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