Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-04-11
SAY IT WAS BLOWN UP
A Total of l4O People Killed in Ex-
plosion Near Philadelphia-Aus-
trians in Garb of Women.

AustrO- German plot was responsible
for the Eddystone explosion, was the
belief among some of the officials OF
the company at least. Late today d
high official of the plant gave out this
statement, refusing permission to
publish the name in connection with
it:
"This is war;" he said. Il believe
it was an inside job. There are no Of
ficials here who are foolish enough
to believe it was an accident. We will
get to the bottom of it,"
Austrians in Female Garb-2O Ar
rests Are Reported.
Two of the injured Eddystone mu-
milton workers taken to the Chester
Hospital were found to be Austrian
men masquerading in women's cloth
ing, according to a report widely cir
culated in Chester today. Official
confirmation could not be obtained.
Twenty men, all employees of the
Eddystone Ammunition Corporation,
were placed under arrest this after
noon, according to an Eddystone bor-
ough official, who had just been in
consultation with high official of the
Eddystone Ammunition Corporation.
Blown Through Door.
William A. Drayer, one OF the seri-
ously injured, told Of his experiences
when he recovered consciousness.
About 10 O'clock" he said, ~ turn
ed on my chair and asked one of the
girls what time it was. She told me
and ! had no sooner turned my back
to my desk than the first explosion oc-
Cured The first one sounded like
the explosion of a five-gallon can of
gasoline. When the third explosion
occurred I was blown through the
door near my desk to the side of a
donkey locomotive which was standing
in the railroad tracks east of the
building. After regaining conscious
ness | noticed the flames bursting
out of the structure saw girl
rush out with her clothing in flames.
She stumbled and fell, and tried to
pick her up, but | was so weak that
| also fell. Later another man res
cued her"
Disaster Was Foret0ld.
The belief that the building was
blown up by an enemy of the United
States is shown by the statements of
scores of workers at Eddystone. As if
by magic, last Friday a report spread
in Chester and Eddystone that the big
ammunition plant was to be blown up
Saturday or Monday.
Don't go to work Saturday or
Monday" was the threatening notice
said to have been received by the
workers. Although hundreds scoffed
at the threat, many workers failed to
report for duty on the two days, but
all were working in the she'll rooms
yesterday when the first explosion oc-
Cured.
A significant statement was made
bv Basil Greenko, of McIlvain stree,
Chester, Inspector for the Russian
Government in the pellet department
Greenko declared that the explosion
occurred in the loading room, where
there was no powder or shells. 1t is
now believed there was time bomb
secreted under the floor of the room
and that it was set to explode when
the full force of employees would
be at work.
Greenko was badly hurt in the en-
plosion and was taken with many
more injured to the Sixth Regiment
Armory. While lying on cot ne toio
the following story:
az was standing near one OF the
tables when suddenly, from under
the door of the loading room there
came a bright glare. Then instantly
another bright light and and every
hody fell to tne floor. | got to my
feet. but fell down again.
"There was no powder in the load
inp room. and no fire; nothing but
cases of empty shells, maybe 10 OF
X carloads. There was heavy iron
door between the loading room and
the pellet room, and Immediately with
the first glare from under the dool
the door was blown off, and ther
came the second burst of light, just
as I turned to see what caused it.
at was awful. Men and womer
we're falling all around me. I tried
when I got on my feet, to go to heiF
some of them, but did not get far be-
fore / fell and lay there until some
4 i