Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-13
SHRAPVEL PLANT Of
BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE
WORKS IS WRECKED
Over 100 Bodies Already
Recovered-1,2OO Girls in
Building and so Per Cent
of Slain Are Girls

CHESTER. Pa, April lo.-At least 100
persons. mostly girls. were killed and
200 or more injured by an explosion to-
day in the great munitions plant at Ed
dystone. Pa. near here, owned by the
Russian government.
Nothing is known as to the cause OF
the explosion. though there is suspicion
that IL was not due to accident
Shortly after noon men from the de-
tective bureau at Philadelphia were
rushed to Eddystone with a minute de-
scription OF a man who is believed to be
the originator.
Detective Lieutenant Wood here was
notified by the Chester police that the
suspect hurriedly entered drug store
IN Moores, near Eddyspone. soon after
the explosions started. saying he must
catch q train for Philadelphia as soon
as possible. He admitted having been
at Eddystone just as the explosions
started
SUSPECT SHOT.
Officials arriving at the plant soon
after Il started shot a suspect, who was
acting suspiciously, but his name Is
withheld. Two others are under arrest
Officials here have been notified that
special department of justice agents wall
be rushed from Washington to help in
the investigation.
There were terrible scenes OF hysteria
about all the hospitals, the armory and
many private homes, where the victims
either dead or severely injured, were
removed as fast as possible by special
" sworn officials. Friends and rela-
tives persisted in crowding every place
where victims were taken. with anxious
walls for information, despite the dras-
tic measures taken by the officials.
An official statement late this aft
Groom from Coroner White, Of Chester,
gave IO1 known dead. and all the bodies
had then been taken from the ruins.
Although the number Of dead was Of
Totally reported 1t was impossible TO
secure their names, because they were
ell so badly charTed IL was impossible
TO ascertain even whether they were men
or women
Coroner White stated that there was
only one woman who had been taken
from the wreckage that could ever
possibly be identified
Mayor Mcdowell, of Chester. took per-
sonal charge of directing the work of the
rescue squad.
It's awful" he said, as he emerged
from the smoking plant. Nothing but
bodies and bodies and girls moaning"
1900 GIRLS IN BUILDING.
The explosion occurred soon after 10
o'clock in the pellet room of the shrap-
mel building where about 1900 girls
were employed putting the finishing
touches on shells. In a building adj
joining approximately $4,000 shells were
stored. A second explosion demolished
this building and scattered the shells
in every direction.
Immediately calls were sent for out
side aid and physicians, firemen and
policemen from surrounding towns ar
rived in great numbers. The buildings
in which the explosions occurred caught
fire and were destroyed.
Charred bodies were piled from the
wreckage and injured persons were pick
ed up and taken to Chester, a mile
away. The two main hospitals of the
city were soon filed ana others injured
were taken to the fifth regiment armory
and a frame tabernacle.
No official Of the company was found
who could tell anything about the ex-
plosion. There were whispers Of a plot
to destroy the plant
The plant was originally constructed
soon after the European war started by
Baldwin Locomotive interests. Recently
Il was taken over by the Russian gov
eminent which has been employing
about 10000 people making shells.
The place has been thoroughly guard
ed night and day, and after dark i'm
mense search lights made every portion
of the grounds as light as day. In adj
dition secret service men and detectives
worked in the various departments dis
guised as munitions makers.
At the undertaking place of Coroner
White there are eighty bodies. seventy
nine being those of girls.
Thousands OF girls were employed at
/ the plant. most Of them coming from
Philadelphia. ten miles away. They