Evening journal., 1916-07-31
MUNITIONS EXPLOSION
Fatal TO ONLY 3

Of injured does not include those
hurt miles away from the scene by
falling glass.
Four separate Investigations started
today by the railroad companies.
Jersey City authorities the State and
the federal government. Agents OF
each were on the scene, and will re-
main until they go into every phase
Of the case.
The chief objective of all investi-
cations was the tying up Of a barge
belonging to an independent COM
pany to a Lehigh Valley dock. II was
aboard this barge that one Of the
two major explosions occurred,
whether the first or second still is
undecided. II was charged today the
barge was tied up against specific
orders
Estimates Of the property damage
run all the way from $20,000.000 10
S50,000.000 The consensus Of opin-
ion among Jersey City officials was
that the latter figure would be near
er correct, after complete tabulation
had been made of thousands upon
thousands of shattered windows and
other similar damage done in Jersey
City, Brooklyn, Manhatton and
dozen smaller surrounding towns,
cities and hamlets.
This one item. OF smashed glass
alone, incidentally, has been esti-
mated at more than a million and
quarter dollars.
Only the fact that the two major
explosions occurred at the hour they
did-2.0S and 2.35 a. m.-and where
they did undoubtedly prevented far
greater loss Of life and vastly more
as property damage. Black Tom is
situated at the bulging end Of a long
peninsula that juts about three miles
on Communipaw, slightly south of
Jersey City and south Of Ellis Island
and the small plot of land in New
York harbor on which the statue Of
liberty stands. Had the explosions
occurred on the main land OF either
the New York or Jersey coasts the
shock. officials said, would have been
much more violent
AS It was. the giant concussion of
the explosions pushed in windows
five and six miles away. and the shock
that was carried 10 Manhattan rocked
giant skyscrapers and monster apart
ment buildings as far up town al
160th street as though a great hand
clutched the rock foundations of the
city and shook them.
Bomb Plot Not Suspected.
II had been clearly established to-
day that fire that was not touched
off by an explosion started the dis
aster. AS indication of the impos-
sibility of determining the start of
this fire. was the almost humorous
range Of theories which ran the gamut
from a lighted cigarette to bomb
from a mysterious airship.
Bomb theories we're set aside today
as not worthy. at least at this time
Of consideration. No evidence has
appeared, investigators said, that the
explosions and fire were result OF
any bomb-plotting activities.
Some idea of this well-nigh incon.
ceivable let-go of tons OF dunito. dy.
Mantle, lyddite, nitro-cellulose and
mere gunpowder was seen today when
United Press representative wenl
to the far end Of the peninsula where
the major explosions occurred. Most
Of the terrain at that point is made
land II narrowed 10 about forty or
fifty feet to the pier where stood the
barge load of nitro-cellulose. Two
railroad tracks iutted against the
pier. On these tracks were four cars
Of high explosives.
Today this spot is a gaping, Jagged
hole 20 to 30 feet deep and over 100 feet
long. The far end-or rather where the
far end was-is again a part of New
York harbOr. There is not trace Of
the huge freight cars except for some
powdered wood pulp and a few tiny bits
of steel that once were great wheels
and steel platforms.
just west of this point that was" an
indescribable tumble of cars are scat
tered about Firemen concentrated 50
or more streams on these hillocks of de-
vastation. Shortly after O'Clock, how.
ever, they were ordered from the scene
because of frequent volleys of exploding
shells. They left the hose nozzles fast
ened to automatic supports still playing
on the ruin.
Miss Liberty Only Scratched.
Miss Libertys gown was torn a lit
tie and some of her skin punctured by
L UuAltAh DuN lut AdluOuo
statue on Bedloe's Island today was
found to be surprisingly free from
! injury. considering its location less
than a mile from Black Tom penin-
sula. Many freakish incidents were
reported here and elsewhere.
The main door giving entrance to
the statute Of libeTy was wrenched off
/ its hinges as by a giant hand the
iron. cover to a powder magazine was
torn away. all door were crushed in
and probably a hundred bolts joining
the plates which compose the gigantic
figure we're broken off. A number of
angle bars were twisted II was some
! caprice Of the exploding forces that
left the giant figure almost un-
I touched
There were lots OF other freakist
stunts which the explosive forces die
in and around New York and lots Of
freakish things which occurred under
stress of the excitement. Here are
a few.
John d. Rockefeller, Jr.. up at Po
cantico Hills, was awakened by the
/ explosion, got up and tried TO find ou'
where the earthquake" was located
Policeman Henry Doherty, PATROL
ing the water front in Jersey City
/ found himself in the water, will
every stitch of his clothes stripped
from him, except a sort of breech
clout.
Immigrants at Ellis Island wer,
thankful for what was apparently &
rain of heavy sheepskin lined over
coats. Nobody knows where they