Doea anyone know anything about Ralph A. Granato who died in the Kenvil Powder explosion? Helen Hamler who married William Schelling had a daughter, Margarette Ruth ("Sissy") Schelling, b. 1923, who married a man whose last name was Granato. I don't know anything more about him but would like to know if he is from the same Granato family who experienced this loss in 1940... Thanks! Kathleen In a message dated 4/10/2007 10:09:22 PM US Mountain Standard Time, pnlpope@verizon.net writes: > From the Stanhope Eagle, Thursday, September 19, 1940 - > > KENVIL POWDER EXPLOSION > > The multiple explosions at the Hercules Powder plant near Kenvil about > 1:30 last Thursday afternoon have so far resulted in the loss of forty-nine > lives; serious injuries to possibly fifteen more, and slight injuries and shock > to about 200. > Apparently the two large explosions were preceded by a fire in the new > "solvents recovery" plant, and these were followed by a series of > explosions in the isolated buildings of the "B-line" group. The cause of any such > fire is unknown, as there was a "match" search by officials only an hour before > the blast. The fire which followed the explosions continued well in Friday. > Immediate calls were sent out for all doctors, nurses, ambulances, > rescue squads and fire departments in this area. All other persons were kept out > of the plant grounds. Uninjured employees were used in aiding the rescue > work, which was performed amid danger as there was still many tons of explosives > untouched and not far from the fire. Many tons of nitro-glycerin were > buried underground in an adjacent hill, but this did not go off. > The plant manufactures nitro-glycerin, dynamite and smokeless powder, > and it was the latter section which went up. The first two were not injured > to a > great extent, and their production will go on, while new smokeless powder > units are being built. There has been much speculation as to whether the blast was accidental > or the resulf of sabotage. Investigations are being conducted by plant > officials, the FBI, State Police, the Dies Committee of Congress and > intelligence officers of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, but none of > their findings have been given out to the public. > Particular praise should be given to the State Police, local police, > doctors, ambulance men and uninjured employees for their untiring work in > getting the injured out of the fallen and burning buildings and on their > way to hospitals. Dover General Hospital treated well over 200 persons (their > capacity is only 104 beds.) and others were taken to the two Morristown > hospitals.Washinton. The suffering passengers were riding practically in open air with a keen wind blowing >> > > > Posted by Kirsten in MD, with thanks to Thea Dunkle for sending me this > article. > > I wonder what, if anything, the investigations turned up. Sabotage? > Or did they still not have needed safety procedures? I wonder if the > upcoming war caused production pressures that contributed to this tragedy. > > There are obituaries for six men who died as a result of the blast > immediately below the article. They were Harold E. OBDYKE, Edward E. > ALLEN, Ralph A. GRANATO, Nicholas PISANO, John ANDICO, and Natalino J. > FERRANIALO. > > Here is a list of the dead; SURNAMES on the following lists are not all > CAPS. > > IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL THE NUMBERS 3 AND 8 APART on my copy; so be > warned > that some ages may be incorrectly transcribed! > > Edward E. Allen, 20, Budd Lake > John P. Andico, 27, Netcong > Harold A. Baker, 28, Dover > J. F. Barnish, Dover > Harry L. Beck, 29, Patchogue, L. I. > Jesse E. Bennett, 67, Dover > William T. Black, 32 or 82, Flanders > Stewart Carroll, 26, Morristown > Vernon A. Cocking, 33, Kenvil > Raymond T. Corby, 50, Rockaway > Wiley Dejong, 35, Mendham > Evart J. Dunn, Kenvil > Edward Extrom, Kenvil > R. H. Ethan Fancher, 22, Succasunna > Natalino Ferranialo, 26, Port Morris > Ralph A. Granato, 22, Port Morris > Elijah Greer, 20, Andrews, N. C. > John B. Griffith, 20, Budd Lake > Raymond Gulick, 32, Wharton > Willard Halkyard, 40, Catawissa, Pa. > Elmer Hildebrant, 30, Kenvil > Willard S. Jordan, 38, Syracuse, N. Y. > Peter Knott, 27, Kenvil > James G. List, 34, Kenvil > Frederick McConnell Jr., 20, Kenvil > Raymond Moore, 44, Landing > Charles [middle initial D?] Mosser, 45, Pequannock > Wayne Nielson, 26, Ferndale, Mich. > Robert Nolan, 64, Kenvil > Harold E. Obdyke, 48, Netcong > Reuben Parks, 51, Dover > Edward H. Payne, 20, Randolph twp. > Nicholas Pisano, 23 or 28, Netcong > William Quackenbush, 18, Kenvil > Harry J. Reed Jr., 22, Kenvil > John Savko, 20, Mt. Hope > Richard Scott, 25, Dover > Walter D. Sisco, 31, Branchville > Jack W Smith, 18, Shonghum > Russell S. Sossong, 28, Ledgewood > Paul W. Stalcup, 33, Mt. Arlington > William H. Stephens, Succasunna > Alvin Stout, West Belmar > Charles Swan, Kenvil > Charles Tice, 47, Mine Hill > George C. Tobier, 27, Bartley > Warren Waldron, Mt. Arlington > Raymond A. Woods, 18, Kenvil > > "Among the more seriously injured, the following local names appear: > William Bell, Netcong > Charles Damelio, Netcong > Roy S. Hull, Jr., Stanhope > Daniel Keegan, Netcong > Sam Oliva, Netcong > John Sansevero, Netcong > > The following local persons were treated for minor cuts or burns: > Fordyoe Boyer, Robert Brewster, Willard Masker and Frank Parns, all of > Netcong; Frank Frenenski and Chas. Platt of Stanhope; Elroy Chapman and > Gordon > Hildebrant of Flanders; Henry C. Crawn, and Anthony Valentino of Port > Morris." ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Hi Kathleen, Apparently he was single, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Granato of Port Morris, had two brothers and three sisters, was active at St. Michael's Church, and was buried at Stanhope Union,. Here is his obit... Ralph A. Granato Services for Ralph A. Granato, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Granato of Port Morris, were held Monday morning in St. Michael's Church here. ["Besides" - word is not really legible on my copy, but that must be it] his parents he leaves two brothers and three sisters. He was secretary of St. Michael's Holy Name Society. Interment was in Stanhope Union Cemetery. Kathleen, I hope this helps! Kirsten On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 02:06:01 EDT, LPurch6636 wrote > Doea anyone know anything about Ralph A. Granato who died in the > Kenvil Powder explosion? Helen Hamler who married William Schelling > had a daughter, Margarette Ruth ("Sissy") Schelling, b. 1923, who > married a man whose last name was Granato. I don't know anything > more about him but would like to know if he is from the same > Granato family who experienced this loss in 1940... > > Thanks! > > Kathleen > > In a message dated 4/10/2007 10:09:22 PM US Mountain Standard Time, > pnlpope@verizon.net writes: > > > From the Stanhope Eagle, Thursday, September 19, 1940 - > > > > KENVIL POWDER EXPLOSION > > > > The multiple explosions at the Hercules Powder plant near Kenvil about > > 1:30 last Thursday afternoon have so far resulted in the loss of > forty-nine > > lives; serious injuries to possibly fifteen more, and slight injuries and > shock > > to about 200. > > Apparently the two large explosions were preceded by a fire in the new > > "solvents recovery" plant, and these were followed by a series of > > explosions in the isolated buildings of the "B-line" group. The cause of > any such > > fire is unknown, as there was a "match" search by officials only an hour > before > > the blast. The fire which followed the explosions continued well in > Friday. > > Immediate calls were sent out for all doctors, nurses, ambulances, > > rescue squads and fire departments in this area. All other persons were > kept out > > of the plant grounds. Uninjured employees were used in aiding the > rescue > > work, which was performed amid danger as there was still many tons of > explosives > > untouched and not far from the fire. Many tons of nitro-glycerin were > > buried underground in an adjacent hill, but this did not go off. > > The plant manufactures nitro-glycerin, dynamite and smokeless powder, > > and it was the latter section which went up. The first two were not > injured > > to a > great extent, and their production will go on, while new smokeless > powder > > units are being built. There has been much speculation as to whether the > blast was accidental > > or the resulf of sabotage. Investigations are being conducted by plant > > officials, the FBI, State Police, the Dies Committee of Congress and > > intelligence officers of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, but none of > > their findings have been given out to the public. > > Particular praise should be given to the State Police, local police, > > doctors, ambulance men and uninjured employees for their untiring work in > > getting the injured out of the fallen and burning buildings and on their > > way to hospitals. Dover General Hospital treated well over 200 persons > (their > > capacity is only 104 beds.) and others were taken to the two Morristown > > hospitals.Washinton. The suffering passengers were riding practically in > open air with a keen wind blowing > >> > > > > Posted by Kirsten in MD, with thanks to Thea Dunkle for sending me this > > article. > > > > I wonder what, if anything, the investigations turned up. Sabotage? > > Or did they still not have needed safety procedures? I wonder if the > > upcoming war caused production pressures that contributed to this > tragedy. > > > > There are obituaries for six men who died as a result of the blast > > immediately below the article. They were Harold E. OBDYKE, Edward E. > > ALLEN, Ralph A. GRANATO, Nicholas PISANO, John ANDICO, and Natalino J. > > FERRANIALO. > > > > Here is a list of the dead; SURNAMES on the following lists are not all > > CAPS. > > > > IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL THE NUMBERS 3 AND 8 APART on my copy; so be > > warned > > that some ages may be incorrectly transcribed! > > > > Edward E. Allen, 20, Budd Lake > > John P. Andico, 27, Netcong > > Harold A. Baker, 28, Dover > > J. F. Barnish, Dover > > Harry L. Beck, 29, Patchogue, L. I. > > Jesse E. Bennett, 67, Dover > > William T. Black, 32 or 82, Flanders > > Stewart Carroll, 26, Morristown > > Vernon A. Cocking, 33, Kenvil > > Raymond T. Corby, 50, Rockaway > > Wiley Dejong, 35, Mendham > > Evart J. Dunn, Kenvil > > Edward Extrom, Kenvil > > R. H. Ethan Fancher, 22, Succasunna > > Natalino Ferranialo, 26, Port Morris > > Ralph A. Granato, 22, Port Morris > > Elijah Greer, 20, Andrews, N. C. > > John B. Griffith, 20, Budd Lake > > Raymond Gulick, 32, Wharton > > Willard Halkyard, 40, Catawissa, Pa. > > Elmer Hildebrant, 30, Kenvil > > Willard S. Jordan, 38, Syracuse, N. Y. > > Peter Knott, 27, Kenvil > > James G. List, 34, Kenvil > > Frederick McConnell Jr., 20, Kenvil > > Raymond Moore, 44, Landing > > Charles [middle initial D?] Mosser, 45, Pequannock > > Wayne Nielson, 26, Ferndale, Mich. > > Robert Nolan, 64, Kenvil > > Harold E. Obdyke, 48, Netcong > > Reuben Parks, 51, Dover > > Edward H. Payne, 20, Randolph twp. > > Nicholas Pisano, 23 or 28, Netcong > > William Quackenbush, 18, Kenvil > > Harry J. Reed Jr., 22, Kenvil > > John Savko, 20, Mt. Hope > > Richard Scott, 25, Dover > > Walter D. Sisco, 31, Branchville > > Jack W Smith, 18, Shonghum > > Russell S. Sossong, 28, Ledgewood > > Paul W. Stalcup, 33, Mt. Arlington > > William H. Stephens, Succasunna > > Alvin Stout, West Belmar > > Charles Swan, Kenvil > > Charles Tice, 47, Mine Hill > > George C. Tobier, 27, Bartley > > Warren Waldron, Mt. Arlington > > Raymond A. Woods, 18, Kenvil > > > > "Among the more seriously injured, the following local names appear: > > William Bell, Netcong > > Charles Damelio, Netcong > > Roy S. Hull, Jr., Stanhope > > Daniel Keegan, Netcong > > Sam Oliva, Netcong > > John Sansevero, Netcong > > > > The following local persons were treated for minor cuts or burns: > > Fordyoe Boyer, Robert Brewster, Willard Masker and Frank Parns, all of > > Netcong; Frank Frenenski and Chas. Platt of Stanhope; Elroy Chapman and > > Gordon > > Hildebrant of Flanders; Henry C. Crawn, and Anthony Valentino of Port > > Morris." > > ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NJSUSSEX- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message -- Open WebMail Project (http://openwebmail.org)