The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-04-13

. the scene anu HUN lIe liio4 i-t''>
they licked I'D they held that the e>-
plosion was a mystery that MlGhl
never be explained. Chief OF Police
Vance. Of Chester. held an' Austflan
prisoner who was seen running a!ons
the tracks OF the Pennsylvania rail-
road from Eddystone to Moore sta
ti,n Chief Vance declared ne ha"
been unable to get the suspect ~
talk freely.
Building Wrecked.
The building which was "Iec"e''
bv the explosion stands in the Cen
trail portion of the munitions grounuo
west of the Pennsylvania rallroao
tracks. which run along the water 5
edge. It is one Of the usual musn-
.oom structures about 500 tee1 i'll
length and nearly 100 feet wloe. =,
IN this building the shrapnel shels
.re hacked and completed for dellF-
erv to the belligerents. The struc-
tnre houses about 500 men and 10
women, the latter being employed III
tho loading room where the greater
soss Of life resulted from today's dis
aster. Here the powder pellese
are placed in the shells, the po" "oet
hacked down upon them and theh
! thev are stencilled, sealed and pack
ed for delivery.
INSPECTOR Greenko stated that yes
+erday there were 20 long cases, eacn
containing 4,20s of these powder pei
lots awaiting the labors OF the wo-
men and girls. In addition, ne salu' .
great number of shells mao peeil
finished and stored for shipment.
Ninety girls were at work IN tne
P1oadine room, he estimated WIZ
abont IS others were busy IN an ao-
Joining room to the norlh. ..
william A. Dreyer fixes the tline
oe Tho major explosion at $50 O'CLOCK
He had just finished checking up .Ne
list of the day force. There came a
low rumble, the building snlseleu,
and then came on gigantic ooom.
1nstant]v the structure was ensuneo
IN Aame and hundreds OF men anu
women were held helpless prisoners
Thev we're carried down in the RUNS
when the building collapsed unoer .he
force of the three EXPLOSIONS tnat ~
lowed in rapid succession. EApiou-
;no shrapnel shells filed the air Win
rain of lead pellets and vlc1lns
were slain by these as if they hao
fallen in battle. Many OF the oeao
were blown to pieces, while otners'
stunned by the explosion, were ouln- a
! cd to death in the fiames ina. a.
IN the structure in an lncfeoi'i'
short space Of time. ~ .,o
Fifty windows, which furnished .ne
light for the isolated loading oullo- a.,
ing proved the savior OF at least oo
nen and women. At the first rum
hle of the approaching EXPLOSION
dozens dashed for these exits. 30
nrecarious was their race tnal tne
eames ignited their clothing as they
dove through the windows.
Women on Fire.
! Women, ablaze from head to toot'
were hurled by the force OF the eA'
. plosion through the windows or loss
cd high in the air, to fall lileless
dozens of others, their clothing IN
/ flames were rescued by the Worh-
men Of the other plants in the STOCK
| AIDES who rolled them in the sno"
that still remained on the river Danhs
near the site of the ruined structure
The fences in the rear of the Duliolhs
we're blown to bits. This saved many
! lives. 1t afforded men a cnance o.
dive into the river with their cloth'
J ION afire At least 20 lives were say
| ed by these measures.
Not q timber of the structure re-
NAMED standing ten minutes a1ter tl'
explosion. The fire completed the de-
struction of that part OF the plan
which had been spared by the expo
sion. The fire department OF Cheste'
and Eddystone arrived soon.
when the State militia arrived tne1
found that order had been brougn'
ont of chaos. The armed guards O.
the nlant, who had been on duty al
night. we're relieved by the militia
men who, in turn, were aldeo Dy tn'
cadets of the Pennsylvania Mliltar.
academy at Chester, who appeared OF
the scene under the command OF tnen
instructor, Capt. Lewis S.. Morey, u
| s. A.. the hero of Carrizal. captain
Morev offered his pupil-soldlers u
substitute for the guards, and tne
Youngsters were accepted.
Meanwhile, every vehicle was con-
oandered for service in taxing th'
dead and wounded from the scene:
While a vast majority OF those IN
iured we're burned, there were otherS
who had been shot and carried one
two or even three shrapnel balls IL
! their bodies.
Those who escaped death Wert
powderIblackened and ouliet.torh
while great burns covered tnelr faces
| hands, arms and legs.