New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-16
PROBE JERSEY
MUNITION BLASTS
pompton Lakes Mayor to
offer Inquiry Resolution
in Assembly
COMPANIES MAY NOT
REBUILD PLANTS
depends on Peace or Con
tinuanCe of War Orders,
Officials Say

v.,or Henry C. Hersh6old Of Pomp-
- y. j., will introduce a reso-
w.. {, the General Assembly in
-..,or to-day calling for the imme-
49,, appointment OF committee to
'....,irste murition factories in the
~, Governor elect Edge and Edward
slo.n Speaker OF the Assembly have
missed their support, he said yester-
tsy. ,-... 90
-. ,,s,t Of the du Pont Powder Com
.,v destroyed in the explosion, re-
.,1.ible for Mayor Hcrshheld's de-
80 Tor an inquiry, viii he rebuilt.
n. ,spuHd.ng Of the wrecked strue-
80. ~ an Canadian Car and Foundry
c,wpsny. at Kingsland, y. j., is de-
,,,sent. j.. is thought, on the receipt
n further war orders.
lanes LYMAN, general manager Of the
IN Point plant az Pompton Lakes, was
..y.ain that the company would not re-
bgild. chiefly" he said, because Of
II, uncertainty of a continuance Of
,,r orders, due in the first place TO the
,,,,ibilty Of peace being declared be-
i,-e the buildings could be erected,
nd in the second place to the -
creased ability Of European nations to
manufacture their own war supplies
Fifth Of the Plant Destroyed
About q fifth Of the du Point plant,
T., been destroyed, Mr.. Lyman said,
IN. what remained would be sufficient
n take care OF the orders now on hand
AID 10 employ the men now on the
psyrolls. Only l25 Of the 2,20O men
endowed in the powder works had QUIT
heir Jobs since the explosion. he SAID,
and 100 new ones were signed on yes
.sIiay.
As % &c investigation proposed by
Mayor iershheld, the general man
sge- asserted that the du Point COM
pany was well within the law. Mr..
HsrshfS'd reached bis decision after
County Physician Robert Arm strong
lad refased on the advice of PrOsecu-
Tor Michael Dunn TO conduct an IN
Guest into the two deaths caused by
he explosion. Not satisfied with Mr..
Dgnr's suggestion that the matter be
placed before the grand jury, he con-
suited the Governor-elect aud the
Speaker IF the Assembly.
By appointing a committee to-day 90
10 the preliminary work and recon-
1ead the powers to be granted TO a
permanent committee Mr. Uershleld
expects TO save two weeks. as it Will
Be that Ions before both houses set
lie down 70 the work of the session.
Prosecution of the du Pont company
oeptnds largely upon whether the nils
watch surround the biggest Of the
usgilnes constitutes IAN efficient
natural barricade" under the law, which
would cut IN half the distance required
between Magazine and highways or
dwellings
Calls Hills Ample Barricade.
Dr. LYMAN, while admitting that the
magazine -1s within 1000 feet Of the
nearest dwelling. instead Of the legal
15l0 feet, and within $500 feet Of
The nearest highway, instead Of the
$3.50 required by statute, asserts that
The surrounding hills constituted such
a "0suiCade' as is mentioned in the
law.
Two small fires occurred yesterday
o. The du Port grounds and gave rise
70 wild rUmors. The total damage was
ibo1. 5000. The blaze. Mr.. Lyman said,
would have received no notice except
Tor The recent disastrous fires.
William q. Ofey. of the Department
o. Justice. who has been investigating
The explosion al the du Pont works,
sad yesterday that he found nothing
suspicious. A rlmor that the plant
had been touched Off by wireless he
regarded baseiess.
Mayor Arthur A. Clay Of Kingsland
announced his intention Of combating
any attempt TO rebuild the Canadian
liant