Though at this point in time, the original owners of the Egyptian Powder Company are unknown, it is known that the company started producing blasting powder for coal mine operation in 1904. An article found in the March 12th, 1904, Carbondale Free Press stated, “The first shipment of powder from the Egyptian Powder Company was made Thursday. This is probably the first powder ever shipped from Southern Illinois. It consisted of 200 kegs. The plant from which it was shipped is situated midway between Marion and Carterville.”
The powder company was located due east of Energy, which was then called Fordville, on Crenshaw Road at what is now the north end of the Williamson County Airport runway. At the time, the plant was located near the Coal Belt Electric Line power house and conversely the rail layout called “the Y.” Older Energy residents used to call the area near the powder plant “Powder Row.” In the 1970’s, the location was occupied by the Energy Culvert Company. Locals recalled that the Egyptian Powder Plant near Energy blew up “at least once a year” and that many Energy families lost members that way.
The 1905 Souvenir History of Williamson County indicated that Lloyd Goodall Binkley, son of local insurance man, T.J. Binkley, was the manager for the plant. Also noted in the book, I found that a union had formed apparently to protect workers at the plant. United Powder and High Explosive Workers Local 126, was organized February 24, 1904, with Samuel Powell president, Samuel Aikman secretary. It then had a present membership of 26. Geo. Davis served as secretary.
No one can be sure how much union representation actually helped the workers in this extremely dangerous business because the plant had a tendency to have catastrophic accidents on a fairly regular basis. A mere four months passed after their first shipment was made in 1904 before their first accident injured three men.
In 1910, Franklin W. Olin, founder in 1892 of the sprawling Equitable Powder Company plant in East Alton, purchased the Egyptian Powder Company. F.W. Olin had only two years previous founded the Western Powder Company in Peoria, Illinois on his way to building an empire based on the production of explosives and propellants. He would later own Western Brass Mills and the Western Cartridge Co.
In the “1913, Marion, Opportunity City” booklet a statement noted that, “The Egyptian Powder plant is located six miles west of the city and is managed by L.G. Binkley. Here a large number of men are given regular employment and the factory’s products are shipped to points throughout the Middle West.
An advertisement in the same booklet noted “Egyptian Powder Company, Manufacturers of High Grade Mining Powder, Mills in Marion, Illinois, Office, East Alton, Illinois.
A Dun financial rating for Egyptian Powder in 1914 indicated a high credit rating and a pecuniary strength of $150,000 to $200,000 which in todays money would equal about $4,000,000.
Around 1922, Samuel V. Aikman II, son of pioneer, Samuel Aikman, was named Superintendent of the plant and operated in that capacity until his death in 1947. Herb White, formerly of Equitable Powder Co. plant at East Alton, was named Superintendent of the Marion plant of the Egyptian Powder Co. in 1957.
The exact date of closing has not been found yet but is suspected to be in the real early 1960’s. Around 1958, Olin started up a manufacturing plant for liquid propellants in the Ordill area and later began manufacturing numerous types of explosives, shells and flares in that location.
The exact number of explosions that occurred in the Egyptian Powder plant over time is unknown but has to number around thirty. I have listed a small number of articles related to the plant incidents that occurred as follows:
Daily News, July 20, 1904
An explosion at the Egyptian Powder mills, four miles from Marion, Tuesday afternoon, destroyed one of the largest buildings on the ground. Three men were injured, one seriously. The loss cannot yet be estimated.
Daily Free Press, Feb. 21, 1905
Rev. Leslie P. Easterly of Marion met a horrible death at the plant of the Egyptian Powder Company this morning between 10 and 11 o’clock. Mr. Easterly who had been working at the powder plant as an electrician for some time, was killed by his clothing being caught in the shafting. It seems that he was either passing from the corning mill to the motor room or vice versa, or perhaps was working with the shafting which connects those two rooms, when his clothing was caught by the shafting and he was jerked from his feet and whirled about the rapidly revolving rod of iron.
Daily Free Press, Feb. 22, 1905
Leslie Easterly, an employee in the Egyptian Powder plant, was instantly killed by his clothing catching in the shafting. His body was stripped of clothing and cut completely in two.
Daily Free Press, Jan. 7, 1907
Regarding the powder mill fire referred to in Saturday’s Free Press, the Marion post says; “On account of the breaking of a live electric wire in the soda heater house at the Egyptian Powder Company’s plant located between this city and the electric “Y” fire broke out in the building which besides destroying $12,000 worth of material and property, was the cause of one man receiving what was at first thought to be serious injuries. The injured man, and Elliott, who had charge of that particular mill, was burned more or less about he hands, feet and ankles, but was not seriously injured.
Daily Free Press, April 28, 1908
A terrible accident occurred at the plant of the Egyptian Powder Company, four miles west of Marion, about 11:30 today. A quantity of powder in the storeroom blew up, and three employees were killed. The storeroom was a complete wreck and the main plant was damaged some. The force of the explosion was plainly noticeable in Marion and as far east as Pittsburg, eight miles from Marion.
The three men killed were John Claxton, Steven Upchurch and William McClintock. These men were the only ones in the storeroom at the time, or the number of fatalities would no doubt have been greater. It is stated the bodies of the three men were literally blown to pieces.
The disaster caused great excitement in Marion and hundreds of people visited the scene of the explosion after the accident. The cause of the explosion was not learned here.
Daily Free Press, Feb. 22, 1909
Gus Albright, 21 years old, was killed instantly, and Chauncey Meeker, aged 25, was so badly injured that he died six hours later, in an explosion at the “wheel house” of the Egyptian Powder Co. plant west of Marion, about 3:30 Sunday afternoon. No other employees were in the vicinity of the accident, or the number of fatalities would likely have been still larger. Less than one year ago, last April, three men lost their lives in an explosion at the same plant.
The exact nature of the explosion is not learned, but it is stated the explosion was in the wheel house and was not especially severe. L.G. Binkley, the manager of the plant, was in Carbondale at the time of the explosion and was notified of the accident while there.
Neither of the dead men was married. Albright was the son of James Albright of Tunnel Hill. His funeral will be held tomorrow at Creal Springs. Meeker lived at Marion where the funeral was held today.
Daily Free Press Nov. 4, 1911
The Marion Post gives the following account of the explosion which was “felt” by many in Carbondale Thursday evening.
The fifteenth explosion at the plant of the Egyptian Powder Co. located northwest of Marion on the Coal Belt Line occurred Thursday evening about seven o’clock and the force of the explosion could be distinctly heard and felt in this city. No lives were lost however and not a single person was injured. The property loss is estimated at about $1,000.
No. 4 wheel mill blew up when the man in charge was starting it. This explosion, which was not severe, set on fire a truck used to carry materials from one mill to the other. Afterward, the truck rolled down a grade to mill No. 1 where it stopped. It stopped in just the right manner to set fire to this mill and in a few moments it exploded. Here is where the greatest damage was done.
No. 4 mill was not damaged so much but that it was gotten in shape for operations by Friday afternoon late. No. 1, however, was totally destroyed. The force of the first explosion was not felt here for any considerable distance from the plant. When the last explosion occurred however, dishes in Marion homes were rattled, windows shook and there was evidence that something out of the ordinary had happened.
Daily Free Press, Nov. 6, 1913
About 11:00 a.m. today, the coining mill at the Egyptian Powder Company’s plant west of Marion exploded, but fortunately no one was killed or seriously injured. The building was totally wrecked.
The explosion, which was heard and felt in Marion, was much more vivid at Herrin and Carterville. In both cities, windows of the houses were severely shaken and most of the populace thought an earthquake was in progress.
Daily Free Press, Dec. 2, 1916
The Egyptian Powder Plant, which is located at a point between Fordville and Marion, was this morning blown up in a manner which has not been learned in Marion. Two men were killed in the terrific explosion and three other men are reported to have been severely injured.
The affair happened about 7:15 this morning and Oscar Kelly and James Willard were watchmen at the place. Both of them were blown a distance of 90 yards. Particulars are not to be learned at press time. Several Carbondale people heard the explosion and felt the jar. Also they noted the shaking of the doors and windows of their homes causing them to think that the country was experiencing an earthquake.
Daily Free Press, Sept. 17, 1917
Two men were blown to pieces and killed about 8:30 this morning when the Egyptian Powder plant exploded at Energy.
The cause of the explosion is believed to have resulted from ignition resulting from the friction of the machinery.
The explosion was very noticeable and heard and felt in Carbondale. The tremors shook buildings and rattled windows.
Reading Times, Pennsylvania, Feb. 12, 1919
An explosion wrecked the plant of the Egyptian Powder Company near Herrin, Illinois. The cause has not been determined. No lives were lost.
Daily Independent, Murphysboro, April 28, 1925
Earl Bridges of Energy was fatally injured when an explosion occurred in the wheel mill of the Egyptian Powder plant at 10:00 this morning. Considerable property damage resulted.
Alton Evening Telegraph, Alton, Illinois, Oct. 15, 1935
Fire early today destroyed the engine and boiler rooms at the Egyptian Powder Co. three miles southeast of Herrin, Illinois, causing damage estimated by company officials at $10,000.
The Herrin and Marion, Illinois fire departments were called and fought the blaze nearly five hours to keep if from spreading to the company’s two nitrate plants nearby.
Night shift employees discovered the fire, which was believed to have been caused by a spark from a boiler flue. Sam Aikman, plant superintendent, said he thought the plant could be put in operation again in four or five weeks.
Between 50 and 60 men were employed in the plant’s two shifts, he said.
The Egyptian Powder Co. is one of the Western Cartridge Co. group, and F.W. Olin is its president. The plant manufacturers black powder for use in coal mines and employs about 75 men. The fire was in the boiler room, located some distance from powder buildings and damage was confined to the one structure. Loss was due only to fire, as there were no explosions.
With the boiler room out of use, operation of the plant will be resumed with power supplied by the high line.
Alton Evening Telegraph, Alton, Illinois Jan. 2, 1940
Five men were burned, two seriously, just before noon today, when 1200 pounds of blasting powder exploded in a shed of the Egyptian Powder Co., three miles southeast of Herrin, Illinois.
The victims, all brought to a hospital here, were Earl Young, 26, G.J. Baker, William Horsley, all of Marion; Russell Watson of Energy, and William V. Riley of Cambria. Hospital attaches said Horsley and Riley were the most seriously burned.
Daily Independent, Murphysboro, Illinois, Jan. 6, 1940
William Horsley, Marion, died last night of burns suffered in an explosion and fire at the Egyptian Powder Company plant near here Tuesday. The death of Horsley who was to have been married next month, followed by a day that of the first victim of the blast, William Riley of Cambria, who was married December 23rd.
Of the three remaining who were injured in the blast, one was recovered enough to be discharged from the hospital.
The Times, Hammond, Indiana, Oct. 20, 1942
One man was killed today and two injured in an explosion at the Egyptian Powder Plant south of Herrin. The blast rocked the plant at 6:20 a.m. Its cause or the extent of the damage was not reported immediately.
James Kirkland, 21, Herrin, was killed. Eugene Yancey, 29, Herrin and Robert Bourne, 28, Energy were injured. The plant is located one mile from the village of Energy which is five miles south of Herrin.
Freeport Journal, Freeport, Illinois Sept. 19, 1947
Herrin and surrounding towns were shaken this morning by an explosion this morning by an explosion which leveled a building at the Egyptian Powder plant, but no one was hurt or killed.
The explosion occurred shortly after 6 a.m. in a corning mill where the blasting powder used in coal mining is pulverized and screened. Because of the danger involved in this operation, it is supervised by one man in a concrete building 100 feet away from the mill.
The mill was demolished and windows and lights were blown out in other buildings of the scattered plant. About 35 men had just gone to work on the morning shift.
Dixon Evening Telegraph, Dixon, Illinois, Dec. 27, 1947
Samuel V. Aikman, 58, Superintendent of the Egyptian Powder Company at nearby Energy, Illinois died in a Herrin hospital yesterday of bullet wounds which authorities said were self-inflicted.
Plant workers reported they found Aikman near the plants parking lot and that a .38 caliber revolver was at his side. He had two bullet wounds in his abdomen.
Aikman, who has been superintendent at the plant for 25 years, “apparently was suffering from strain of overwork,” a son-in-law, Gordon Franklin, Marion attorney, said.
Survivors, in addition to Mrs. Franklin, include his wife, Ethel Copher Aikman; another daughter, Mrs. N.C. Garrison, wife of the judge of the Williamson County court, and a son Samuel Jr.
(Note: A Marion Daily article related to this incident, indicated that Aikman was still alive when found and said that since an explosion that had occurred earlier, the company had been putting a lot of pressure on him.)
Daily Register, Harrisburg, Illinois, May 3, 1951
A powder plant explosion shook buildings within a four mile radius here late yesterday destroying one powder mill and damaging another 300 feet away.
The blast at the Egyptian Powder plant south of Herrin was followed by a small fire. Two 12 ton wheels inside one mill were smashed. No damage estimate was available but the 20 foot square mill of wood and sheet metal was valued at $2,500.
Herrin police offered the only explanation for the blast. They said the 12 ton wheels were used to grind powder which was covered with several inches of water at the bottom of a large vat. The water is generally replenished at regular intervals, police said, but it was apparently allowed to evaporate and the steel wheels rubbed against dry powder.
The company manufactures blasting powder for coal mines.
(Extracted from the 1913 Opportunity City Booklet; 1905 Souvenir History of Williamson County; numerous newspapers; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 02/12/2014)