The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-07-31
.SHRAPNEL FOR ALLIES
ISBLOWN uPIN BAY
NEAR ELLIS ISLAND.
Warehouses, Docks, Boats and VIM
dows Destroyed in Sunday
Morning Crash.
ORIGIN OF BLAZE IS NOT
KNOWN; INVESTIGATION ON
Shock is Felt in Five States; New
York skyscrapers Rock as if
in Earthquake.
(By United Press)

(By United Press)
New York, July 31.-A score of
persons were killed, many were In
jured and property to the extent of
$25,O00,O00 was destroyed when five
carloads of munitions for the allies,
stored in the Lehigh Valley yards at
Tom Point, N. j., exploded early Sun.
day morning. .-.-..-
Cause Not Known.
Mystery today still beclouded the
real cause of the explosion. Whether
it started on large loaded with nitro
cellulouse or ignition of four freight
cars loaded with high explosives, no
one knew. ~
At eight O'Clock this morning the
flames were still soaring from the
wreckage of railway cars, shrapnel
and other shells buried deep in the
ruins, occasionally exploding.
Seventeen warehouses, six piers,
four barges, one tug boat and IS
freight cars, many loaded with NUM-
tions, were destroyed.
Greatest Explosions.
Tho ovn1oeione uoro tho oroofoe<
in the history of New York city and
an official investigation has been be-
gun: The shock Of the explosion was
felt in five states. New York sky
scrapers were shaken as if there was
an earthquake. Windows were brok-
en- for miles around. All the win
dows in the Statue of Liberty were
broken.
Fire destroyed the 13 great ware
houses of the National Storage COM
pany on Black Tom Island where mer-
chandise was stored, worth $12,-
100000.
Hit Ellis Island.
The first big shock was felt in five
different states along the coast. She'll
laden barges belonging to the Nation
al Storage company drifted down the
bay ablaze and hit Ellis Island, doing
over a million dollars worth of dam
age. The immigrants were hustled
from the island to safety. Two cars
of shrapnel were surrounded by flames
and the fire fighters were helpless to
rescue them. .- ..s
Fire Stars in Barge.
The fire started at 1905 Sunday
morning in a barge belonging to an
independent towing company which
had been moored alongside the rail-
road company's docks, expressly
against orders, according to one re-
port. M. T. Henley, night general
yardmaster of the New York division
of the Lehigh Valley road, was on the
pier when the fire started. He says
that an explosion, which occurred at
2:OS, was on the same barge on which
he first noticed the fire.
Attempt to Move Cars.
Henley's first thought was to re-
move the loaded cars from the dan
ger zone, he says. When he reached
the end of the pier the barge was
burning fiercely and the flames were
beginning to spread to some cars
nearest the barge. Two long trains
of cars were successfully removed
from the danger zone.
Damage Not Determined.
Damaged goods are continually be-
ing discovered and the amount Of loss
in dollars and cents is not yet known.
Four thousand tons Of raw sugar
valued approximately at 50, 100000
is one of the known losses, but 1t u
believed that the other contents OF
the several warehouses Will greatly
increase this amount.
No explosives we're stored In the
warehouses, but in only two OF the
cars which were totally destroyed.
These were loaded with shrapnel
which would be in any source OF dan
| ger. but for outside fire. The other
cars destroyed were principally load
ed with salt and borax. The scene OF
the explosion and fire is in no way ad-
iacent to the main passenger statlon,
or freight terminals at either New
York or Jersey City. The excitement
in no way interfered with the opera
ton of business.