Valley Falls, New York, USA
1928 - 4 EMPLOYEES KILLED IN POWDER MILLS EXPLOSION. HOMES IN TOWNS NEARBY DAMAGED IN MORNING BLAST. SEVERAL WORKMEN ARE INJURED WHEN POWDER LETS GO IN PLANT NEAR VALLEY FALLS AND TIMBERS FALL UPON THEM.

Valley Falls, N.Y., Mar 16 - (INS) - Four men were instantly killed, several were injured, and homes in nearby towns were damaged when three mills of the Hercules Powder Company, located on the state highway between this village and Schaghticoke, exploded shortly before nine o'clock this morning.

The dead:
JOSEPH MITCHELL, 63, Millwright.
VICTOR SHELLEY, 26, glazier.
JOHN HAYNER, 56, carpenter.
HARRY WHITE, 43, powder sorter.

Officials at the plant estimated that upwards of 10,000 pounds of black powder had exploded.

MITCHELL and HAYNER were working in a glazing mill which had been shut down. The theory was advanced that sparks from the contact of their hammers with nails may have set off the powder.

SHELLEY and WHITE were in an adjoining glazing mill.

A truck load of the finished black powder, standing alongside of one of the mills, went up in the explosion.

Edward L. Prickett, superintendent of the plant and several other workmen were injured by falling timbers.

This was the third explosion at the mills in the last three months ... No one was killed in the other blasts.

A sheet of flame shot high into the air when the explosion came. Workmen rushed from nearby buildings only to be struck to earth by falling debris.

In Schaghticoke, three-quarters down were blown from houses, of a mile east of the plant, windows broken and people were thrown from their chairs. Confusion reigned in the village for a time. Reports were
circulated that 20 persons had been killed.

This village, because it is sheltered by a hill, escaped the force of the explosion.

Doctors from nearby villages were rushed to the scene, and ambulances were called from Troy hospitals.

Today's explosion was the worst experienced by the local mills in more than 20 years.

The Hercules Powder Company is a subsidiary of the DuPont Powder Company.

Olean Times
Olean, New York
March 16, 1928

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