Explosion at Lake City...

[browningautorifle]

How about the one they had a Frankford Arsenal in 1917... Philadelphia, PA Frankford Arsenal Explosions, Sep 1917 | GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods

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[fjruple]

How about the one they had a Frankford Arsenal in 1917... Philadelphia, PA Frankford Arsenal Explosions, Sep 1917 | GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods

Jim -- There was another incident in WWII at the Frankford Arsenal. The incident was smaller in nature but just as deadly. I believe I indicated that I had investigated several of these incident over the years. I remember as part my training an incident that took place in WWII. I believe everyone knows that the Frankford Arsenal (Northern Philadelphia) in WWII manufactured many different types of munitions for the US government. Especially .30-06 Springfield ammo, one of the workers on the production line duties was to take buckets of rifle primers and feed the primers into the primer seating machine. While carrying two buckets of loose primers, one of the buckets detonated which in turn set off the other bucket. It appears the worker was jostling the buckets as he walked to and from the primer seating machine. Of course he was killed and several others seriously injuried.

--fjruple

---------- Post added at 06:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:39 PM ----------

That was the one I sought first but forgot the location...I knew there was a particularly bad one.

This property was next to the Eddystone Rifle manufacturing facilities which was leased from Baldwin. In fact the Eddystone munitions company where the explosion took place was owned and operated by the Baldwin Locomotive works. I bet it blew a lot of the glass windows out the Rifle factory.

--fjruple

[browningautorifle]

another incident in WWII at the Frankford Arsenal

Yes, I was aware but this one was the one I think I first heard about years ago in a discussion.

[WarPig1976]

This property was next to the Eddystone Rifle manufacturing facilities which was leased from Baldwin. In fact the Eddystone munitions company where the explosion took place was owned and operated by the Baldwin Locomotive works. I bet it blew a lot of the glass windows out the Rifle factory.

This is a common misconception!! Baldwin was the landlord, period. There was a convoluted corporate deal between Baldwin and a fellow named Marcellus Hartley a big time investor in Remington and a new company was formed called Remington Arms of Delaware.
When Baldwin agreed to build the new building they where constructed in such a way as to be easily converted to train sheds. All the tooling was Remington's, the employees where employed by Remington of Delaware. There's even more to the story but the bottom line is, not a single Eddystone or ERA "Eddystone Remington Arms" marked rifle was built by Baldwin.
Sorry for the rant but I live here so it interests me.

[fjruple]

This is a common misconception!! Baldwin was the landlord, period. There was a convoluted corporate deal between Baldwin and a fellow named Marcellus Hartley a big time investor in Remington and a new company was formed called Remington Arms of Delaware.
When Baldwin agreed to build the new building they where constructed in such a way as to be easily converted to train sheds. All the tooling was Remington's, the employees where employed by Remington of Delaware. There's even more to the story but the bottom line is, not a single Eddystone or ERA "Eddystone Remington Arms" marked rifle was built by Baldwin.
Sorry for the rant but I live here so it interests me.

WarPig1976-- I understand. I live just across the river from Eddystone and have been on the property many times over the years before they built the "Wally World" on the location of the old rifle factory. I believe the only parts still left is the first set of buildings just off of the railroad tracks up from Rt.291. I have the same type pet peeve when someone tells me all Eddystone M1917 rifles were made by Remington of Delaware when in fact the company changed hands in January 2, 1918 and was then owned by Midvale Steel and Ordnance Company. Point of fact is that all of the machinery for Eddystone Rifle Company was bought and paid for by the British government. The US government then bought the machinery and tooling to build the m1917 .30-06 at give away prices. When they closed the plant at the end of WWI, they estimated it took a freight train about 16 miles long to remove all of the machinery, tools and leftover spare parts. I guess in war there is always an opportunity to save a little money.

Cheers

--fjruple

[WarPig1976]

WarPig1976-- I understand. I live just across the river from Eddystone and have been on the property many times over the years before they built the "Wally World" on the location of the old rifle factory. I believe the only parts still left is the first set of buildings just off of the railroad tracks up from Rt.291. I have the same type pet peeve when someone tells me all Eddystone M1917 rifles were made by Remington of Delaware when in fact the company changed hands in January 2, 1918 and was then owned by Midvale Steel and Ordnance Company. Point of fact is that all of the machinery for Eddystone Rifle Company was bought and paid for by the British government. The US government then bought the machinery and tooling to build the m1917 .30-06 at give away prices. When they closed the plant at the end of WWI, they estimated it took a freight train about 16 miles long to remove all of the machinery, tools and leftover spare parts. I guess in war there is always an opportunity to save a little money.

Cheers

--fjruple

Yup, like I said there's more to the story. I had pics I posted a few years back I can't seem to find of the three original buildings that remain. The Kimberly Clarke paper company occupies the site today. Wally World is about a mile N.E on Chester Pike.
We're so far in the weeds now I can't see out..

[browningautorifle]

In fact the Eddystone munitions company where the explosion took place was owned and operated by the Baldwin Locomotive works.

Now, with all that...there was an explosion there? What exactly would have been destroyed, or was it just structural and minor? Glass as was suggested(there was sure enough of it).

[fjruple]

Now, with all that...there was an explosion there? What exactly would have been destroyed, or was it just structural and minor? Glass as was suggested(there was sure enough of it).

Jim -- The Eddystone Munition Plant was located on the other side of the Industrial Highway (Rt.291) and the railroad tracks that you seen to the right in the picture. I am going to attached a map to this post to show where everything is located at the Baldwin Works. There is a very grainy aerial photo of the Eddystone Munitions works (#17 &18 on the map which was rebuilt after the explosion) needless to say it is pretty flat. The site of the Eddystone munitions Works is now occupied by a power generation plant. The only part of the old Eddystone Rifle Plant (#24 on the map) still standing is the Power Steam Building #27 in the attached map.

Cheers

fjruple

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