Philadelphia, Friday, Aug. 3.
Three of GARECHE'S powder mills, near Wilmington, Del., exploded this morning, about 8 o'clock, with most disastrous consequences, six persons having been killed and five wounded.
Wilmington, Friday, Aug. 3.
The drying house of GARECHE'S powder works at Eden Park, which exploded this morning, contained about one and a half tons of powder, and the force of the explosion was tremendous. The house had been in operation for forty years without accident, and was considered the safest house in the works. All the men connected with its operations were killed at once, being blown to atoms and found at various distances from 50 to 200 yards from the scene of the disaster. Three of the killed were Frenchmen, named EUGENE PERENE, JOSEPH DEO PEANE and FRANCIS FISHER. A boy named JOHN PUGH was also among the killed. The explosion of the drying house caused a mill, situated about 300 yards distant, also to explode. In thismill six men were dangerously hurt. One of them, PETER McGINLEY was thrown a distance of 40 feet, and it is feared will not recover, while PATRICK BURK, who was running from the mill, had his skull fractured by a piece of lightning rod, and his recovery is also doubtful. THOMAS MULLEN had his collar bone broken. MR. MITCHELL, the engineer, escaped with some slight bruises.
Another man, whose name could not be ascertained, was running beside PATRICK BUSHE when the latter was knocked down. He stooped to pick up his fellow workman and escaped injury.
The engineer, WM. MITCHELL, was seated at his post reading a newspaper when the explosion took place. He saw a barrel of powder explode and started to secure his safety behind the chimney stack, when a second exploded which blow down a brick wall over his head. His head was caught by some portion of the wall and bruised, and he also received some slight scratches on his cheek.
PATRICK GUTHRIE and MICHAEL GUTHRIE, who were on the outside of the mill, escaped with slight injuries.
The engineer says there were three separate explosions in the mill. To those at a distance it seemed like a single prolonged explosion.
DRS. ASHEW, BUSH, WHITE, WILSON and DRAPER, from Wilmington, were at the scene soon after the occurrence, rendering all the professional aid in their power.
There were about fourteen hundred pounds of powder in the mill, which was less than usual. The trees around the drying house were torn up by the roots, and one or two horses were killed. One other man is said to have been killed, but this seems doubtful. MR. GARECHE says the explosion must have been caused by one of the Frenchmen, who was addicted to smoking his pipe, although he had been forbidden to do so.
The New York Times New York 1855-08-04
EXPLOSION AT DUPONT'S POWDER MILLS.
Three Men Killed, and others Seriously Injured.
WILMINGTON, August 23. --- About five o'clock yesterday afternoon a terrible explosion occurred at Dupont's power mills, on the Brandywine. MR. ALEXIS I. DUPONT, assisted by seven workmen, was removing a large and heavy box from a building which had been used since the year 1812 as a powder-house; the box accidentally came in contact with the wall, and fire was produced by the friction.
An explosion immediately followed, burning all hands in a shocking manner. MR. DUPONT leaped into the race, and the others made every effort to extinguish the fire on their clothes, which they succeeded in doing with the assistance of MR. DUPONT.
MR. DUPONT then hastened to see if the press roof had caught fire, and as he approached a terrible explosion took place, shattering the building to atoms. By the flying fragments MR. DUPONT had his right thigh fractured and three of his ribs broken, while one of his lungs was perforated. He was found among the ruins, and when taken up, gave directions to the persons present to hasten and extinguish the flames.
SUNDAY, 5 o'clock P. M. --- MR. DUPONT, ANTHONY DOUGHERTY and EDWARD HURST, the foreman, are dead; LOUIS VACKE is mortally wounded. JOHN McCLAFFERTY and GEORGE FISHER are injured, but not fatally. The rest escaped unhurt.
Philadelphia Press Pennsylvania 1857-08-24
TWO POWDER MILLS BLOWN UP
Great Explosion in the Dupont Works Near Wilmington.
TWO MEN WERE KILLED
Both Buildings Completely Demolished and One Victim Blown to Atoms. Houses Four Miles Away Shaken.
Wilmington, Del., Aug. 30. – With terrific reports heard for miles, two black powder mills of the Dupont Powder company at the upper Hagley yards, near this city, on Brandywine creek, exploded.
LAWRENCE CUNNINGHAM, aged forty-six years, married, of Henry Clay, a suburb, and JOHN GILLESPIE, aged thirty-five years, of Hazelton, Pa., were instantly killed.
The cause of the explosion has not been determined. Several hundred pounds of powder of a powerful grade were stored in each mill. The first to explode was a fuse plant, which caused the explosion of the second mill nearby. The two victims were employed in the fuse mill.
Only one body was found. Whether it is Cunningham or Gillespie it is impossible to tell. It is burned and mangled beyond recognition.
The second man was blown to atoms, the only remains recovered being bits of charred flesh hanging in the branches of trees on the opposite side of Brandywine creek.
Both mills were destroyed, being swept clean off their foundations. The force of the explosion hurled pieces of machinery shafting and large stones for a great distance in every direction. Trees were uprooted or twisted as though a tornado had hit them. Houses shook in all parts of Wilmington, four miles away, while the property damage near the mills was considerable. Some late Sunday morning sleepers were thrown from their beds.
The country place near the plant of Frank L. Connable, vice president and director of the Dupont Powder company, was considerably damaged. The occupants were more or less injured. The windows of the home of Judge Edward G. Bradford, of the United States district court, also nearby, was damaged. The judge was absent.
Shortly before the accident the mills had been charged by workmen. After starting the machinery the employes [sic] left, as is custom. Cunningham and Gillespie didn’t get a sufficient distance away after starting the machinery. While the cause is not known, it may have been due to a spark form the machinery of from grit finding its way into the place.
The News, Frederick, MD 30 Aug 1915
BLAST BLOWS 30 MEN TO BITS
INJURED BADLY MUTILATED AND MANY BUILDINGS WRECKED BY EXPLOSION.
MAY NEVER KNOW CAUSE
ARMS, LEGS, HEADS, HANDS AND FEET FOUND ABOUT YARDS AT WILMINGTON, DEL.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Wilmington, Del. --- Thirty workmen were killed and seven fatally injured Tuesday in a terrific explosion of four tons of black powder at the Upper Hagley yard of the Du Pont Powder Company. It was the worst accident that has occurred in any of the company's plants in a quarter of a century. The cause of the blast is not known.
According to a statement issued by the company, the origin “will probably always remain a mystery.†Nevertheless a most severe investigation has been instituted by the officials of the company.
Reports have been current here for several days that notices had been found nailed to trees and fences along the roads leading to both the Hagley yards and the Carney's point plant of the Du Pont Company, warning all employes [sic] of Teutonic origin that they would imperil their lives by continuing to work at either place.
From every tree left standing in the neighborhood there was hanging either pieces of flesh or parts of clothing worn by the unfortunate men.
Twenty-six men were in the packing house when the powder went off, and not enough of any of them was left for identification with the exception of ALLAN A. THAXTER, the foreman, whose home is given as Portland, Me. He was torn to pieces and a part of his body was found hanging on a tree across the creek. It was identified by shreds of clothing that still clung to it.
Company officials said there were about 8,000 pounds of powder in the packing house at the time. The property loss, Du Pont officials said, was small.
Alamosa Journal Colorado 1915-12-02