hospital in such
q serious condition that his recovery
is not expected.
Du Pont Powder company officials
announced that the company will. in
accordance with it's long established
policy, provide literally for the fam
lilies of the explosion victims.