The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-31
More Than Hundred Person.
Known to Have Been Seri-
ously Injured in Great Dy.
Mantle Horror
PROPERTY LOSS MORE
THAN $4,000, 900;
MAY BE $40, 900, 900
Two Arrests Follow Early In-
vestigation and Third War
rant Is lssued-Five More
Arrests Are Expected | oday

New York. July 30.-.Almost ~
hours have elapsed since IA terri
fit' explosion III the dead OF night,
followed by series of lesser cx-
piosion~. the scream of shrapnel
and the whistling of shells, struck
terror to the heart of the Me-
tropoiis. But IL i still well nigh
impossible to relate I'm the con-
else language of fi2ucs tho story
Of death and destruction that fol.
lowed the blast.
Out of the ruins of Black Tom,
which was an island off the Jer-
scy coast of New York Bay TO.
night emerge these salient facts
of the greatest dynamite horror
that ever shook great city.
E&fimfes OF the loss OF lie
vary from 20 to so. The cxaets
figures may never be known. At
any rate, IL Is certain they Will
not he known for days, until u
time when all the records that arc
left can be- gone over and II -
learned who was In the death
isle when the explosion came.
This much is evident. The death
list is mercifully small in comparison
TO the destructive forces which were
and the terror and awe they
created.
More than 100 persons are known to
have been more or less seriously IN
jured Falling debris, WRESTLING
all did their work. a
great many of the cases were not
treated at hospitals, only the most
serious being taken in.
Property Loss S50,O00.0 900.
The property loss is estimated al
from s5o,o0o,0o0 upwards.
Some of earlier figures went as high
as $40. 1000. 600. but it lis believed TIE
first named figure is nearer 10 the
mark.
Already the first investigation of the
horror is under. way. At the behcst
Of the New Jersey Public Utilities
Commission two arrests have beer
made and a warrant has been issued
for third man.
Those in custody are Albert II. DICK
man. agent at Black Tom for ~:
TIehigh Valley Railroad Company and
Of the National Storage Company
whose warehouses and docks occupied
the greater part of the island.
These Two men were arrested II
Jersey City tonight on charges OF
growing out of the eN,
blossoms which rocked New York and
the country for miles around and were
felt heavily in five States.
Arrests Follow Investigation.
A warrant has been issued foA
Theodore B. Johnson, of the Johnson
and Towing Company
which had barges loaded with muni-
tons laying off the island. johnson
is a resident of Brooklyn and Is still
at large.
The warrants were sworn out by
Police Inspector Richard Battersby. Of
the Jersey City Detective Bureau. He
appeared before Judge Mark A. Sui
Ivan, of the Hudson County Court. OBJ
tanned the papers and sent out his men
to serve them. His action was taken
at the order of Director of Public
Safety Frank Hague. who. with In
spector OF Constables James Connolly.
Police Inspector Philip Leonard, FIJI .
Chief Roger Boyle and others con-
Quoted the early investigation
While the cause of the explosions
are still shrouded in mystery. the In
vestigators declare they have deter
mined this fact There was Illegal
storage of high explosives on Black
Tom Island. This violation of tho
State and Federal laws Is laid direct
by Dickman. Johnson AMI
Davidson. Safeguards, It is charged.
were fiagrantly ignored.
Five more men will be arrested to-
morrow IL plans of the authorities
mature. These men were eye-wit-
nesses of the fire which resulted In
the explosion. The flre broke out
shortly after midnight The flrst
great blast came at 2:0s A. NJ.
Menace Long Existed.
Il cannot form an opinion until I
have examined these Witnesses" said
Mr.. Hague tonight. The night
should know about IT,.
Director Hague denied an early rc-
port that he had had warning that
an attempt would be made to destroy
he munitions which were destined
Tor the European allies.
IT was not that had any definite
Information or warning on the sub
lect." he said; 1T was merely thai -
Of numerous 0ieaater1 a.
plAcee WHARF Muulti4n9 N43e ra1l
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