New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-14
terrified Families Quit
villages Shaken by Two
Explosions
uNGSLAND FIGHTS
REBUILDING PLAN
BLAST Laid to NegleCt-No
du Pont Plot Found
Legislature to Act

feeling OF apprehension was mani
,,stsrsay In the New Jersey towns
a. The some OF damage done by
,,rlosions Of munitiou plants at
Island snG Haskell
,one Of the villages, whore homes
,hsken by shock or rent with mis-
y, from the demolished she'll plants
ties have fed, and n strong sent-
:, against the rebuilding OF the
80 muniticu factories has arisen.
u.,sre5s e appeals will be forward
-, =, Trentou asking the Governor TO
=, ii. influence to rid the stats OF
.,,5,r plsnts auG munition shops ad-
-. 70 municipalities and urging
-. legislative means be taken to en-
49,, more vigilance in the handling
"A manufacture Of powerful explo-
siyss.
Governor Edge said last night that
5. contemplated taking no action
,-.;pst the munltion plant owners, as
J was not within his jurisdiction.
whatever steps may be taken in this
-,Her." he declared. must be done by
4. authorities Of me towns affected.
\ /. purely a local affair"
Wsyor Arthur Clay and the board of
,o~missioners Of Union Township, held
meeting yesterday 10 consider the
ss,s,ion Of permitting the rebuilding
n he demolished munition plant OF
.ss Canadian Car and Foundry Com
rsry at kingsland
Little Sympathy for Owners
The Mayor expressed little sympathy
fsr the plant owners, and informed
tss commissioners that the company
I'D had no interest in the township
ior more than year. Likewise, the
rtople Of the town, he said, were IN no
Fsy interested in the company.
Not more than fifty Of our people
work in this plant he said, land about
81 per cent of the labor is made up Of
negroes who live in New York City"
The residences so badly wrecked by
n, exploding shells are not those OF
employees Of this plant, as many sup
,ossd. and 10 would have looked better
Il the company had first endesvored 10
rske these homes habitable, instead OF
putting their guards at work prevent
IN curious people gathering up shells
s. souvenirs.
All these months our people have
lived in terror Of what finally occurred
81 4bew rrout M more of It
We have instructed our counsel 10
rrepsrs papers for an injunction II the
company determines TO rebuild.
Our commissioners have noted that
ne munitions company are bent on be-
Nevinr their loss was due to an in
een6isrv. Dominick Las Gala, who
worked in the cleaning room, where the
FIRE started, has told US that spark
few from the machine IN which shells
are cleaned. The spark fell on an oil
soaked table. The workman slapped the
fame With an oil soaked rag and threw
on water, which scattered the flames
over greater area.
Company Called Negligent
The company was negligent in not
having sand handy for just such an
emergency. Moreover, the fire equip
ncnt in the plant was useless, because
The water was frozen.
Prosecutor Huckin's detectives have
Las CALAIS name, and they will guard
him as an important witness. The
plant was not destroyed by frebug,
and the company can get no sympathy
for attempting TO claim such things
An official Of the Canadian Car and
Foundry Company said yesterday that
ell persons in adjacent towns who had
suffered property loss would be paid
without hsggling and that efforts
vould be made for prompt reimburse
rents. This was taken by the people
q kingsland as the forerunner OF an
announcement Of reconstruction of the
Plant, project which will be opposed,
= IS said, by so per cent Of the resi-
cents
movement to Dust munition plants
70 safe distances from towns and vii
hNs vas started yesterday by the
lon!e 81 Bloomfield, y. J.
Opinion in Passaic County was di-
,osd on taking sction against the du
I'ai plant a. Haskell. Michael Dunn,
ne county prosecutor, who has charge
ihe investigation, secuted the sUg-
iauon that efforts be made 10 close
re plant He said he was unable 10
mo any evidence thus far 10 show that
We plant was destroyed by plotters.
--------------------------