The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1917-01-12


extended TO the tIackensack Meadows.
Thirty six buildings made up the out
lav. II was a mushroom structure
village. brought into being TO load
three inch shells for the Russian Gov
crnment. under a contract that called
originally for ss3.oOo,ooo worth OF
cannon food.
14oo WORKERS WERE ENoAN-
GERED BY THE EXPLOSION.
Fourteen hundred men and women
were toiling in the plant yesterday
Afternoon at $50 o'clock. As many
more were waiting to 70 on the next
shift. In building No. 30. where the
shells-made elsewhere--wers polished
and cleaned before being loaded, the
man at machine No. 1 called TO the
machinlst to look after his polisher.
| 1t consisted OF q brush that revolved.
lathe-like. inside the shell and dipped
In a small tin of gasoline. eight in
ches square. that lay below the shell.
The b lsh was too short and II had
been q. iced. A nall had been used in
the spl ing.
When the machinist turned away
from the lathe, the man at No. 1 sent
his brush whirlins. tho nail that had
been used for repair struck the shell.
a spark resulted and o thin name
ran along the gasolens tank. In .
moment the fame had slowly spread
to neighboring tanks and the great
hre was under way.
! The fact that the nre began In a
building where no explosives were
used gave the employees time TO run
for their lives. In tho Office. Tessie
Mcnamara. a Titan n-haired telephone
girl. sat at her switchboard and saw
the beginning OF the catastrophe. She
began franucally calling tho other
buildings. calling upon the occupants
! to fec.
As tho other workers obeyed the
| transmitted order the girl kept at
her work until she swooned. Chief
Oscar Osback of the Kingsland Fire
Department found her still at her
post, head encased in her receiver,
when he came to bear her TO safety.
Tney are taking up a collec ton for
Miss Mcnamara to-day among the
workmen In the plant.
The scene that was taking place as
the firemen came as near the fire as
they dared. makes the word panic In
sipid. Hundreds Of workers. includ-
ing men and women Of many nation
alities. ran madly toward the frozen
marshes. where a creek. covered with
ice. wound Its way through the low
lands. In the bitter cold they made
their way toward Rutherford. many oi
them falling through the breaking
ice.
elk CARLOADS OF DEADLY 7. N
T. EXPLODE.
In the mean time six cars Of T. N
T., which were standing on a side
track near the building where the
fire started. became ignited. The,
exploded with a dull. heavy roar thai
shook the entire section. and then the
flames went rapidly to the adjoining
buildings. In them were stored the
loaded shells. As the flames struck
the shells they began bursting ant
flying in all directions. They show
cred their deadly hail upon the entire
section within a radius OF two miles
over the heads Of the fleeing workers
the steel missiles shrieked anC
hummed. adding to the terror and th'
horror Of the flight.
II was the battle OF the Somme II
full fury OF artillery preparation a
the 100000 heavy shells went thei
angry way.
Armed guards patrolled the grounds
clad In olive drab and carrying re
peating rifles. They alone did no
share the panic. They stood thei
ground with the grim determination
of SO many Cossacks and forced thu
workers, in many cases, to turn II
their flight and help fight the flames
II is even charged that they attempt
ed 10 IOTCc tHe rHe bcpaA ehtoh'
which had halted out OF range OF tn
flying shells. TO come nearer 10 tn
buildings and attack the fire unde
the terrific shell fire that shook tn
ground.
And they began stretching ropes L
prevent the curious horde that starte'
toward the plant from coming nea
the scene. When they finished thei
task they had two and a half sauar
miles inclosed, from which they drov
the residents. men, women and chill
dren. Half u dozen residence shack
of large type caught from the factor
aud were burned. adding to the home
less list.
! RESIDENTS DRIVEN FROM DAN
. GER ZONE.
There was reason for driving ou