The Penn's Grove record., 1921-08-26
PENIS GROVE N. j., FRIDAY, AUGUST 20. 1921
A Terrific Explosion
Killed Two Men
Powder In Shells At Ordnance
Depot Make War Havoc

At 2.30 p. NJ. on Wednesday, while
taking powder from a shell about 200
yards above Dolbow's Landing, near
the shore end of the wharf, a shell eX-
ploded. Two men were killed and two
injured.
William A. Megill, Jr., vas burned
very badly all over the body and
limbs and died at once. He was aged
"a years and a son Of William A. Me-
gill, at 125 East Main Street. He was
months in France without a scratch.
The funeral will take place Sunday,
28th, at 2 P. NJ. Funeral Director, b.
N. Gross. Service in charge of Rev.
S. ]. Dorlon. Burial in Emmanuel
Cemetery.
Daniel L. Wolf was badly burned,
left arm and left leg broken. He was
taken to his home, "a South Alden
Avenue, where he died that afternoon.
He was aged 81 years, leaves a widow
and a girl seven months old. The
funeral will be Saturday, at 1.30 P.
NJ. H. f. Ashcraft, director.
Thompson Sharp, of Bridgeport,
was burned, his left arm broken, and
a bullet wound in his left shoulder. He
was taken to Salem Hospital.
The right shoulder vas badly shat
tered. He is getting on nicely and
there is hope of saving his arm.
Charles Houser, of Deep Water, was
burned and hit by fragments of a
shell, but not seriously. He was also
taken to Salem Hospital, but dis
charged on Thursday.
A Miraculous Escape
Benz. S. Featherer was within a few
feet of the explosion. He escaped in
jury but badly nerve-shocked. He saw
Mr.. Wolf fall from the platform,
bleeding and scorched, calling for help.
While shells were popping and powder
burning he went to VOLTS assistance
and pulled him a distance until assis-
lance came to help put him IN an
automobile and take him home.
During the past two years several
thousand shells for annon have been
stored at the Delaware Ordnance
Depot, two miles above Penns Grove,
below the mouth Of Oldmans Creek.
Many have been sold for junk to the
Columbia Salvage Corporation, with
head office at 2S6 Jackson Avenue,
Long Island City. These shells are
taken from the storehouses. put INTO
cars and taken a to the river for
dismantling. They were taken from
The car onto a platform about four
feet high on which Megill and Wolf
took the cap off and the powder out.
On the cap end are two pins, n for
setting the shell of, the other to I'M
loosen the cap. In all probability the
wrong pin was hit and the she'll eX-
ploded. killed two Americans, instead
of Germans, for which they were
made to kill.
There were two carloads Of shells
beside the platform. Each q had IN
it between 500 and 600 boxes with
from six to eight shells in a box.
These we're small 6-inch shells con-
tanning between a half and n pound
of powder. set on time fuses to eX-
plode after being shot from a cannon.
There was a large box Of powder
near. 1t was set on fire. The powder
and cars were burned and the shells
vent popping like an artillery charge.
The fire continued 10 burn the remain
der of the afternoon with shells pop
PING at intervals. Some shells eN-
pIoded Thursday forenoon.
The powder from shells was sold to
the dupont Company. The copper was
~separated from the steel and sold Tor
junk.
D. 0. D. by the Salvage Corporation
dismantling and shipping cannon
shells and powder.