NITRO-GLYCERINE BLAST ROCKS PLANT AT FAYVILLE (75 YEARS AGO)

Editor's note: Fayville was located across the Mississippi River from Commerce. The town no longer exists.

Thursday, March 15, 1923; Page 1

Special to The Missourian

FAYVILLE, Ill. March 15 -- A terrific explosion of nitro-glycerine, the highest explosive known, in a packing house of the Hercules Powder Company, near here, at 5:50 p.m. Wednesday, totally demolished the building and rocked towns within a radius of 30 miles. No one was hurt, the blast occurring 20 minutes after workmen had left the building after completing their day's labors.

Officials of the company today refused to estimate the damage pending a careful investigation, but it is believe to be at least $50,000. Assistant Manger Jones declined to make an estimate of the damage.

Fayville was rocked by the explosion, but the only damage reported was from the breaking of window glass. The packing house was one mile from this place, in a ravine near the river north of here.

The blast is believe to have been caused by a sudden jar given the building, or the explosive being set off spontaneously. Nitro-glycerine is one of the highest explosives known to chemists and is difficult to handle.

Small Supply in Building

Officials of the company say that there were only a few cases of the explosive in the building at the time, that it is the general plan to keep only the amount intended to be shipped away in the packing house.

The slightest jar would have set off the explosives, the company officials said. Nitro-glycerine is packed for shipment in small cans. It is believed that one of these cans may have been dislodged from its place in the packing house and fell to the floor, producing a jar sufficient to set it off.

Damage to the remainder of the plant was slight. The various buildings are scattered over several hundred acres of the company's holdings, and an explosion in one structure does not usually set off powder in another.

The explosion was distinctly felt in towns within a radius of 30 miles. Window lights in Commerce were smashed by the blast, while the jar was perceptible in Cape Girardeau and other points.

Steamer is Shaken

The Steamer Bald Eagle which was on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River, was shaken by the blast, and window glass and electric light bulbs on the east side of the boat were broken.

Timbers from the wrecked building today were scattered for several hundred yards around where the structure had stood. Nearest residents said that they could see the timbers being hurled in the air by the force of the blast.

Eight men are employed in the packing house of the plant. They had completed their work at 5:30 p.m. and were a considerable distance from the building when the explosion occurred.

The plant has been operating only two months, following a shutdown two years ago. John Mullen, a night watchman, was killed in a blast at the plant early in the morning of July 10, 1920. This explosion occurred in the scale house.