Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-02-09
new YORK ROCKED
BY EXPLOSION OF
DYNAMITE VESSEL
Lower End of City In Panic.
Caused by Terrific Force of
the Accident Across the
Harbor.

which is as yet unknown. 1t shook
New York city and it's vicinity
for miles around to the very
foundation, and caused a heavy
financial loss.
The explosion occurred as the
dynamite cargo of a lighter,
moored at a Jersey Central
railroad pier was being unloaded
into a freight car
The explosion wrecked every
shing in the vicinity of the pier
and shook Manhattan island.
Brooklyn and the country within
20 miles of Jersey City. Window
glass was smashed in thousands
Of s%kyscrapers in New York, in
Guiding the financial district.
Panics followed in a of big
buildings, but no casualties from
this source r reported.
Fire Alarms Set OFF.
The concussion set off fire alarms in
many parts of the financial district OF
New York, and the clatter of fire ap-
paratus and the shrill shrieks of the
Are engine sirens added to the din.
Men and women swarmed out of build
!ngs, some of them by the fire escape
:oute. The firemen hunted in vain for
a blaze. Instead they found the streets
dangerously crowded and the sidewalks
covered with broken glass.
The explosion caused as much COM,
motion on the water as on the land.
New York fireboats and police patrol
Aoats crossed the river to the scene
and Jersey Central tug boats and other;
crafts hurried to the foot of Hender-
SON. street. where what was left Of the,
dynamite boat lay. T;
leaving the Jersey Central pier when
the explosion look place. Just what
caused 1t may never be known.
Ellis Island Feels Shock.
Great damage at the government inn
migration station on Ellis island was
caused by the explosion. Windows all
over the island were smashed and
many employees were injured by the
fragments of glass.
The explosion cause panics in sew
sral of he big down town Office build
!ngs which seemed rocked to their
foundations. Alarmed employees and
.cnants of the structures made rushes
for the elevators and other exits. The
quick subsistence of the tremblings.
however, re-assured the alarmed null
titudes.
The force of the explosion blew the
glass from windows and doors In a
large number of buildings from Cort-
.and street down to the battery.
The whole front of Henderson's seed
house on Cortland street was blown
IN. and many window panes in the
Hudson terminal buildings were shat
tered.
Panic In Singer Building.
There was much excitement in the
'all Singer building. There was a.
rush for the elevators and for a time
the cars We're taxed to their capacity.
"A large plate glass window in the
-afe Savar was blown in and several
diners sitting near the front of the
safe narrowly escaped injuries.
The New Jersey police department
hsked the New York police to- send all,
the available medical assistance pos
6ible to Jersey City.
The same request was made to the
police headquarters from the United
States Express company in Jersey City.
1t was said that many injured were
there waiting assistance.
Victims Blown Into River.
Many of the injured were blown into
he river, from which they were res
.ued by tugs INC taken to hospitals.
Father O'Reilly. of Jersey City, who
was near the docks. says he admin
:stered the last rites of the Catholic
church to five men and saw one head
.css corpse ear the pier. James
Wynne, a weigher, who was at work
on a nearby vessel. said:
81 stood on my little frame work
looking over the harbor. l saw q
small power boat do not know her
.lalne-pull into pier No. S and anchor
there" he said. She tied up to tho
pier and men began to run back and
forth. They seemed to be carrying
dynamite from freight cars that were
standing close at hand.
"All at once there was a Hash of
fame. The little boat disappeared and
{ felt myself being carried through the
air. That is all / know
Wynne's statement makes It certain
that 1t was the Catherine that was
destroyed.
A policeman in a launch picked
Wynne out Of the water as he fioated
unconscious. He was not seriously
hurt.
Ferry Passengers Hurt.
The ferry boat Sommerville OF the
Jersey Central line with a big load OF
passengers on board was close to the
scene of the explosion and many of
her passengers were injured by flying
glass n splinters.
One OF the most turbulent scene.
down town was outside OF the bank
ing Offices Of J.. p. Morgan & CO., al
Broad and Wall streets. The impress.
sion prevailed In the streets that 8
bomb a been hurled and instantly
Q crowd OF at least 1000. collected
about the entrance.
Most Of the windows OF the Morgan
building. had been blown in % had