The Williamson enterprise. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1907-1911, 1911-02-09
BLAST DEAD IS 90
MANY MISSING SINCE JERSEY
CITY EXPLOSION BELIEVED
BLOWN TO ATOMS.
PROPERTY LOSS 100000

Fifty Thousand Pounds Of Explosive
Is Set Off at once-Three investi-
cations Are Under Way--Federal
Authorities to Assist Police.
New York, Feb 3.-Definite esti-
mates of the number of dead from
the great dynamite explosion in the
harbor of Jersey City are still impos-
sible. The total Of dead and missing
Is 90 The list OF dead in the hands
of the coroner is seven and it is that
officials belief that most of the 23
men whom he classes as missing
were blown to atoms. The property
loss, according to various official esti-
mates, will be between $750,0O0 and
S1,O00,000.
The heaviest sufferer in this re-
spect is the Central Railroad of New
Jersey, at whose docks the disaster oc-
CURED. Vice-President Besler sets
the railroads loss around 100000
The United States government is also
heavy loser, with $4,000 damage
at Ellis Island, and an additional $10,-
GOO or $4,000 at the army headquar-
ters on Governors Island and at Bed
loe's island, where the Statute of Lib
erty was shaken bare of many win
dows and big electric lights.
Fifty Thousand Pounds Exploded.
The blast was probably the largest
explosion of dynamite that has ever
occurred anywhere, Intentionally or by
accident. Fifty thousand pounds
went up in the single defamation. There
was marvellous escape, however,
from much bigger disaster, for there
was another $4,000 pounds standing on
a sidetrack within 100 feet of the
pier end, which stood unexploded
through all the tumult. The cars
which contained it were twisted and
torn and the boxes were strewn on
every side, but the dynamite, thick
with dust and debris of the explosion,
was unframed and intact in its paper
coverings.
Gasoline May Have Exploded.
The exact cause of the blast has
not been definitely established, and
may never be explained to the salts
faction of the experts Officials of
the railroad company and the powder
company maintain that something
more than a mere concussion must
have occurred to set off, the dynamite.
An explosion of gasoline ON board the
tugboat or boiler explosion on the
lighter is their theory.
"A statement issued by the Central
Railroad of New Jersey says:
No one has been found who can
tell definitely what took place. Capt.
Land, in charge Of the marine depart
ment, whose office is on the adjoining
pier, says that to the best belief the
boiler on the lighter or tugboat ex-
ploded, setting off the dynamite. The
officers of the company have taken
every step to secure a full and accu-
rate report concerning what took
place, but those who were in charge
of the work are either dead or so
badly injured as to be unable to
give detailed information.
Katherine W.. an Old Offender.
The bureau of combustibles of New
York city, in statement by Commits
sioner johnson, puts a little side light
on the disaster by declaring that the
Katharine W., the dynamite lighter on
which the explosion occurred, was an
old offender, and that the district at
torney was already preparing to take
action this week against her in the
case of a shipment of $500 pounds of
dynamite which was improperly left
unguarded on the East river pier on
Christmas eve. The explosive was
seized by the bureau of combustibles,
condemned and sold. at auction
Federal Authorities Will Assist.
The Jersey City police and the fed
eral authorities will assist in all three
Investigations. The federal authori-
ties, however, have put the case
squarely up to New Jersey, although
the transportation of explosives about
the harbor are under the jurisdiction
of the treasury department and I'M
der the direct supervision of the super
visor of anchorages. an officer of the
revenue cutter service. His inyesti-
cation shows that when the explosion
occurred the boats receiving the dyna-
mite were tied to pier located under
the jurisdiction of New Jersey author
tiles. The state of New York will have
no hand in the investigation. 1t has
jurisdiction of all crimes committed
in the Hudson river except when they
occur on boats tied up on the Jersey
side.