The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-01

son, president of the johnson Light
erage company, owner of the NUM-
tons barge. Both declared the fire
originated in two Lehigh Valley rail-
road cars laden with explosives.
RESPONSIBILITY DENIED
johnson, who was arrested on war
rant charging manslaughter, as were
Albert M. Dickman, Black Tom agent
of the Lehigh Valley, and Alexander
Davidson, superintendent of the Ma
tional Storage company, denied all re-
sponsibility for the conflagration. He
intimated that the fire was of incen-
diary origin.
Prosecutor Hudspeth corroborated
Johnsons story. He said he had OBJ
tanned an affidavit from the command
er of the tug Geneva" which gave
comprehensive story of the disaster.
According to the affidavit and 9TH
er evidence" said the prosecutor, 1.-The
fire started two hours before the
johnson barge was destroyed and it
was not this barge that caused the
great explosion. The fire spread from
freight cars to warehouses and the
towing away another barge, said to
have been loaded with a tremendously
high explosive, acting upon orders CT a
Lehigh Valley official when the barge,
which had shown no sign of beng
afire, exploded. This was the first
explosion and the one that was most
severe"
Later in the day a warrant was is
sued for the arrest on a charge of
manslaughter of Edmund L. Mack
enzie, of Plainfield, N. j., president of
the National Storage company, whose
plant on Black Tom was destroyed.
MUCH DAMAGE
Counsel for Theodore B. Johnson, presi-
dent of the lighter company. which owned
the barge, promised to surrender him later
today. The damage for the explosion
was apportioned today as follows:
Thirteen warehouses; National Stora ge
company. 100000.
Forty thousand tons of raw sugar,
$3,4O0,OOo
Twenty-four thousand bales of tobacco,
81, 100000.
Other merchandise, $4,000.
Ammunition in cars and barges. $50 -
900.
Other barges and cargoes, $2oo,0O0
Ellis Island, $4,000.
Bedloes Island, $4,000
Lehigh Valley railroad piers. etc. 81. 250.
900.
Moran Towing company, $35,O00.
Plate glass and other damage in Man
haitian. Brooklyn, Hoboken and Jersey
City, 100000.
Total, s20,06O,000
The discovery today that many munition
boxes. hurled from exploding barges, or
set afloat when they sank, were drifting
about the harbor today, caused great
nervousness among pilots of harbor craft.
1t was as if the harbor had been mined
and commanders of ferryboats kept safe
distance with careful lookouts for all
floating objects.
Fire Commissioner Adamson issued a
warning, saying THAT great danger turks
in the possibility of careless handling o.
explosives which have floated to Man.
haitian Island and are still being washed
up to the shore by the tide
President E. B. Thomas of the Lehigh
Valley railroad, and President w. G.
Besler of the Central railroad of New
Jersey, probably will be arrested on
charges of manslaughter in connection
with the explosion on Black Tom Island
early Sunday morning, it was announced
late tonight by Frank Hague. commits
sioner of public safety OF Jersey City.
The Jersey City authorities declared
large quantities of explosives should not
be handled in such a densely populated
district as surrounds New York harbor.