The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-02
POWDER TRUST TO
Be PROSECUTED
Jersey Justice After Men Re-
sponsible for Great
Explosion
DEATH LIST MAY
REACH A SCORE
%
Railroad Violated Law When
it Transported More Than
5000 Pounds at
One Time

NEW YORK, Feb. criminal
prosecution as well as civil actions
for damages are to be begun against
the powder trust officials responsible
for the presence on the, Jersey CITY
pier OF the dynamite that caused yes
terday's disaster which killed an as
yet unknown number of men and
caused damage amounting to hundreds
of thousands of dollars. fragrant
violation OF the New Jersey law and
the Jersey City statutes are charged
to-day by the prosecuting authorities
and the feeling OF resentment against
& those responsible is so bitter that
Prosecuting Attorney Garven. of Had-
son county, and the Supreme Court
officials are being urged on all sides
to-day 10 invoke the speediest Of Jer-
sey justice In furnishing every person
in any way responsible
SO impressed with the feeling in
the community WAS Prosecutor Gar
Ven that he took all OF the evidence
so Ear secured before the sitting grand
jury to-day. ami that body at once
began "A preliminary investigation OF
the disaster, In addition, Inspector
of Combustibles James NJ Connolly.
of Jersey City. started an independent
inquiry to ind out how the explo-
out being reported, while Coroner
Haughton empaneIed a jury tn fix the
responsibility fer the deaths of the
four men whose bodies are in his
care.
The authorities to-day admitted that
they had ne positive knowledge OF
the number of the dead. Two bodies
and portions OF third are at the
morgue. Captain Robert Barnett. OF
the tug John Twohy. died In the Jer-
sey City hospital. while up 30 the pres
2nt time no trace has been found 81
the captain and crew of six Oh the
Catherine w. the boat on which the
explosion took place, or of the three
men thought to have been ON the
lighter Hustler, which sank after the
explosion. Railroad officials believe
there were twelve Polish laborers
working about the dynamite-iaden
ears, and say that none has since
been seen. However. there has been
no official report OF any missing out
side OF the crows ef tho lighters and
the other known dead.
Half Million Damage,
Estimates OF the total damage
caused by the explosion vary Vice
President Bresier, or the Jersey Cen
trai. after "a careful investigation, the
terminal placed the loss OF that COM
pany at 100000. Damage To other
property in the vicinity, including the
shipping In the bay, Will total $50, oo0
more. The damage at Ellis Island
viii be $50 zoe. and possibly more.
The plate glass insurance concerns.
who have had claims presented from
all over Jersey City. Manhattan and
parts al Brooklyn ssay these claims
will exceed sloa. Gee, This takes no
account OF the damage for personal
injuries which will be demanded.
Many officials who say that the
powder trust was primarily respon-
sihie, express the belief that there
was criminal careiesSness on the part
IT the railway officials. The New Jer-
gey State law on the handling Of
explosives is emphatic. il provides
that dynamite shall be transported
only under an official permit. and that
not 10 exceed 5000 pounds shall be
handled at any one time. lnasmucn
as forty tons exploded yesterday and
more than twice that amount failed
TO detone, IL il argued that the rail-
road company could hardly have been
in ignorance of the fact that the Iaw
had been violated. In this connection
Prosecutor CSarven said to-day:
- esThe law pf New Jersey lis sufficient
TO punish the guilty in this case. and
whether he Ia the highest official of
the corporations responsible or
street iahorer he will he punished
There is no chance for mercy In this
CASE
Most of the injured In the Jersey
City and Manhattan hospitals are re-
ported as doing web to-day. and all
hut three or four will probably re-
ccxer. 800 -s'' ..r
Divers Look For Bodies.
In an effort 10 learn whether there
4 were any bodies under the wrecked
piers the officials OF the Jersey Central
\ railway put divers to work to-day,
/ Their task is hazardous one as there
I are known to be many sticks Of dyna-
mite and several boxes of the stuff
y buried among the debris. A work
man pulling up the started planking
(, hit small piece of dynamite with
1 pick. There was slight explosion
which badly scared the wreckers and
/, caused greater caution to be observed.
Men at work on the docks saw what
they believed to be corpses floating In
the water between piers and Z to-
day but were unable 10 recover them.
Nearly all of the debris above the
!. water line was cleared before IL
O'clock To-day but no more bodies
were found there.
The steel bark Ingrid. which re-
ceived good deal OF the force of the
explosion was making water freely to-
day. Her captain will have her dock
ed but he believes she is so badly
strained before the water line that she
cannot be repaired
The officials have been notified that
I Charles O'Neill and John Deppon, who
are lii st. Francis hospital, and Ed
ward Finley. who is In the Jersey City
hospital. will hardly survive the day.
The Jersey City officials said to-day
that they have no record OF a permit
lever having been granted to the own
ers OF the Catherine w. 10 convert
4 her into dynamite carrier The
I United States shipping authorities are
Investigating the manner In which the
Powder Trust boats handle high ex-
plosives and 1t is believed more strin-
gent regulations will be promulgated.
u