The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-11
121 injured, Mostly Women
and Girls, in Explosion Of
Unknown Origin.
DETECTIVES DECLARE
PLOTS NOT TO BLAME
Bodies Found 200 Yards
Away; Some Believed
Blown Into River.

Chester. Pa, April 10.-One hundred
and twelve persons, most of them
women and girls, are known to have
lost their lives. and 121 were injured
by a series of terrific explosions today
an the shrapnel building OF the Eddy
stone Ammunition corporation at
Eddystone, one mile from this city.
Many Of the injured were mortally
hurt and it is feared the final death
list will reach $50. while others prob
ably will be manned for life.
How any of the 800 or more en-
ployes In the building, in which was
stored approximately 10000 shells,
escaped Is almost beyond conception
as there was scarcely fragment of
the structure left intact. Fire added
to the horror and most of the bodies
were so badly burned that identifica-
tion was impossible.
Plots Uneonfirmed.
In the absence of any official state
mcnt many theories as to the cause of
the disaster. one of the worst ever ex-
perienced in this section, were ad-
vanced. Rumors of plots and arrests of
persons both inside and outside OF the
plant were numerous, but all lacked
confirmation.
Twenty Philadelphia detectives were
sent to Eddystone soon after the ex-
preston on a rumOr that it was the
result of plot. After spending several
hours investigating they reported they
had learned from officials of the cor
poratlon who made an investigation
that quantity Of shrapnel had been
placed near a radiator and the heat
might easily have exploded it. They
scout the suggestion that the ex-
plosion was the result Of a plot. Nc
arrests have been made.
An official of the corporation in dis
cussing the probable cause of the ex-
plosion declared that at no time did
he believe there was more than one
half ton Of powder in the building at
one time and that this never was ir
bulk.
Ono Terrific Blast.
"Thc powder was kept in magazine
on the banks of the creek" this Of
ficial said, "and was carried to the
building in cans that hold about two
gallons. From these cans it would be
distributed to the workers who used
gauges to fill the shrapnel shells. So
far as we have learned there were only
three explosions. Two of these wer,
comparatively light. but the third was
terrific, so powerful that a boat house
$50 yards away was demolished"
The explosion occurred at about II
O'Clock in what is known as the "1O-F'
building, a two STORY structure, IS by
800 feet. In this building time-fuses
were prepared, more than so pQ cent
of the workers being women and girls
Probably SO men and boys were EN-.
ployed in the building at the time ol
the blast and the majority Of then
escaped
Rescue Work.
Great excitement followed the ex
plosion. A heavy pail of smoke dark,
population of about 5000. This wa!
soon lighted by the flames from thu
burning building. Rescue squads wer,
quickly formed and a call for assist
ance was sent to Philadelphia, Chester
Wilmington and other nearby towns
The Chester fire department responde,
and ambulances from Philadelphia an,
Chester were soon on the scene. !
strong guard of Pennsylvania militia
men and cadets from the Pennsylvani
military academy was thrown aroun'
the plant and all persons except thos
assisting in the rescue work were for
hidden to approach.
Bodies 200 Yards Away
Fifteen minutes after the explosio
the dead and injured were being car
ried out. Several bodies were fishe
out of the marshes 200 yards ava
from the Inflated building and it
blown into the river still farther ava!
Some of the injured were tempo
rarily cared for in buildings of the am
munition company while scores {
homes at Eddystone and nearby town
were thrown open to others.
There were numerous instances {
heroism. In one of these Captain Wa
ter Wilhelm. vice president of tt
Eddystone corporation. dashed throug
smoke and flame into the wreckage r
loSS than IN times each time carrvin
someone to safety. There was cor
fusion among the rescue squads un'
a controlling head took charge.
When the magnitude of the disast
finally was seen. calls for assistance
monopolized the telephone lines that
was impossible to obtain any inform,
tion for some time So serious was Il