Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-07
Over 300 Tons of Dynamite
Explode at Baltimore.
FORTY IN HARBOR INJURED
Steamer Alum Chine Destroyed.
Tug and Collier Wrecked.
CITY Is DAMAGED BY SHOCK
Windows Broken, Chimneys Knockeu
OF Houses-Concussion Felt
100 Miles Away.

BALTIMORE, Md, March IAN ex-
plosion of dynamite, far-reaching and
disastrous in it's results, occurred In the
lower harbor OF Baltimore this morning,
when more than 800 tons of the explo-
sive. being loaded on boaN the British
steamer Alum Chine, blew up.
The latest reports place the number of
dead at 20 and the injured at 40 OF
the dead four belonged to the crew of the
Alum Chine and three were on board
the United States naval collier Jason.
Twenty-nine other men on the collier and
the greater part of the crew of the Alum
Chine were injured.
Six on Tug Atlantic Killed.
Six on the tug Atlantic. lying along
side the Alum Chine, We're killed and
the tug practically destroyed.
OF the injured, ten of the Jasons peo-
pie are said to be fatally hurt.
Forty stevedores are unaccounted for.
If they We're on the steamer 1t is con-
sidered certain that they perished.
The Jason was about 200 feet away at
the Maryland Steel Company, and was
soon to have her government trial trip.
Entire Country Side Shaken.
The tremendous explosion shook the
country for miles around. Windows were
broken and chimneys knocked off houses
a dozen or more miles from the scene of
the disaster. At Sparrows Point school
house was partly destroyed and several
children hurt.
Baltimore was shaken as il by an
earthquake, and tall buildings in the
center of the city were rocked by the
shock.
Bodies Drawn From Wreckage.
Scores of vessels hurried to the scene
OF the disaster to render what aid they
could. Floating bodies were drawn from
the wreckage. and some Of the injured
were rescued from the floating debris.
Thirty or more badly hurt men were
brought to Baltimore hospitals. The
Alum Chine had been here since March
1. and was finishing the loading of her
cargo.
This morning lighter with four rail-
road cars was towed to the side Of the
vessel, and the work OF completing the
task OF loading was expected In few
hours. Nearby were the tug Atlantic
and sevefal launches belonging to ship
chambers who were engaged in furnish
ing supplies to the steamship for its
across-the-0cean trip.
Flee When They See smoke.
Suddenly pun of smoke came from the
hold OF the ship. One Of the crew no.
ticed it and appreciating the danger OF
impending disaster ran screaming to the
deck, followed by a panic-stricken crew
or as many as had time to escape from
the lower part Of the ship.
Right alongside of the Alum Chine
ma
Ship Chandler James p. GoOdhues. Into
this boat leaped fourteen of the British
boats crew, and Goodhues turned the
bow Of his little craft away from the
the first pun Of smoke was followed by
clouds of greater volume.
The men ON the lighter made every ef-
fort to escape. The captain OF the tug
render any assistance and too close to
escape its coming doom.
Air Filled With Debris.
When the fleeing launch was 200 feet
from the Alum Chine the explosion came.
There was deafening roar as hun
dreds of tons of explosives went of. Coll
umns OF flame shot out from every por-
tion of the vessel and the air was filled
with flying debris.
Pieces of machinery and portions OF the
hull OF the boat weighing tons were shot
iron and steel three feet long and
weighing fifty pounds were found at
points OF the Anne Arundel and Balti-
more county shores three and four
miles from the scene of the explosion.
Flying Dynamite Explodes.
The flying debris included still unex-
ploded boxes of dynamite, and 1T is be-
lieved that the falling Of these on the
decks Of the Jason and the tug Atlantic
was responsible for the terrible damage
and loss of life on those vessels.
The superstructure OF the naval col
lier Jason nearby was swept away. and
her side was riddled by the flying metal
fragments that had been hurled from
the demolished steamer.
One of the unexploded boxes OF dyna-
mite hurtling through the air struck
u portion OF the upper works of the
Jason and exploded.
Several men were killed outright and
thirty more who were on the collier We're
frightfully injured.
Another box OF dynamite exploded as
II landed on the deck OF the tug Atlantic.
The explosion was followed by fire and
three men LOST their lives
Pitiable Scenes on Wharf.
Pitiful scenes were enacted on the
Broadway wharf when the tugs bearing
dead and injured arrived there. Hun
n4taS VI Wofnen ttttu ShtioASh @hosS hSS-
hands and fathers work on the water.
crying and wringng their hands, begged
To be allowed to see IL any OF their
man folks were among the Victims.
Nearly fifty of the injured We're land
ed here. Some of these were able TO
walk to their homes unassisted. but the
bulk of them were taken to the hos
pitals. Some OF the injured were taken
TO hospitals at Sparrows point
Up to midafterno0n no definite figures
of the number of casualties could be
ascertained, but il was said that at
least fifty men had been killed and
about as many more injured.
Some of the latter We're expected to die.
Shock Felt 100 Miles Away.
PHILADELPHIA, March THE dyna
mite explosion near Baltimore was re
markable for the great distance the shocl
OF the blast was felt. At CoatesyiIle. Pa.
the windows in the high school ratified
startling the students.
The shock was felt at the Philadelphia
navy yard. In Reading. Pa. nearly 10s
miles from Baltimore, in other cioes II
southeastern Pennsylvania, and in New
Jersey as far as Atlantic City. $n many
towns the tremor was so distinct as e
vause people 10 believe an earthquake nae
occurred
The shock interrupted the proceeding
ct the lower house of the Delaware leg
x<iatilre at Dover. the sneaker remarking
.fhat must have been an earthquake"