Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-12-12

ued tlcir hunt FOR souvenirs. Some
men io0a refuge back of poles or under
the bank al lhc slide of tho road H. was
more tlran two hours after The fire
started That lho last explosion was
heard 5y mat time the roads and
fields We're lack with The thrce-inch
shells and fragments.
p. g. Paris. superintendent OF the
plant was on the scene early but could
not venture close 10 the place until the
ammunition was believed 20 have been
exhausted. he then stated that the IRE
started In the loading house, which
was completely destroyed and had
spread io the store house which was
under The same roof and which had
been consumed. he said the amount Of
stock in the thrcc-inch mill was small
and That the store house was empty.
lie was not prepared 10 issuo'a formal
statement at That time as 90 the causes
and the results of the accident as he
had not completed His Investigation.
lie was thankful, he said. that the loss
Of lie had not been greater and that
the accident list was so low.
BY the time the fire had exhausted
itself, the guards and workmen went
into the yards and even up 90 the
ruins OF ihe three-inch mill. There
were no additional explosions. but
there were several "suuizzers' IN the
ruins, small quantities Of powder 60
ing up as the Ore got 90 10. Many OF
the shells thrown on and later pick
ed up did not explode They are still
loaded and those having them are
warned TO DE careful with them
As ..as.
were located of the Bethlehem Plant
the krebs Paint Company. OF Newport.
hurried a force of lrst aid men TO New
Castle. These meB offered their SER
vices TO superintendent Paris. He was
grateful for this tender. but was glad
TO state that their services would not
be needed as no one had been so seri-
ously hurt that they needed medical
care. Several physicians and clergy
men from this city and New Castle
hurried to the scene Some nurses
were sent from the state and County
Hospitals at iarnhurst, but their ser
vices were not required.
Guards Keep Curious Away.
As soon as some order was brought
out Of the chaos following the FIRST
rush for safety armed guards were
stationed about the fence and along
the road. They carried repeating shot
guns and permitted no one 20 pass UNI
less they had business in the plant
They made The souvenir hunters give
up their shells and fragments Many
men staggering along under armloads
OF three-inch shells were forced Co
drop them boz The road
Not far from The burning throe-inch
loading house were some magazines in
which were stored the powder used 90
charge the shells. For time 10 was
feared The flames would get 90 these.
The results. had the fire ever gotten 90
them. D. was declared. would have
been appalling. Fortunately. there was
no wind BLOWING at tho time and the
fire was confined i0 the structure
wherein 10 started
When 10 became known here that the
Bethlehem plant was on fire and that
the explosions were taking place. wild
rumors were current that there ha'
been great loss Of life. u was at frs
reported 40 the plant that many slrl'
worked In the loading house but n
T later developed that AN The employees ir
/ the thiee-inch mill were men. Larger
shells are loaded 40 the yards but the
I nre did not get TO the siA-inch loading
house and none of these heavier shells
went mp.
During the dctonations which were
heavy 10 New Castle. many OF the resi-
dents took refuge in their cellars 40
the Offices Of the New Castle Fibre Spo-
cialty Company. the young women en-
ployed In the Office were huddied 10 one
room. waiting momeniariiy FOR shell
10 come crashing through the walls or
windows. They were evidently much
relieved when told there was no dan
ger where they were.
Girls Fled in Panic
Scenes about the plant during the
fire were heart-rending A rule OF the
company forbids employees 20 leave the
plant in such accidents. DESPITE this
fcar-stricken girls employed in other
portions OF the plant rushed towards
the gates One girl. when stopped by a
guard. fellcd HIM with her list and then
dashed onward. other girls ran from
The plant aud started across the 0elds
towards the Delaware river in the snow
storm.
Men who were on their way 90 the
works. unable TO get trolley car SER
vice, cndeav0rcd 90 console the girls
and quiet their nerves. One woman
named prettyman screamed at the top
0f her voice "let me 60 when men re-
strained her and 10 required six men 90
hold her until "a passing automobile
could remove her Go New Castle where a
physician attended her.
Those who were walking across the
fields were kept busy d0drlng the shell
fragments which We're sent hurting
through space whinnyIng as they sped
along Three employees at work on "a
house being erected for Superintendent
Paris had narrow escapes from flying
shells, one of the proiectiles tearing
through the large board fence a few
feet ahead of the mcn, who were walk
ing down the road
Mrs. Florence Bayard liilles, whose
home b o mile or more south of the
plant hurried there In her automobile
AS soon as the detonati0ns of the shells
were heard and she offered her as
sistsnce 90 the emergency squad Flndine
that none had been injured seriously
and only q few slightly hurt Mrs
Hilies hurried 90 her home and re-
turned in a short time with kettles 81
sleaming hot coffee, which she served
10 The waichmon and lhe fire fighters.
CHIEF Black Offers Services.
Manager Ulrich. of the Foss-Hughes
Motor Car Company. Of this city. az
soon as he heard OF the IRE at the
plant, notified Chief Of Police Black
the company was ready 90 furnish him
with any number OF automobiles 10 use
as ambulanccs in case they were
needed. The offer was accepted. one
machine being placed 90 the police de