Interview with John A. Dougherty, 1956 October 19 [audio](part 2)

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  • Riding carts on the narrow gauge railroad; Locating buildings in the powder yards; The color of the machine shops, homes, and other buildings
    Partial Transcript: "If that damn thing hadn't jumped the track that night we'd still be going..."
    Synopsis: [The interview begins mid sentence.] Dougherty talks about riding a cart full of gunpowder downhill on the narrow gauge railroad tracks in the powder yards. He describes switchbacks in a portion of the track that was on a hill. The interviewers describe the switchbacks as a "zig-zag" pattern. Dougherty says that the track ran to the Rockland railroad branch and that the track was used for sodium nitrate deliveries. Dougherty describes the location of buildings in the powder yards. He talks about local homes and the families that lived in them. He offers his thoughts on explosions, and says that no one thought they would be caught in the next explosion. He says that the machine shop, many homes, doors, and other buildings were a "lead" color which he says was a blue-grey shade. [The interview ends abruptly.]
    Keywords: Buildings; Crawfish Run; Hagley Yard; Lead color; Machine shop; Narrow gauge railroad; Paint; Powder Magazines; Rockland, Del.; Soda house; Sodium nitrate; Switchbacks; Upper Yard
  • Inaudible
    Partial Transcript:
    Synopsis: There is no conversation in this section.
    Keywords:
  • Other people Dougherty knows; DuPont hiring women; Breakup of the powder trust; Using a typewriter
    Partial Transcript: "Last time I saw Bill must have been six or seven years ago..."
    Synopsis: [The interview begins mid-sentence.] Dougherty talks about writing his will. He discusses other people from the Hagley area that he knows and the first women to work for DuPont. Dougherty talks about what he recalls of the breakup of the Powder Trust. Dougherty says that DuPont started typing letters after moving into the DuPont Building in Wilmington, Del. He identifies places where he thinks some old handwritten letter books might be found.
    Keywords: Atlas Powder Company; Carbon paper; Du Pont, T. Coleman (Thomas Coleman), 1863-1930; DuPont; Gunpowder Trust Association; Hercules Powder Company; Hiring; Laflin & Rand Powder Company; Smith, Edna; Typewriters; Typing; Wilmington, Del.; Women
Details
Title

Interview with John A. Dougherty, 1956 October 19 [audio](part 2)

Date Created

1956-10-19

Scope and Content

Dougherty describes his various jobs for the company, his supervisors, the move to the DuPont building in Wilmington, the houses and layout of the community at Hagley, and various neighbors.

Interviewee

Dougherty, John A.

Interviewer

Monigle, Joseph P. (Joseph Patrick), 1924-2007
Wilkinson, Norman B.

Biographical Note

John A. Dougherty (b. 1880) grew up on the Upper Banks of the Brandywine, his father having worked for DuPont in the Coal House and in the Refinery, and his mother's father having started with the company in 1851. His grandmother "Big Rose" Dougherty ran a boarding house along the Brandywine after her husband was killed in 1861. Dougherty began working for DuPont in 1885 in the Eagle Packing House, moving to the office after studying at Goldey College, and eventually working in statistics in the explosives department.

Note

"#5"; Interview summary-not a direct transcript
Part 1: ends abruptly but picks up on part 2 Part 2: Ends abruptly but conversation seems to be winding down; at 0:18:33 recording is cut off (and except for a brief second) resumes at 0:23:00

Place

Wilmington (Del.)

Subject(s)

Reminiscing
Explosives
Gunpowder industry--Employees
Explosives industry--Employees
Dwellings

Subject(s) - Name

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company

Find all items with name(s)

Dougherty, John A.
Monigle, Joseph P. (Joseph Patrick), 1924-2007
Wilkinson, Norman B.
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company

Genre

oral histories

Brand Information

Webcor Electronic Memory, 1200 ft., No. 2906

Language

English

Type of resource

sound recording-nonmusical

Extent

1 sound tape reel : 3.75 ips. TRT Part 1 - 1:03:48, Part 2 - 0:35:38.

Physical Details

A and B
Part 1: 1:03:48 Part 2: 0:35:38

Repository

Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library

Original Collection

Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation interviews on the history of the DuPont Company Powder Yard (Accession 1970.370)

Original Identifier

1970.370.012

Finding Aid

http://findingaids.hagley.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/1970_370.xml

Item Location

Box 1, Reel 12

Preferred Citation

[Description and dates], 1970370_72213_Dougherty_part2, Box 1, Reel 12, Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation interviews on the history of the DuPont Company Powder Yard (Accession 1970.370), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807

Access Condition

Access to this item is provided for educational and research purposes only. The user assumes responsibility for obtaining permission from the copyright holder to publish or distribute this material. If you would like more information, please contact askhagley@hagley.org

Hagley ID

1970370_72213_Dougherty_part2

Other Format (Identifier)

2026_052813_08

PID

islandora:2277834

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