Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-04-11
Injured Also Above Hun
dred; Escapes Are
Miraculous.
PURELY ACCIDENTAL, BELIEF
Scout Theory Germans Re-
sponsible, but Detec-
tives Are Inquiring.

CHESTER, Pa, April TO-
One hundred and twelve per-
sons, most of them women and
girls, are known to have lost
their lives and l2l were in
jured by a series of terrific
explosions today in the shrap-
mel building of the Eddystone
Ammunition corporation at
Eddystone, one mile from this
city. Many of the injured
were mortally hurt and it is
expected that the final death
list will reach $50, while
others probab b y will be
manned for life.
Fire Adds to Horror
How any of the three hum
dred or more employees in the
building, in which were stored
approximately thirty thousand
shells, escaped is almost be-
yond conception, as there was
scarcely a fragment of the
structure left intact. Fire
added to the horror and most
of the bodies were so badly
charred that Identification was
impossible.
No Arrests Made
In the absence of any Off.
cial statement many theories
as to the cause of the disaster,
one of the worst ever expert
enced 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 con-
firmation.
Accidental tsscrt.
Twenty Philadelphia detectives were
sent to Eddystone soon after the ex-
plosion on a rumor that it was the
result of a plot. Later they reported
that they had learned from officials
OF the corporation. who made an in
VestiEatiOn. that a quantity of
shrapnel had been placed near "A radia-
tor and the heat easily might have
exploded It. Their opinion is that the
explosion was purely accidental and
they scout suggestions OF a plot. No
arrests have been made.
But Little Powder.
An official of the corporation to-
night 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
In bulk. "rhe powder was kept in a
magazine on the banks Of the creek"
this official said "and was carried to
the building in cans that hold about
two gallons. FROM these cans II would
be distributed to the workers who
used gauges TO fill the shrapnel shells.
So far as we have been able to learn
there were only three explosions. Two
of these were comparatively light but
the third was terrific so powerful
that a boathouse $50 yards away was
demolished.
THE explosion. which was felt in
Philadelphia "a distance OF Is miles.
occurred about 10 o'clock this morn
ing in what is known as the "10-F''
building, IA two-story structure 75x300
feet More than so per cent of the
workers were women and girls Prob
ably fifty men and boys were in the
building and the majority Of them es-
capped"
Smoke Wells Town.
Great excitement followed the ex-
plosiou. 4 heavy pail of smoke dark
ened the entire town which has a
population OF about five thousand.
This was soon lighted by the flames
from the burning building. Rescue
squade composed of other employees
at the plant were quickly formed and
a call for assistance was sent to Phil
adelphia, Chester. wilmington and
other nearby points. The Chester fire
department responded and ambu-
lances from Philadelphia and Chester
were soon at the scene. A strong
guard OF, PENNSYLVANIA mllltlamen and
cadets from the pennsylvania mill
t6ry academy was thrown around the
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