TWO POWDER MILLS BLOWN UP.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 320, 22 June 1875, Page 3

TWO POWDER MILLS BLOWN UP.

( Correspondent of the New York Herald,') Cleveland, Ohio, March 16.

The Austin Powder Company’s mills, located near the canal, five miles south of this city, blew up this afternoon with a series of terrific explosions. The works, which consisted of ten or twelve buildings, were completely demolished, large fragments of timber and heavy machinery being thrown a considerable distance. There were eight or ten men at work in and about the mills at the time of the explosion, three of whom were killed, the others escaping with a few slight bruises. The names of the killed are— Fred. Putnam, aged 33 years, who leaves a wife and two children ; David Lawson, aged 40 years, who leaves a wife and four children; and August Eadcliffe, aged 45 years, and unmarried. The two magazines in which is stored a large quantity of powder, are situated about forty and eighty rods from the nearest exploded mill, and did not explode, although the roof and wall of the nearest one was badly torn by the concussion. The loss to the powder company cannot now be ascertained, but will be heavy. The buildings, with the exception of the engine-house, were of little value. The extent of the damage to the machinery is not known. The cause of the explosion will probably never be known, as the man at the coining-mill, where the first explosion occurred, was killed. In the immediate neighbourhood of the explosion houses were badly damaged, windows being broken and plaster torn off. In this city, the wildest excitement prevailed, many thinking the detonations were caused by an earthquake. Houses rocked and shook, and people ran into the streets. Horses became frightened, adding to the alarm by their frantic plunging. Much damage was done to windows. The large plate-glass fronts in Ryder’s photograph rooms, Baldwin’s dry goods store, the new City Hall, Cushing’s block, the Standard block, and several other places were shattered. The damage in the city is estimated at from 25,000d0l to 30,000d01. An explosion occurred at these mills three years ago, but little damage was done to property except that owned by the Powder Company.