The Washington herald., 1916-07-31

''e sueeIs. hunoreos OF thouss ndS OF
dollars worth OF stock was exposed in
stores
Hundreds Of thousands Of the sleeping
population were awakened. Many were
hurled from their beds.
The fire spread to four heavily loaded
munidon oarges moored to the pier The
freight consisted Of shrapnel and black
powder. Half an hour later the barge
load Of black powder became isnited and
blew up. This explosion was scarcely
less violent than its predecessors.
-Four Of the munitions loaded barges
were the Paulina, johnson a, johnson
II and Dauntless They broke from their
moorings and dritted into the bay. In
few minutes they were sbIaze from
stem 70 stern.
They furnished one Of the most spectac-
ular sights ever witnessed by the millions
who cast their eyes toward III. Jersey
Shores.
Two Of the bsrges were loaded with
hundreds OF thousands Of three-inch
shells. One hoated north and ran
aground two hundred feet from shore.
shrapneI Rain. on Island.
Another barge drifted periIously close
to Bedloe's Island and then struck some
abandoned piles. Held fast BY the sub
merged poles. for four hours It fired its
exploding shrapnel IN all directions. like
hailstorm the shrapneI bullets rafned
on Bedloe's Island
Another blazing and exploding barge o,
three-inch shells dritted three-quarters o,
mile and landed against the New Jcrso.-
Central freight pier. 1t ignited the pier
and other boats.
! About O'Clock one would have ir,sufDc5
that the blazing barges were in charge or
trained gunners. Several hundred shells
exploded almost simultaneously and sent
their mighty charges directly at the
crowd
Thousands OF pieces OF iron and steel.
other than the projectiles, were hurled
in all directions.
! The numerous churches in Jersey city.
because Of their huge windows. suffered
more than ordinary buildings.
The handsome St Peters Church on
Bramhall avenue. one OF the costriest IN
New Jersey, was badly damaged. But
when the early morning worshippers Ar
rived they found The Rev Father Nc
Dermott ready 10 say his usual mass
This despite the fact that the pews and
floors were a mass OF broken glass.
Water Where Land Was.
At point a short distance west
ward from the float dock. on solid
land, one OF the explosives had torn a
crater into the earth and ripped out
all the land which was made years
ago, leaving a hole clean TO the rock
formation under that section Of the
bay.
Into this hole were carried portions
Of many freight cars. other fragments
being scattered widely in the bay ana
upon adjacent territory
1t was apparent that the explosion
did the greatest damage in the freight
cars ga
1t is said eighty-seven Of 5sSS
stood on the tracks upon this stretch.
which was once solid land. and is
now a vast pond.
Panic and damage to the extent Of
between $4,000 and $4,000 were Staten
Islands share of the explosion at
Blacktom.
All today great piles OF wrecksse
passed down the bay. sharp lockout
was kept in the belief that bodies Of
men thrown into the water might
drift out to sea. None has been found
at late hour tonight.
Immigrants Hurled From Cots.
Nowhere did the great blast csus.
such wild panic as on Ellis Island.
where more than 100 immigrants. 800 Of
them patients in the Islands hospitals
were hurled out OF their cots, falling on top
of each other. The shrieks Of women
and children fairly rivslled with the con-
tinuous boom Of bursting shrapnel that
followed the first big explosion for six
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