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Fearless Of Danger

Fearless Of Danger image
Parent Issue
Day
21
Month
June
Year
1895
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Tiras lar no Du Pont of the f amone gnnpowder making faniily of Delawarc has ever been false to the family law of bravery, while more than one has giveD : his life in obeying it. One Satnrday 1 ing in the summer of 1857 Alexis L Dn Pont, son of Eleuthere, was in one of the ! mixing rooms with some of his men, trying to shift a heavy yellow pine box. Aa they slid the box along the floor, the friction cansed a spark to strike, and instantly the room was ablaze. Fortnnately most of the gnnpowder had been taken out, it being the end of the week, but the walls and floor were sufficiently sprinkled with it to canse a sharp pnff, which set the men's clothes on flre. Alexis, realiziiig the danger instantly, and being himself in flames, called to the men to follow him, and running ont of the building threw himself into the mili race. The others did likewise, and thus, for the moment, all were safe. But Alexis, turning toward the milis as he swam, sawthat sparks from thebuming mixing room were falling in showers on the roof of the press and cntting mili, vphieh contained, as he knew, severa] tons of powder. In spite of the appeals of the men, he rushed back to the point of danger, calling out as he ran, "Now, boys, pass me buckets of water. " Then he climbed fearlessly npou the roof, which was now nearly trarned throngh - for in those days the roofs were made of pitch and cement - and began fighting the flames as best he could. Inspired by his courage, the workmen rallied with a will at the bucket line. but before they had got fairly started the explosión carne, blowing Alexis Du Pont with fearful forc against one of the drying stands, crushing his ribs into his lungs, and injuring him so that he died in areat agony a few honrs later. -

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News