Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-12

Chester. Pa. April 1o.-One hundred and
Twelve persons, most Of them women and
girls. are known to have lost their lives
and Ii were injured by a series Of
terrific explosions to-day in the shrapnel
building Of the Eddystone Ammunition
corporation at Eddystone. one mile from
this city. Many Of the injured were
MORALLY hurt and It Is feared the final
death list will reach 150. while others
probably will be manned for life.
How many Of the 800 or more employees
In the building. in which was stored ap-
proximately 5000 shells. escaped is al
most beyond conception as there was
scarcely q fragment Of tho structure left
intact. Fire added to the horror and most
Of the bodies were so badly charred that
Identification was impossible.
In the absence Of any Official state
msnt many theories as to the cause Of
the disaster were advanced Rumors Of
plots and arrests Of persons both inside
and outside Of the plant were numerous
but oil lacked confirmation.
Twenty Philadelphia detectives were
sent to Eddystone soon after the ex-
plosion on q rumor that It was the result
Of q plot. After spending several hours
Investigating they reported that they had
learned from officials Of the corporation
that q quantity of shrapnel had been
placed near a radiator and the heat might
easily have exploded 1t. Their opinion
10 that the explosion was purely acciden-
tal and they scout the suggestion that
1t was the result Of a plot. A canvass
|of the police stations in the vicinity and
Enquiries among officials Of the company
failed to reveal that any arrests had been
made.
An o6dcial Of the corporation declared
that at no time did he believe there was
more than one-halN ton OF powder in
the building at one time and that this
never was in bulk. 1.-THE powder waa
kept In q magazine on the banks Of the
creek" this official said, land was car.
ried to the building in cans that hold
about two gallons. From these cans II
would be distributed to the workers who
used gauges to flll the shrapnel shells
30 far as we have been able to learn
there were only three explosions. Two
OF these were comparatively light. but
the third was terrific. 80 powerful that q
boat-house $50 yards away was demol'
lshsd."
The explosion. which was felt liz Phila
delphia. q distance Of Is miles. occurred
about ten o'clock In what is known al
the 10 F. building. a two-story struc
ture. rs by 300 feet. In this building tint
cent. Of the workers being women ant
girls. Probably 80 men and boys wer'
employed in the building at the time o
the blast and the majority Of then
escaped.
Great excitement followed the ex
plosion. A'heavy pail Of smoke darkenet
the entire town. which has a population
Of about 5000. This was soon lightene,
by tho flames from the burning building
Rescue squads composed of other EN-
ployes at the plant were quickly forme,
and call for assistance was sent t
Philadelphia. Chester. Wilmington an,
other nearby points. The entire Cheste
hre department responded and ambulance
from Philadelphia and Chester were 500
1t the scene. A strong guard of Pennsyl
vania mtlitiamen and cadets from tn
Pennsyivsnia Military Academy wa
thrown around the plant and everyon
except those assisting In the rescue wor
was forbidden to approach.
Fifteen minutes after the explosio
the bodies Of the dead and injured wer
being carried out. They were place
in any conveyance that happened to b
at hand and taken to the morgue an
hospitals. Several bodies were fishe
out Of the marshes two hundred yard
from the ill-fated building and 1t
feared that others may have bee
blown into the river. still further ava.
All were badly mutilated and man
were beyond recognition.
Some of the injured were temporal
fly cared for in buildings of the an
munition company while scores
homes at Eddystone and nearby towr
were thrown open to others.
There were numerous instances
heroism. In one of these Captain Wa
ter wilhelm. vice president of II
Eddystone Corporation and formerly
national guardsman. dashed throue
smoke and name into the wreckage :
less than ten times. each time carr!
ing some one to safety.
For time there was confusie
among the rescue squads. who until
controlling head took charge work'
1T GROSS purposes. So serious was Il