Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-08
sixTY-sEvEN PLANTS IN UNITED
STATES DAMAGED AND LIFE
TOLL 10 slxTY.NINE.
FACTORIES OF pu POINT
COMPANY SUFFER MOST
Government Ships and Buildings
Jsopardizsd BY Flames Supposed to
Have Been Of inesndiary Origin
German Agents and sympathixsrs
Suspected Of Most Of Plots.

The remarkable frequency with
which fires and explosions have oc.
CURED in munition plants turnout the
country during the last four months
again has been brought to public at
tention by the investigation OF the Du
Pont powder mill explosion at Will
mington last Tuesday, in which thirty
lives were lost.
It Is estimated that thirty-sever
munition plants have been damaged
with q monetary loss Of $4,000, 900, and
Y toll In human life Of sixty mine, with
many scores MANNED.
Few Fires Year Ago.
Inquiry by correspondents thruout
the east and middle west reveals tina,
there were exceedingly few fires or ex-
plosions . year ago in the plants
which have suffered most recently.
Federal and other authorities have
been working hard on the suspicion
that these depredations were the work
Of conspirators. but II they were, their
organization has been SO complete that
the officials have as yet been unable to
round up the plotters.
The greatest part OF these deprada-
tions against property-if such they
were-were committed in the states
adjacent to New York and many in
the metropolitan area.
The Du Pont factories alone have
suffered from ten fires or explosions.
The first occurred at Pompton Lakes,
n. j.. on Aug. 80, 1914. followed by 9TH
ers at Hasgkell. N. J., on March of
the present year: at Stillhouse, Car
nc q frt
I Wayne, N. j.. June Is: at Whining
ton, Del. Aug. 10; at Wilmington. Aug.
Is: at Pompton Lakes. Aug. Z, and
those at Wilmington on Nov. 80 and
Dec. 1. and near Birmingham, Ala.
It Is estimated In the Du Pont plants
FIVE times a. many explosions have oc-
Cured during the last four months as
compared with the corresponding Pc
Rod Of 1914.
Other Plants Suffer.
On Nov. Is Q nre broke out in the
plant OF Haas 4 Waldstein. manufac-
turers of guncotton and other ex-
plosives at Newark. It was extin-
guished before any great damage could
be done. An investigation on the part
OF Paul ]. Moore, chief OF the Newark
fire department, failed to disclose its
origin.
s On Nov. . nrs destroyed the large
wire shop OF the John A. Roeblin6
Sons Company at Trenton. One thou
sand persons were thrown out Of em-
ployment and damage to the extent
OF more than 100000 was done. The
origin Of the fire is still mystery. Il
was the fret that ever occurred In the
factory.
During a strike at the plant Of the
J: L. Mott Iron Works. in Trenton,
three weeks ago bomb was found in
carload OF coal.
a mysterious Are placed the lives Of
500 visitors on the battleship Alabama,
lying at League Island, Philadelphia,
in jeopardy last August.
Within few days, fire broke out
in the battleship Oklahoma, under con-
struction at the New York Shipbuild-
Ing Company's plant. The exact
amount Of damage done never has been
made public. The battleship. however.
Is still undergoing repairs.
Two days later, some on opened the
sea cock on the torpedo destroyer
Erickson, at the same shipyards. and
the vessel suffered considerable dam
age.
A $4,000 fire recently destroyed
valuable models at Baldwin's Eddy
stone works.
The Midvale Steel Company has had
many fires OF incendiary origin. The
same state OF affairs prevails at the
Brill Car Company and the South
wark Machinery Company, all OF whom
/ are engaged In the manufacture Of
supplies Tor the allies.
Explosion in tho Night.
The glaze mill Of the American
Powder Company, at Acton, Mass, was
wrecked and other buildings damaged
by an explosion on Aug. 20. The Of
fcials who investigated the explosion.
az well as the officers Of the company.
gave II as their belief that It was OF
incendiary origin The explosion oc-
CURED early In the moving, and for
30 terrific that It broke doors. windows
and dishes in houses In Manchester,
Dover and Salem, N. H.
Many similar explosions and Ares
have occurred In the last four months
IN factories In that section OF New
England where supplies are being
made for the allies. In each case the
damage was exceedingly small.
A fire at Providence last week was
attributed to the war. Cotton valued
at $4,000 and intended for .cpnsign-
ment to Russia was destroyed In the
buildings of the Providence Ware
house Company. Other munitions max
ing factories At Providence and In that
vicinity are being guarded night and
day. especially the Brown & Sharpe
plant. where resently there was a big
strike.
The plant OF the Curtis Aeroplane
Company at Depew. N Y, was par
tially wrecked by an explosion In Sep
tember.S but there were no aeroplanes
In the building at the time. A German
was suspected, but as there was no
evidence against him. he was not arr
vested.
German Agents Accused.
German agents are vaguely accused
Of several small fires which have oc-
Cured recently In munition plants
near Baltimore. Fire month ago on
Baltimore & Ohio pier. at Locust
Point. did more than 100000 damage.
The pier was laid with merchandise
and munitions awaiting shipment
abroad. The company Is still inyes-
tIgating the blaze.
Hours after It was thought one fire
had been extinguished. another broke
cut in the Poole Engineering Conn
pany's plant, and altho declared not OF
sMcsndisry origin. had mysteriousiy