The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-01-13
POWDER DESTROYED
by Fire and Explosion at the Dupont
Powder Company at Haskell, new
Jersey-TMO Men Missing.

New York, January 12-Four hun
dred thousand pounds of powder were
destroyed by fire and explosions at the
Haskell, N. j., plant of the DUPONT
Powder Company at $3.50 o'clock to-
night. Officials of the company de-
clared after checking up the members
of the night shift at the works that
only two men were missing. Twelve
were cut by flying debris, but none OF
them was seriously hurt. No esti-
mate Of the loss was obtainable.
The explosions were of terrific force
ard were felt for many miles in all di-
rcctions.
There were two distinct explosions,
the force Of which was terrific. Build
ings were shaken and windows shat
tered far out on Long Island and up
the Hudson river to Poughkeepsie.
The first explosion was In what is
known as "the glazing barrel" The
fire which resulted spread quickly to
the blending house and from there to
three magazines. One of the maya
zines blew up, but the powder in the
others was consumed by the flames.
The blazing magazine set fire to the
screening house, from which the
flames leaped across Wanaque river,
and consumed 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 semi-circle around the works,
were scattered by the force Of the
conclusion, which was by for the most
severe ever experienced at Haskell.
No estimate was available of the
number of men at work when the dis
aster occurred, but as soon as the ter
roI caused by the explosions had sub
sided somewhat, the companys Of
flcials began rounding up their men to
check uD the casualties. 1t is feared
that two who were employed IN the
glazing barrel lost their lives.
Following so closely on the heels of
destruction of the Kingsland plant Of
the Canadian Car & Foundry Com
pany, the explosion threw all Northern
New Jersey into panic. The sky was
crimsoned by the conflagration and
the flames were plain visible as far
away as Yonkers.
Roads leading into Haskell in al
directions soon We're filled with con-
veyances Of every kind carrying ply
stefan, nurses, policemen and firemen,
al! eager to reach the scene of the dis
aster and give what aid they could
Torror-stricken women living in near
by communities, whose husbands were
employed at Haskell, made frantic eff
forts to force their way past the
guards and it was long after the ex-
plosion before they were convinced
that many had not persisted.
Every house in the village of Pomp-
ton Lake, more than two miles from
Haskell, was damaged by the explo-
sion. Scarcely a window was left
unbroken At the Pompton Lake Hotel
the floors buckled and the guests ran
to the streets in alarm Many doors
were blown in and chimneys knocked
over Many children were injured b.
flying glass Bloomingdale, two miles
away, suffered almost as severely.
The fire still was burning itself oui
in the Haskell plant at midnight and
no definite information was available
as to the property damage in the VII
lage itself. Some fear was felt that
many persons might be found severe
~ injured in the ruins of their homes
DUPONT officials had not determine
late tonight the cause of the fire. They
refused 70 hazard an opinion until
their Investigation is completed There
HAYS been many previous fires and ex-
plosions at Haskell, but the company
always has insisted they were acct
dental.