The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-13
Flight Saves Population; Be
lieve Only Two Dead.
Earth Rocks as 100000 Pounds
of Explosive Let Go.
EXPLOSION SHAKES d STATES
Follows on Heels of 100000
Fire at Kingsland.
Wrecks Industrial Plants in
Towns 4 Miles Away.

New York, Jan. 13.-Two million
dollars property damage but at a cost
of only two lives, seemed likely at
noon today to be the record of the
Haskell, n. J., explosion of the Du-
pont Powder company's plant last
night which shook four states. The
company itself merely stated the two
men are missing" Only two of the
thousands in the danger zone were so
seriously injured as to require hos
pitaI treatment the company declared
in a statement from Wilmington to-
day.
The Dupont company regarded 1t as
established that the explosion resulted
not from incendiaries or plot, but
by simple accident
The first flare came in the glazing
barrel, where smOkeleSs powder Is I'M
ished. The company pointed out to-
day static electricity is frequently gem
Grated in this process and a spark,
which would ignite the powder, would
be possible.
Early reports today of possible
heavy loss of life were ascribed to
difficulty in checking up on panic
stricken employees and residents in the
zone affected.
Suspect Incendiarism.
Hints of incendiarism in connection
II
posfors are many. James Lyman, SUI
perintendent of the plant, said the fire
started in . glazing barrel, cylln-
drical piece of machinery in which
powder is mixed with graphite to re-
due> the friction. From here. he said,
it spread to a magazine in which was
400 600 pounds of smokeless powder
to he used in cartridges for machine
guns This caused the big explosion,
he stated
ton Lakes has whole window to-
day Houses belonging to the COM
parv and located three-fourths of a
nile away, were lifted from their
foundations and flung. twisted and
brOkr0. to the ground.
Ec"in ThOro Investigation.
As in the Black Tom and Kingsland
explosions. company officials today de-
clared there was nothing about the
b Vim. to indicate a plot.
The Dupont officials began a thoro
Investigation of the explosion at Has
kell hUt so far have declined to say
whetHer thev consider it was acct
del or in"endiarv-
Tventv-five explosions have occur
REQ in this plant since the company
began making munitions for the allies
but in each instance officials in charge
have insisted that they were acciden-
tai.
Immediately upon learning what
had happened County Prosecutor
Dunn sent investigators to the scene
to determine the extent and cause of
the DAMAGE with the idea of beginning
an official public investigation if the
circU instances warrant.
Flames Gain Powder Magazines.
Starting with brief flash in what
is known as the glazing barrel, at the
Haskell plant. the flames last night
spread quickly to the blending house
and ate their way toward the three big
magazines containing nearly a million
pounds of powder.
With the flash came the warning crv
of nearby workmen and in a moment
the 800 men on the night force were
racing and yelling thru the village,
rousing the inhabitants as they ran.
The country round about was filled
with fleeing terror-stricken men, wo-
men and children when a little later
the earth bumped and shook with the
rumbling roar as the first magazine
blew up.
buildings Collapse.
Sheds, ramshackle houses and out
buildings collapsed. Thousands of
CONTINUED Page Five