Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-31
PROPERTY LOSSES
NOW ESTIMATED
AT S25,000,000
Three Known Dead, Five
Missing and Scores of
Persons Injured.
TOTAL DEATH LIST AWAITS
FULL CHECK OF WORKMEN
Fire. Starting Soon After Great
Crash, Spreads Death and
Desolation in Wake.
NEW YORK TERROR. STRICKEN
NEW YORK TERRoR-sTRlcKEN
Investigation Being Made to Deter.
mine Whether Disaster Is
Result of Plot.

NEW YORK. July 3O.-Proper.y loss
estimated at s25.0oo.ooo was caused
early to-day by n series of terrific ex-
plosions of ammunition awaiting ship
ment to the entente allies and stored
on Black Tom Island. a small strip OF
Jersey city. The loss of life still was
problematical Tonight. 1t will not be
determined definitely until n check is
made Of the workmen employed on the
island and of boats moored nearby.
Three are known dead. and at least
five more are missing. Scores of per-
sons were injured, some of them prob
ably mortalIy
The detonationS. which were felt In
five States, began with the blowing
up of great quantities of dynamite.
trinitrotoluene and other high eXplo-
sives, followed by the bursting of thou
sands Of shrapnel shells. which LITERAL
iy showered the surrounding waters
for miles around.
Fire that started soon after the
great crash has spread death and DESC
lation in it's wake. destroying thirteen
huge warehouses of the National Stor-
age Company. in which was stored
merchandise valued at about SI2.o00.-
700. The flames, shooting into the
clouds. were reflected against New
fork's "sky line" of towering Office
buildings. which only n few moments
before were shaken to their founda-
tions as by an earthqual<e
STREETS OF MANHATTAN
STREWN WITH GLASS
Miles of streets in Manhattan were
strewn with broken glass and shat.
tered signs.
Early reports OF heavy loss OF life
were impossible of verification. and
the authorities asserted the number OF
deaths probably would be small. 1t
was said that, owing to the extent of
the wreckage, it might be several days
before the exact figures could be OBJ
tained.
The cause OF tho disaster had not
been determined tonight. Officials OF
the National Storage Company and the
Lehish Valley Railway, which also suf-
fercd heavily through loss of property,
declared, however. that reports to them
showed fire started shortly after 1
o CLOCK this morning on a barge be-
longing to an independent towing COM
pany that had been moored alongside
Il dock used by the railroad company
to transfer ammunition shipments from
trains to vessels in tho harbor.
The barge. it was said. was there
without authority either of the rail-
road or the storage company. The Of
fcials refused to disclose the name
OF the independent towing company.
saying they were investigating ito
ascertain whether the barge purposely
had been set on fire as the result OF
II plot"
WARRANTS For ARREST
CHARGE NANSLAUGaTER
Warrants charging manslaughter
were issued late tonight for the ar
rest of Albert NJ. Dickman, agent at
the Black Tom Island docks for the
LehiSh Valley Railroad Company;
theodore B. Johnson. head of the John
son LiGhterage and Towing Company,
ana Alexander Davidson. supcrinten-
dcnt of tho National Storage Company.
Ihey are accused of having Illegally
permitted explosives to be stored whero
human life was endangered
Johnson's company had been eprar-
ed. II was said. in lghterinE munitions
from the docks to ships in the hare
Dor.
STATEMENT ISSUED
BY LEHIGH RAILROAD
y statement issued tonight by tho
Lehigh Railroad Company. after a con-
terence between heads OF all depart
mcntS here, said:
Thirteen brick storage warehouses
operated by the National Storage Com
puny and SIX piers owned by the stor-
age company and leased by the Le-
hlgh Valley Railway were destroyed.
several others of the brick ware
houses were badly damaged, and some
minor damage was done to the Lehigh
Valley grain elevators. In addition,
as far rs is known etghty-fvc loaded
cars were destroyed.
According to the evidence obtained
by officials OF tho railroad company tho
iro started Mt l;05 this morning IN q
barge belonging to an independent
concern. NJ r. Henley, night general
yardmastcr. for the New York division
OF the Lchigh Valley Railroad, was OH
the pier when the fire started. He said
tho explosion, which occurred at c:0s.
was on tho barge where the fire started.
"Air. IIaniey's iirst thought was to