The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-31
EXPLOSION SHOOK
CITY VIOLENTLY
CONTINUED from page },

: IonctaIs said. would have been much
| more violent
As fl was, the giant conclusion OF
1.-THE explosion pushed In windows nEe
and six miles away and the shock that
was carried 20 Manhattan. rocked
: giant gky scrapers and monster apart
ment buildings as far up town as
jIs9th street as though great hand
fclutched the rock foundations OF the
city and shook them.
DESTROYED by explosions or fires
were seventeen warehouses, six piers,
flour barges, one tug-boat, eighty-five
freight cars, many OF them loaded
with munitions.
The estimated property damage is
as follows.
On Black Tom peninsula:
National Storage company plant
and stores, $4,000 900.
! Lehign Valley railroad. $1,250,000.
Central Railroad OF New jersey.
$50 900
Ammunition In cars and barses.
Sc, o0o, 900.
Moran Towing company barges.
10000.
Other barges and cargoes, 100000.
Total. SlS.5s0.000.
In Greater New York (mostly plate
glass; $500 900.
In Jersey City fmostly windows)
$3.50, 900.
On Ellis Island 100000.
On Bedloe Island where Statue OF
Liberty is located. $4,000.
New jersey points outside OF Jersey
City and Black Tom peninsula $780,
900.
Total damages, $3.50, 900.
II had been clearly established to-
day that fire that vas not touched
Off by an explosion. started the dis
aster. Az indication OF the impoesf-
bility 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 mysterious afrship-
Bomb theories were set aside today
as not worthy. at least at this time.
OF consideration. No evidence has
appeared. investigators said. that the
explosions and fires were a result OF
any bomb-pIotting activities.
Some idea OF this 1etgo Of tons Of
dynamite, lyddite. dunite. nitrocelin
lose and mere gun powder, was seen
today when a United Press represen-
tative went to the far end Of the
peninsula where the major explosions
occurred.
Most OF the terrain at that point Is
made land. It narrowed TO about for
u or fifty feet 70 the pier where
stood the barge load OF nitro celiu-
lose. Two railroad tracks jutted
against the pier On these tracks
were four cars OF high explosives.
Today this SPOT Is gazing. jagged
hole, twenty to thirty feet deep and
over 100 feet long. The far eud-or
rather where the far end wa-is
again a part OF New York harbor.
There fs no. a trace Of the hinge
freight cars, except for some pow
dered woodp1lp and few tiny bits OF
steel that once were parts Of great
wheels and steel platforms
Just west OF this point that vas
an frdiscrfbAble tumble Of cars are
scattered about Ffremen conccn.
trated nfty or more streams On these
hiilocks cs devastation- Shortly amer
s O'Clock. however. they we're ordered
from the scene because OF frequent
vci.eyz Of exploding shells They lefs
the hose MOBILES fastsnst to automatic
supports stfu playing on the rudns-
Arrested for Negligence.
JERSEY CITY, y. J.. July 331--On
charges Of criminal and gross negit.
lgence." tEo men were to be arraisned
/ here today for their alleged part La
the 1906, 60 explosion on Black
Tom pensnsuIa. They were Albert u.
!Dfckusan, a Lehizh valyley railroad
agent. whose station was Black Ton
Island, and Alexander Davidson. sup
lerfntendent OF the National Storage
compauJ's warehouses on the piers
| Warrant for the arrest OF Theodore
e. Johnson, president OF the Johnson
iLsghterage company was issued, but
.seryice CT Jobnson had not been CD
tanned early today. JchEzcn and
Davidson are charged with negligence
In permitting a ting to tie barge
loaded with dangerous explosives q
the pier. Dfckman fs charged witt
ipermfttfng box cars loaded -isa hsgf
explosives to be placed On a RAILWAY
siding IN a position where DANCES
from fire or explosion vas great The
three men are specifically charged
twdff, causing the death OF Captain Cor
Ineiins Leyden, OF the Lehigh Valleys
railway police. one OF the victims o.
the explosion-
Probably an Accident.
WASHINGTON, July 31.-Sothins
Ito indicate other than Academia
cause for the gigantic explosion 81
YESTERDAY morning in New YORK har
sbor has been soand by federal sgents
A. Bruce Bielash. head OF the Jus
itfce departments bureau OF fnYeStiga
ltIoa, said today this ia the report Civ
en- him by agents OF bis bureau a
WORK on the case. Unlegs members o.
the New York gtaN Of the bureau fnf
sorae.btnz TO indicate tho wreckini
lof the stores OF allies explosives wal
due 70 outside Interference. Bielask
said. the bureau Will not take any fur
ther htepS.
The Eel Escapes Again.
( JOLIET, III. July 21.-Inyestigat'or