Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-13
Second Disaster IN ,Muni.
tions Factories Causes
Enormous Damage.
TWO DEAD AND TWO
SERIOUSLY HURT
Statement ef cemv snassrs D'.-
ersdits Report, ]. I ines~dlari,.
Started Firs .dsrts Whe F,ed
From Tow d hem.s w,ses,.a
uee" Re- !, Haskell, FL. New D.
'isvsd o d BY lnesndIariss

"HAAShoH, Dei., Jan. IS--An OntCiA1
statement by the Dupont Powder
Company regarding the explosion at
the Haskell plant says that two men
are missing. that two are seriously In
jured and that several others suffered
slight injuries.
The statement says the accident was
caused by the explosion of a glazing
barrel In which the finishing touches
are put on smokeless powder and that
an investigation has gone far enough
to convince the officials there was no
incendiarism or malicious action on
the part Of anyone.
New York, Jan. 13.--while Official
information was lacking. It appeared
today there was slight loss Of life in
the series Of powder explosions at the
plant Of the Dupont company at
Haskell, N. j.. last night. About half
a dozen employees we're injured. Haskell
officers said statement might be
Forthcoming today from the company's
headquarters at Wilmington, Del.
Haskell did not witness the spec.
tacular incidents which occurred the
day before at Kingsland, another New
Jersey town. There were no shells
stored awaiting shipment and the de-
vastation was not so widespread.
Only powder was being manufac.
tured at Haskell. After nine explos-
ions within ten minutes. ton after ton
of powder fared up and the blaze be-
came 80 bright as to be visible miles
away. The detonations were heard as
far north as Poughkeepsie.
Many Homes Wrecked.
Haskell residents who Ned from the
scene found their homes wrecked when
they returned today. In nearby towns
officers guarded banks and busiNese
houses all night 70 prevent footing.
Windows were shattered u fan near
~ towns.
The death Of Mn. peter Could. m
elderly woman who lay Ill 1t 1isr
home. was attributed today to the
shock.
There were persistent reports later
today that two persons were killed and
that six injured are at local hospital.
Think Fir Inesndiary.
A statement that the fire and ex-
plosions which wrecked the plant at
were '.possfbly II not prob
ably Of incendiary origin" was issued
here late yesterday afternoon by the
officials Of the Canadian company.
The total loss. It was stated. was
S1S, 900. 900. or this total $4,000. 900
Of shells and explosives owned
by the Russian government The rest
was in destroyed property Of the
Car and Foundry Company.
of which half was covered by In
surance.
Until investigation is completed no
further statement will be made as to
what evidence of incendiarism has
been found. It was said by an officer
OF the company.
Reduce Danger TO Minimum.
. 1t was explained that the danger Of
fire or OF explosions from purely acci-.
dental causes was reduced to q mini
mum by the fact that no completed or
dnance was on hand at the plant
The statement. after telling Of con-
tracts to supply 100000 rounds OF am
to the Russian government.
says:
"The two contracts we're practically
a large quantity OF shells
had been delivered In storage at Kings
land to the representatives OF the Rus
sian government. anu the balance OF
the shells were being assembled and
packed yesterday when a fire took
place In one Of the large buildings used
for cleaning shells.
THE buildings destroyed wore val
ued at $750,000. The value Of the con-
tents Of the buildings destroyed
amounted approximately to $4,000. 900.
Of which $6.000,000 belonged to the
company.
No Loss Of Life.
$50 far as we have been able to as
certain no one was killed or seriously
injured az a result OF the fire and sub
sequent explosions.
An examination into the circum
stances attending the origin OF the fire
In building No. 80 has created the inn
preston that 1t is possible. IL not prob
able. that the nre was Of incendiary
origin. The officers Of the company
do not wish to make any further defi-
mite statement with regard to this until
the Investigations are completed.
'Tt is quite possible that the build
inEs will not be RECONSTRUCTED. Tho
entire plant was most carefully s,.arsi-S
ed and every safeguard known to sci
ence had been Installed, and every
possible provision made to safeguard
the adjoining premise: .sainst Injuries
resulting from explosion"
--------------- y
"euffajo 9jjI's" Estate $4,000.