The sun., 1917-11-12
BIG WAR PLANT
BURNED; ENEMY
WORKERS IN IT
Washburn Wire Factory on
East Side Probably De-
strOyed by Foes.
FIRES IN THREE PLACES
Many Germans and Austrians
Employed-Total Loss
Above $1,5OO.OOO.
FIRES IN THREE PLACES

For weeks and months past. while
the helpfulness OF not wasting bread
crumbs and while our soldier lads have
been leaving for France. some 500 work.
men-"mostly Germans and Austrians.'
to quote the exact words Of their SUPER
intendent-have been reporting each day
without hindrance in the workrooms of
tho washburn Wire Company to manu.
facture. among other things, important
munitions for the enemies Of Germany
and Austria.
Just one Of the hundreds Of German
and Austrian employees-this also on
the word Of their superintendent-had .
'sons pass" The wsshburn plant Ia
situated, or was until 1t was destroyed
yesterday. directly on the waterfront OF
Manhattan, jutting out into the East
River at the foot Of East 117th and
11Sth streets.
According to a recent Federal stipula.
tion none, II any, Of the Teutons en-
ployed in the plant was entitled to APP
proach the waterfront. much less to take
part in the making Of wire goods which
Remington Arms Company-again oil,
the word Of the superintendent Of the
plant.
A Federal ofYicial might have dropped
into the office Of the wire works and
learned In moment. as reporters view
ing the wreckage yesterday did. how
large a proportion Of enemy aliens were
working in the factory and have ordered
them back from the waterfront. as the
law directs. But. so far as could be
learned yesterday amid the uproar. no
way; they just handed copies OF the
waterfront edict to newspaper inter-
viewers and let 'er 90 at that.
Simultaneous Eruptions.'
Yesterday at IL: :1e p. NJ. FIRE literally
broke out" Of certainly three and per-
haps four widely separated parts Of the
wire plant at the same time. Nobody
was in the plant At tho time except seven
watchmsn and q few vorkmen engaged
In fixing up machinery
Before Manhattan had finished its mid
day Sunday meal five alarms and aev-
eral special calls had been turned
in; twenty-four engine companies, six
truck companies. three firehoats, a New
York Central Railroad fire tug and half
~
& II. r. r. had equipped with lre fight
ing apparatus were trying to drown
more than city block Of the East River
front.
One clean cut young fireman hero was
lying In a hospital Ave others were be
ing treated by department surgeons for
painful wounds. hundreds of fiat dwell
ers were dragging their humble belong
ings-and the aged and young and the
sick among their families-blocks to the
westward to escape the heat. Walls
were falling and burying expensive and
useful fire apparatus, a building worth
more than 100000 was being destroyed
and at least 1880. 900 worth OF finished
manufactured goods. together with the
machinery in the Washburn plant, was
being reduced In an hour or less to tan
gled and partly melted masses.
Federal Inquiry To-day.
The heartening news was forthcoming
bright and early this morning the De-
partment Of Justice men and other Fed
eral officials holding warrants to keep
alien enemies away from the water
front are going straight to the foot OF
East l17th street and ask somebody OF
other how 800 workmen. mostly Ger.
mans and Austrians." dared to be alona
the waterfront In factory filling war
orders for America and her allies.
Also II was announced last night that
'.at least twenty men, had been sub