Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-14
First Blast Report
in u. s. Officials Hands
Continued from PAGE One

WAN ana NuttT1dH fOltS ana AuStTlanS.
Some weeks ago all German employees were
discharged.
The death today was that of Morris
Baskoff. 264s South Tenth street. Philadel-
pha. one of the munitions workers. He
died in the Chester Hospital of shrapne
wounds and burns, with his wife at his
bedside
The unidentif ID body was found in the
morgue today. II so free from mutila-
tion that officials believed II to have been
one OF the group of identified bodies lying
there awaiting removal by relatives The
body In question Is that of a girl about
twenty-one years old with light brown
wavy hair. good features. arched eyebrows
and wearing Russian unbeached linen
blouse with ed trimmings. dark blue skirt
black stockings and regulation rubber shoes.
On her left wrist Is gold bracelet wrist
watch She probably was of Polish extrac-
tion.
The body. which Is the least mutilated
of all the bodies taken from the ruins.
was recognized by girl workers. but they
did not know her name.
Six other bodies remain in the morgue
They have been identified and will be re-
moved by relatives. complete list of
missing is being prepared by the COM
pany
THREE MORE DYING
OF the thirty-two disaster victims in
the Chester Hospital there are believed to
be dying. They are: Margaret McDade
311 South Eighty.thrd street Philadelphia :
Mabel Ebright. 1925 South street. Ber-
nard street. Philadelphia, and Margaret
Ryan. 623 West Second street, Chester. In
the Grocer Hospital there are twelve VIC
Tins OF these Mrs. Margaret Cope. rs
McIlvalne street, Chester. is not expected
to live
The task OF awarding the $500, 900 COM
pensation for the deaths and injuries in
the Eddystone Ammunition Corporation di
aster WAS begun today at Chester while
the plant was closed for thorough re-
organization and wedding out OF the poly
elot working force
The Coroner's inquest will he held a,
Media next Wednesday by Coroner Drewes
Officials and employees of the corpora ton are
being subpoenaed for this important hear
Ing
The huge task of investigating and award
ing the claims OF relatives OF the dead and
Of the injured will be in charge of Referee
William Il. Scott. of the Pennsylvania
workmen's Compensation Board.
The case is the largest that has come
before the board since its formation in
January. 1916. Claims will involve more
than $500 900. IL Is estimated.
Demands for compensation will be made
before the referee by the families or rel
atives OF more than hundred employees
who lost their lives at the munition plant
and by several hundred other workers who
were injured by the explosion.
Every effort will be made by Referee
Scott, to establish a method Of awarding
and obtaining prompt settlement on ali
valid claims In order to extend immediate
relief TO the families that were dependent
on the wages of the dead and injured en-
gloyes.
DEATHS CONSIDERED FIRST
\ Mayor Mcdowell. OF Chester. has turned
L..
the Police Department roll room to Referee
Scott. The work undertaken today by Mr..
Scott is devoted entirely to the cases of
persons killed py the explosion. Under the
compensation act the injured workers are
not entitled to compensation for the grst
fourteen days Of disabilities Several at
taches of the compensation board have
established themselves in the City Hall to
furnish information to the claimants and
point out the requirements demanded by
law for compensation
Referee Scott signified his intention 10
work day and night. IL necessary. TO clean
up the claims of the explosion victims. The
work. It is believed. will extend over a pe-
riod of three or four weeks
The absence of the employees during the
shutdown is being taken advantage Of TO
drill the $50 or more guards of the plant,
ana inject some semblance of military dis
cipline into them. They do fairly well as
u 10, 90 through the motions as best they
can. and are declared to be an earnest lot
81 men. but they require some real army
training. This is being given by the State
police under Lieutenant Marsh A detail
~ Troop c, Of Pottsville. which is on duty
~ the plant, is there. as much for the pur-
pose OF stinening up the guard and show
ues the men their powers and the limita-
tisns OF powers as for the purpose of
actually guarding the big munitions works.
THANKS PUBLIC FOR AID
Captain wilhelm today expressed the
0o1peat gratitude toward the people of
Chester and Philadelphia, the Boy Scouts,
~ hospitals. physicians, Red Cross work.
~ and AL other agencies that co-operated
~ ne work Of rescue and hrst aid for ex-
1eolon victims and financial relief Tor their
opendents.