Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-12
GREAT MUN|T|ON PLANT
WRECKED BY EXPLOSION
Shock Of Terrific Blasts at Kings
land, y. j.. Felt Throughout
New York City.
LOSS MAY REACH $1,000, 900
Believed Nearly All Employees I;s-
capped. but Some Have Not Been
counted Eor-CountrySidc
Panic Caused by Bombardment.

NEW YORK. January I1.-Firc. fol ;
lowed by II series Of terrific powder and
shell explosions lasting for hours to-
day and Tonight. wrecked the great
munition plant Of IN" Canadian Car and
FOUNDRY Company at Eingsland. y. j.
tn" iire was burning at miduigh
The homhardment by shells continued
int"rmittcntly. IL is believed that near
y all OF the LOO employees working
in the plant AZ the time escaped
though not all have been accounted for.
Edward Hurncll, assistant superinten-
dent of the plant. is reported among
those missing. Herman Dysktra "a for
m"r employees. was struck by Va shell
which severed his spinal cord. lie is
dying in 81. Mary's Hospital at Pas
sale
Mo- estimate Of tho loss was obtain
able. but it was said it might reach
A.ooo,oeo. The plant covered eighty
acres Of ground
\ country side panic was caused by
tn" bombardmcnt kingsland has been
evacuated. Hundreds Of hystcrical |
women and terrified children are be-
ing cared for in the public school and
IN private homes at Lynuhurst.
~ I'D tht of
SEEN FROM HIGH BUILDINGS
Th" shock Of tho blasts was felt
throughout New York city and as far
out as Long Island city. The low
rumble OF the bursting shells caused
many To believe there had been an
other disaster like that Rack Tom
Island last July. y veil Of smoke en-
velopcd tho Jersey coast in thu late
afternoon. and the vivid trail Of shells
could be seen from the tops uf high
buildings In lower Manhattan after
niGhtfal.
The fire started in the munitiou plant
at $3.50 o'clock in ihc afternoon. \
shift Of LOO men was at work. hurry
nag the outpu, of a Si33.o006 900 shell
order for the Russian government
The muniiiom plant Is composed OF
group OF forty-two small buildings.
clustered about a large central build
ing. In one OF the small structures,
known as No. 80. an electric drop
light was short t-circuited at $50 \
spark flew into a pail OF gasoline.
There was fiarc-up. and the flames
spread quickly to other buildings. So
fast did they spread that one worker
said he had not run fifty feet before
three buildings were burning.
The alarm Of fire was raised by a
mighty chorus Of terrified men Or
dcrs had been issued that il ever a
fire occurred for every one to fee for
their lives
VIRTUAII.N TRAPPED AND CUT
OFF BY MARSHES AND SwtMPS
The force of workmen seemed TO
divide into two groups when the alarm
was raised. Half ran west 10 the gate
Of the grounds on Ridge Road The
other half made for the marshes and
frozen swamps TO the east Of the plant
where they were virtually trapped and
cut off by Berry Creek and the Hack
ensack River.
About o'clock tonight six half
frozen men dragged themselves into
the Jersey city Hospital. They told
how they aud several hundred others
had braved death In the treacherous
swaInps and icc-covcrcd marshes The
six survivors expressed belief that
nearly all. II not all. Of those who at
tempted the trip across the swamps
escaped. Some Went to Jersey city
and some made their way to SNAKE
Hill. northeast OF the plant and
nearby towns.
No munitions were manufactured at
Kinssland. but tho plant was used for
The films Of shells. the chief con-
stituent used being trinltrotoluol