Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-08
Federal Officers and Police
Scour Baltimore Harbor in
Boats, Searching for Bodies.
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
OF COAL POSSIBLE CAUSE
Forty Dead. Sixty Hurt and
100000 in Property Loss
Toll of Disaster.

BALTIMORE, Md, March SIN
vestigation are under way today tt
ascertain the cause and fix the
blame for the disastrous explosion
yesterday of more than 800 tons o.
dynamite in the hold of the British
tramp steamer Alum Chine, lying
at anchor in the lower harbor Tht
accident brought death TO more thar
forty persons and serious injuries t
three-score more and caused prop
erty loss of more than 100000. One
investigation already has been com
pleted by the city authorities, bui
no definite conclusion reached, be-
cause the accident occurred outside
the city limits.
Immediately after the accident the
Federal authorities at Washington
were appraised of the serious damage
to the new collier JASON which was
near the anchorage of the Inflated
Alum Chine, and was about to be
accepted by the navy department
Word was received that the depart
ment would inquire into the disas-
ter. AT the same time it is prob
able an investigation will be under
taken by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, (which has jurisdiction
over the shipment of explosives in
American waters.
Because most of the crew of the
destroyed steamer were subjects OF
~ D.ff fe-l, II NJ
Baltimore, Gilbert Fraser also will
inquire into the explosion. with the
view of protecting the interests OF
the families of the killed and wound
ed Welshmen, and to make a report
to the British admiralty The COR
oner of Anne Arundel county will al
once impanel a jury. This prob
ably will complete the number of in
quiries to attempt the fixing Of
blame for the disaster
Cause of Explosion Mystery.
Authorities who have made a par
tial examination express the opin-
ion, however, that the real cause of
the explosion will never be definitely
learned, chiefly because those who
might give information either are
among the dead or are so seriously
MANNED and injured they will never
be in a position to make a statement
regarding the accident The general
theory which seems to be borne out
by the statement of eye-witnesses to
the tragedy, Is that the coal in the
vessels bunkers was set atire by
spontaneous combustion and the
flames were communicated to the
dynamite.
The explosion was so terrific that
it has seriously crippled the coast de-
lenses of the harhor. in many IN
stances the concrete foundations OF
the heavy guns in Forts Howard.
Armistead and Carroll were cracked
while several of the guns themselves
were damaged by falling pieces u
steel from the wrecked steamer. AT
Fort Armistead the damage, it Is
estimated will reach several thou
sand dollars. while at Fort Carroll
the damage is placed at 800
Early reports of the, extent of the
loss of life aboard the destroyed
steamer and the other vessels lying
in her immediate vicinity materially
differed and even yet no accurate
list of those who lost their lives has
been compiled. 1t is expected. how
ever. that the list will total between
forty and fifty dead, almost as many
more who We're dangerous OF
seriously injured Several of the for
mer died at the hospitals here last
night. and it is believed that Others
cannot survive the day.
May Never Find Bodies.
1t is regarded as almost certain
that all the bodies have not yet beer
recovered from the waters of the
harbor. while others it is believed
were torn to shreds by the force OF
the heavy explosion. Many bodies
are thought to have been taken To
the bottom with the shattered hull
of the vessel and may never be re-
covered
Up to a late hour last night the
number of dead had reached twenty
six. of which twenty four had been
identified. The bodies of two I'M
identified negro stevedores remained
at the morgue. The number of in
| iured brought ashore and hurried to
several hospitals had reached nearly
sixty. all of whom had been identified
In all the Catholic churches to-
morrow prayers will be offered fol
the repose of the souls of those killed
in the disaster and for the recovery
| of the injured.