The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-03
NOCAUSE KNOWN,
| NO ARRESTS MADE
New York's Frightful Explosion
May Always Remain
Mystery.
INVESTIGATIONS ARE BEGUN
Railroad Company Disclaims All
Responsibility for Dyna
mite Disaster.
INVESTIGATIONS ARE BEGUN

New York, February Agents Of
the Du Pont Powder Company. the
prosecutor Of Hudson county, n. j..
and inspectors Of the bureau of eNplo-
sives and OF the ordnance bureau of
the War Department to-day started
separate Investigations into the fright
full explosion of dynamite yesterday at
the Communipaw piers of the Central
Railway Of New Jersey.
No arrests had been made tonight.
no cause for the explosion had been
fixed. and no additional bodies were
found. The list of dead and missing
still stands at about thirty three, and
the property damage ranges close to
100000.
I'VE have gone far enough now.
said Vice President w c. Besler Of
the Jersey Central, ito be certain that
| neither we nor the authorities Will
ever know what caused the explosion.
We do know that the railroad cannot
be held responsible. AS common car
riers, the law requires us to accept
explosives at the published rates and
under the supervision and regulations
Of the ordnance bureau of the War De-
partment, with which we complied.
Once We had delivered a car at the
terminal and the consignee had come
with his way bill to take possession
and had broken the seal of the car.
a had been done in this case, 1t was
out OF our control and our respon-
sibility had ceased
| On the other hand, the authorities
point out that the State statute regu-
lating explosives refers specifically to
Its manufacture and storage and that
| If a freight car IS adjudged to be a
place OF storage the owners of the car
arc amenable under the law
Although no arrests We're made to-
day. Prosecutor Caravan said that the
finger of suspicion already pointed
toward certain persons and that they
could not escape If they were so
minded"
Had No License.
James Healing, owner Of the de-
stroyed lighter Katherine. admitted
without hcsitancy to-day that he had
| no license to carry explosives and
added that all the city authorities
knew II, TOO. When he first went into
| the business Of transporting explosives
| four years ago. lie aid, he had in
CURED about license and never could
| find that one was required
-Four OF my men," he said, qualified
| handlers Of explosives, had to take out
licenses, and they did, from the United
| States Bureau of Combustibles. I never
| knew, and nobody else handling cx-
| plosiyes in this harbor ever Knew, tina t
any other license was required The
| W hiStici ana Two otHer powder boats
| operated by the Du Pont people had no
! licenses. either"
! The Board of Police Commissioners
| OF Jersey City and corners jury Of
six Will hold hearing on Wednesday
| next to consider all evidence then in
| hand. Thus far, the task Of gathering
| II has been proved peculiarly battling,
owing to the fact that every one in
/ touch with the core OF the fncts had
] been blown to bits.
! y resolution providing for an invcs.
| tigation OF the explosion was intro
duccd at meeting OF the New York
Chamber OF Commerce to-day by Jacob
II. Schiff. The resolution calls niso
| upon the committee on harbor and
Z, shipping TO submit to the chamber sug-
gestions for regulations to prevent n
repetition ofsthe explosion. It was re
! fcrrcL TO the committee