Norwich bulletin., 1917-01-13

New York, Jan. 12.-Four hundred thousand pounds of powder was oesa Haskell N. J. plant of the Dupont Powder company at 9.30 o'clock to- night. Officials of the company declar- = ed after checking up the members or inc night shift at the works that only two men were missing. Twelve others were cut by flying debris but none of them was seriously hurt. No estimate of the loss was obtainable.
 Entire Plant Probably Destroyed.
 The general manager of the Haskell plant, who was reached by telephone soon after the explosion, said the entire plant probably had been destroyed In the plant and the village were several hundred buildings. The concuss1on blew tremendous hole in the side or a mountain near which the plant was built The Dupont manager said It was impossible to estimate the loss or life.
 Two Terrific Explosions.
 There were two distinct explosions, The force of which1was terrific. Buifd- lngs were shaken and aa tlldoWs shat tered far out on Long Island anl up the Hudson river to Poughkeepsfe.
 The first explosion was in what is known as the glazing barrel. The fire which resulted spread quickly 10 the blending house and from there to three magazines One of the magazines blew up, but the powder in the others was consumed by the flames.
 The blazing magazines set fire to the screening house, from which the flames leaped across WanaQue river and con sunated three drying houses on the other side. At this point the fire was checked by the efforts of the com pany's employees.
 Other buildings in the plant and many in the village which was built in A serni-circIe around the works were shattered by the force of the concus- sion, which was by far the most severe sver experienced.
 1t Haskell.
 Checking Up Casualties.
 No estimate was available of the number of men at work when the dis aster occurred. but as soon as the ter TOT caused by the explosion had sub sided somewhat the company'S officials began rounding up their men to check up the casualties. It is feared that two who were employed in the glazing barre1'' lost their lives.
 Rescue Parties Organized.
 Rescue parties were quickly organ Ized to search for the injured and Ss soon as they were found they were taken to the company's private hospt- tai.
 All the doctors available were sum moned. as were the Franciscan Froth- ers from Butler, some distance away.
 Haskell Is situated in a remote sec ton of Passaic county and comnuni- cation with 1t either by telephone or telegraph ceased after the first explo- sion. As a consequence reports of heavy loss of life soon were circulated in nearby places.
 Sky Crimson With confiasration.
 Following so closely upon the des- Guction of the KingsIand plant of the Canadian Car and Foundry company, r,Il JnTT Jersey into a panic. The sky was erfmsoned by the conf1agration and the flames were plainly visible as far away IS Yonkers. N. r.
 The shock of the explosion was so great that many persons in Haskell Brooklyn and New Jersey cities fifteen pr twenty miles from Haskell believed there had been an earthquake. Police md newspaper offices were besieged ,or information Strangely enough, he concussion seemed to be less severe ! short distance from Haskell Viewed confIagration From Hills.
 Guards employed by the company md police who were summoned from nearby towns established a dead iine' several hundred yards from the blaz- Ing buildings and would permit no one 10 pass. Hundreds of persons. how ever, climbed nearby hills from which hey viewed the conf1agration.
 Roads leading into Haskell in all di- rections soon were filled with con- Veyences of every kind carrying physi- clans, nurses, policemen and f1remen to he scene of the disaster
 Terror Stricken Women.
 Terror stricken women living in the nearby communities whose husbands were employed at Haskell made frantic efforts to force their way past the guards and it was long after the ex- Dlosion before they were convinced that many had not perished.