Kellogg Powder Mills Works Explosion

KELLOGG POWDER MILLS EXPLOSION

IRONTON REGISTER, JANUARY 21, 1892

Last Monday morning, about 15 minutes past 8 o’clock, the earth shuddered as if from an earthquake. There was no explosion, no sound, except the windows’ trembling and the house’s trembling. It seemed as if an earthquake had passed, but no, it was the explosion of the Kellogg Powder Mills, located in West Va., between Huntington and Ceredo, 14 miles distant from here.

This concern is composed of several unpretentious buildings, separated from each other on consideration of safety. The explosion occurred in one of these buildings, known as the Glass mill, where 800 kegs of powder were stored. The building was blown into fragments. Here, Chas. Scott and John Benton were at work and were blown into atoms.

The shock here seemed to have caused the explosion in the other building. The Packing House, with five tons of powder, was demolished. The Corning mill also was completely destroyed. The Magazine, where much powder was stored, went with a crash, and so did a carload of powder nearby. The Engine House, the soda buildings, the wheel houses, everything except the office was badly shattered.

But the loss of property was not serious damage. There were six persons killed and a dozen more or less injured. Besides the killed named, there was also Arch Livingston, who was the foreman of the concern; Ed Winton, the Engineer; John Schlosser and Robert Cook.

Reece Estep, —-Kinnee, John Justice, and ten others were hurt, more or less severely, but none of them fatally. There were about 30 men employed at the mills. It is not known what caused the explosion.

The scene in the neighborhood of the wreck is a sight. Pieces of the building, of kegs, of machinery are scattered everywhere. Many are the narrow escapes told, and it is a mystery how so many escaped.

Windows in neighboring towns were badly shaken, and some glass was broken three miles away. The explosion’s shock was felt 25 miles from the scene of the calamity.

There were eight buildings blown up. The glazing mill had not been acting just right, and Mr. Livingston was in there fixing it, and the probability is that the explosion was started from this.

Likely, the mill will not be rebuilt at its old location. The Central City Co. has been trying, for some time, to get it removed three or four miles back in the country, but no agreement could be made. Such an arrangement is now probable. It certainly ought to be moved. This is the third time it exploded in its short career.

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THAT POWDER MILL EXPLOSION
Ironton Register, February 4, 1892

Editor Register. – We do not want to condemn the Kellogg Powder Mill or interfere by word or act with the manufacture of powder, for we regard it as necessary. We must have an explosive substance, and this seems to be best adapted to general use. So it is not the object of this article to protest against the manufacture of it, but to object as to where it is manufactured.

We give the following objections – and the grounds upon which we object. All who are acquainted with such work know that it is dangerous and requires the strictest attention and experienced men to carry the work successfully and safely.

The material is taken from the “mixer” is placed under the wheels. Here it remains for a short time, and if it is not removed at the proper time, it will explode, which it frequently does. And, of course, it does serious damage. The glass is much more destructive but somewhat less liable to explode. But this must work with exactness, or the men and buildings are in great peril of being blown to pieces. If the powder is too wet, it throws out of working order. This will give a small idea of the risk it is taken. The mill in question (the one at Kellogg’s) has blown up three times in the last few months.

The first and last caused great loss of both lives and property. Well, have the papers compared it to an earthquake or volcanic eruption? Terrible must have been the concussion to break windows and hurl the clocks from their places three miles away. Draw from this the result it would have on buildings a quarter or half a mile off.

Burlington, Ohio, is one of the scenes of the destruction. (This explosion caused damage to Burlington’s courthouse-mm) Behold her buildings, with her windows, sash, and pane shivered to pieces or crushed upon the inmates or floor! Fire and ashes scattered on the hearth and carpet, and the furniture turned topsy-turvy! The whole framework wrenched from center to circumference, and many were made almost untenable! Think too of the citizens being subjected thus to the severity of the winter. Deplorable condition!

To obviate such a state of affairs, we must remove the cause. How is this to be done? Will the company quit making powder? No. Ought they? No. Will they build again? Yea. In the same place? They say so. Shall we willingly submit to this? Now let all rise and say no. Why? Because we have a right, we must decide this. Pope says, “Whatever is, is right” Better say, “Whatever is the reason is right.” This is man’s law, God’s law. No one will doubt the veracity of the statement that it is very reasonable and altogether right to protect ourselves and our property. Shall we virtually subject ourselves to the jaws of death without a murmur or complaint? I don’t think that to be right.

This surely is not a visitation of God’s wrath upon us. Certainly not, for our men escaped and bear witness to the terrible event when men’s bodies were torn to atoms or subjected to the flames to burn and parch. Now, my friends, why should we have the agent of death and destruction planted in our midst? Should an army plant its artillery right in front of us and stifle its bellowing cannons in our faces, we would regard it as a very unfriendly act. We would ask them to face about or begin a retreat ourselves. We are so arranged. We have to face a monster more direful and not knowing all the while just when we will be prostrated to the earth.

As we can not retreat in this case, let’s ask the company in all kindness for them to move a few paces back and give us a better show. This is right and honorable. Longfellow says Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not the goal. He certainly was right. If the grave were the goal, how willingly would we bear our bosoms to the hand of death and thus triumph in the act? But such is not the case. Shall we then stand with our arms folded, watching the work, and not even ask the gentlemen to regard our person and property? They probably do not know our wishes and desires.

We need to inform them, and they will be too willing to grant our requests. On hearing our claims, the head manager, if he is a man of reason and whose heart is not adamant, would lend an attentive ear and move that “Little Vesuvius” to the country (where no one lives) where it would have nothing save the hills and mountains from combating against.

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Two Powder Mill Explosions

Ogden Standard Examiner (UT) Aug 15, 1891

Cincinnati, Aug 14-A special this morning says the large powder mill at Central City, twelve miles from Catlettsburg, KY, was blown up by an accidental powder discharge. Many lives were reported lost, and many buildings were destroyed.

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