The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-08-05
EXPLOSION CAUSES
$4,000, 1000 LOSS
AMMUNITION AWAITING SHIP
MENT TO ALLIES DESTROYED
FIVE STATES FELT SHOCK

New York Property ,oss estimated
az <25.0OO.UOU vas caused by
series Of terrific explosions Of ammu-
milton awaiting shipment TO the en-
reurr allies and stored on Black Tom
Island. small strip Of land jurtng
into New York Bay of Jersey City
The loss of lie still - problematIcaL
II Will not be determined definitely un-
I'll there has been opportunity to check
up the workmen employed on the Is
land and on boats mOOred nearby.
Two are known 10 BE- dead and a
least TWO more are missing. Scores
Of persons were injured. some Of them
probably mOrtally.
The uetOnatIOnS. which were felt in
five states, began with a continuous
rapid fire OF small shells. then the
blowing up of great quantities Of dyna-
mite. trintoltunine and other high eX-
pIosives. followed by the bursting Of
thousands OF Shrapnel shells which
shOwered the surrounding country and
water for miles around
Fire that started soon after the first
great crash destroyed i3 of the huge
warehouses of the National Storage
Company on Black Tom Island, in
which were stored merchandise valued
at between 1000. 600 and l5.OOO.000
The flames. shooting into the clouds.
We're reflected against New Norks
sky line" OF towering Office buildings.
which only a few moments before were
shaken 10 their foundations as If by
an earthquake. Miles OF streets in
Manhattan were Strewn with broken
glass and shattered signs.
Early reports of heavy loss Of life
were impossible OF veritication. 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
tanned.
The cause of the disaster has not
been determined Officials OF the Ma
tional Storage Company and the L..
high Valley Railway. which also suf
fered heavily through loss of proper
". declared that reports 10 them
showed a fire started on a barge be
longing 10 an Independent towing com
pany that had been moOred alongside
a dock used by the railroad company
10 transfer ammunition shipments
from trains TO vessels in the harbOr.
The barge. it was said. was there
without authority either OF the rail
road or the storage company The Of
fiCials refused TO disclose the nam,
Of the independent towing company
saving they were investigating 'tC
ascertain whether the barge purpOsely
had been set on fire as the result Oi
plot" 4 statement issued by tht
Lehigh Valley Railway Company said
Thirteen brick storage houses Ou
Of the a owned and operated by the
National Storage Company. and sl'
piers owned by the storage company
and leased 10 the Lehigh Valley road
were destroyed Several others of th'
brick warehouses We're badly damaged
and some minor damage was done u
the Lehigh Valley grain elevators. Il
addition. as far as is known. So load
ed cars were destroyed
According to the evidence obtain
ID by officials Of the railroad. the fir'
started in a barge belonging TO a,
independent towing company whiCl
had been moOred alongside the raj
road cOmpany's dock expressly agalns
orders.