New Britain herald., 1916-08-01
SEEK EMBARGO ON EXPORT
OF AMMUNITION IN EAST:
TO HOLD RAILROAD HEADS
New Jersey Officials
Decide on Radical
Step to Prevent Rep
etiti0n of Great Ex-
plosion.

New York, Aug. 1.-Representatives
John J. Eagan and James A Hamil Of
New Jersey announced this afternoon
at the conclusion of a conference of
city, state ad federal officials on the
Black Tom munitions explosion that
they would go to Washington tomor-
row, accompanied by Mayor Pagan Of
Jersey City, to demand an embargo
on the export of munitions from At
1antic coast ports.
Three additional arrests are eX-
pected today as result of
the investigation by the New
Jersey and Jersey City officials of the
great ammunition explosion on Black
Tom island Sunday morning. With
three men already held in bail on
charges of manslaughter, a warrant
had been issued for the arrest of E.
/. Mackenzie, president of the Ma
tional Dock and Storage company, at
whose pier the disaster started. The
commissioner of public safety Of Jer-
sey City, Frank Hague, said that two
railroad presidents, E. B. Thomas Of
the Lehigh Valley, and w. G. BesIer Of
the Central Railroad Of New Jersey
probably would be arrested today,
charged with responsibility in the ex-
plosion.
100000 i'm Danger.
The New Jersey authorities declare
that the $2O,OOO,OOO blast on Black
Tom island shall be the end Of the
danger in which seven million persons
have lived in this section for the last
year, during which ammunition has
been pouring through Jersey for the
use Of the entente allies. They say
that three-fourths of the ammunition
shipped from America to Europe is
loaded on board ships here. and they
have begun proceedings with the de-
termination to compel it's shipment
from points remote from New York.
The New Jersey authorities intend
also to dispute the authority of the
Interstate commerce commission to
regulate the traffic in ammunition.
A conference was held today be-
tween state and federal officials to
plan to eliminate the danger of a
repetition of the disaster.
1t is declared that about 100000
pounds of explosive are trans-shipped
daily from railroads here to steamers
lying in GraVesend Bay. Rules of the
interstate commerce commission re-
quire that the explosives must be I'M
loaded within tWenty-four hours at
ter reaching the piers. New Jersey
officials believe many of the railroads
are violating this law.
Evidence of Criminal Neglect.
Prosecutor Hudspeth conferred to-
day with the United States district
attorneys of New Jersey and New
York in an effort to prevent any fur
Their violations of the law regulating
the transportation of ammunition. He
said: "I have evidence of criminal
negligence of the worst sort and we
will push the cases to the limit. Be
cause they have had difficulty in get
ting ships to transport the ammuni
. ton, the railroad and transportation
companies have allowed it to accu-
mulate so that no one in this section
of the country is safe"
Governor Fielder declared he be-
feved public sentiment would not
permit the further unloading of high
explosives in New York harbor.
Mckenzie arrived at Jersey City
' police headquarters this forenoon in
charge Of detectives and was taken to
court for arrangement.
The body of another victim of the
explosion was found today floating in
the river.