Evening journal., 1917-04-11

names OF all the missing and un-
identified may be erected at the bur
ial plot.
Ordered 10 Shoot at Sight.
Armed guards paced the streets OF
Eddystone and other towns nearby
last night TO watch for all providers
and TO apprehend any suspicious per-
sons. Major Meehan gave his men
orders TO shoot at sight in case any
man challenged refused to halt at
command
Ridley Park held a hurried meeting
OF its Borough Council and swore in
40 men as special policemen. They
were put 10 guard every nook and
Granny OF the town that abuts on
! Eddystone, and were told 10 arrest
anyone unable to give a satisfactory
account of lis actions.
Sergeant Stephenson, in charge OF
the munition guards. deployed an eX-
ira force TO guard the plant, while the
pickets at the other parts OF the mu-
nitions works were doubled. The mi
| litia also took a hand in this sentry
duty, and patrolled the roads leading
/ TO the EddystOne factories during the
night
I Lieutenant GrebIe Rescues : Girls.
One Of the heroic workers was
! Lieutenant y. ST. J. Greblc. u. $. A.,
who has been detailed at Eddystone in
command of $50 regulars. lie was
! standing outside the doomed building,
/ chatting with one OF the guards. when
boom OF the explosion echoed through
the day He rushed at once into the
burning plant and passed out seven
girls before he was driven away by
the shooting tongues Of fame and the
| fierce blasts from the inferno.
Last night great searchlights played
on the ruins from the other buildings
in the stockade. These great swinging
! beams lighted the river hank and the
surrounding territory as light as day.
SprOuI Gives $500 as Relief Fund
Starter.
Nightfall, too. brought prompt meas
ures 10 provide for the relief Of the
sufferers and their dependents State
Senator William A. Sproul. who was
absent about his legislative duties at
Harrisburg. wired $500 as the starter
for this fund. He also suggested that
meeting be held in Chester tonight,
at which time such measures he adopt
cd as would afford permanent relief
to those who need. Mayor Mcdowell
acquiesced in such plan, and at once
| issued a call
The Mayor also asked that all meet
ings and demonstrations. including
the patriotic assemblage slated for the
Anderson Tabernacle, be indefinitely
postponed, and that Chester and Eddy
stone take coguizance of the tragedy
by a public display OF mourning.
6a5 Employees in Building.
The building which was wrecked by
the explosion stands in the central
portion OF the munitions grouds. west
OF the Pennsylvania railroad tracks,
which run along the waters edge. It
is one of tho usual mushroom struc-
turos. about 600 feet in length and
nearly 100 feet wide.
In this building the shrapnel shells
are packed and completed for delivery
to the bellieerents The structures
house about 500 men and 125 women.
the latter being employed in the
loading roOm.' where the greater loss
OF life resulted from yesterdays holo-
caust. Here the powder pellets" :"
each containing a great quantity Of
/ bullets, are placed in the shells. and
more powder packed down upon them;
then the shells are stenciled, sealed
and packed for delivery
Inspector Greenko stated that yes
terday there were twenty long cases
each containing 4200 OF these powder
pellets, awaiting the work OF the wo.
men and girls. In addition. he said. Z
great number of shells had been fin
ished and stored for shipment
Ninety girls were at work in the
loading room. he estimated. while
about thirty-fve others were busy in
an adjoining room TO the north.
Low Rumble, "BOOm." Then Flames.
William A. Dreyer fixes the time OF
the major explosion at $50 o'clock
He had just finished checking up the
list Of the day force lie had barely
finished this task and was still hold
ing the book In his hands when he
happened to turn to inquire the hour
One OF the worlSmen had barely time
he said to take out his watch and
shout. ITS ten minutes to 10i" be-
fore there was a low rumble heard
the building shivered and then came
one gcrat gigantic "Boom!"
Instantly the structure was engulf
ed IN flames and hundreds OF men and
women we're held helpless prisoners
their escape cut off. They were car
ried down in the ruins when the build,
ing collapsed under the force of the
three explosions that followed II
rapid succession.
Slain as ii on Field of Battle.
Exploding shrapnel shells filled th'
air with a rain OF bullets, and victims
were slain by these as il they haC
e fallen in battle Many OF the deaf
were blown TO atoms. while others
stunned by the explosion. were burn
ed to death in the flames that ate III
the structure in an increditably shor
space of time
Women. ablaze from head to foot
we're hurled by the force of the ex
. plOsion through these windows o
, lifeless Dozens OF other humai
torches were rescued by the work
I men of the other plants in the stock
/ AIDES. who rolled them in the snoy
!. that still remained on the river bank
D near the site OF the ruined struc
; ture
There are at least a dozen othe
4 buildings I'm the munitions stockadC
1 and these we're speedily emptied o
{ the employees. Men and women alik
l ran TO the work Of rescue and save
: many lives. Through all the stres
these workers kept their heads. an
= as they dashed from their own build
ing they brought with them blanket
( aud .uranq which u-ora used fo ~nol