The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-01-18
ANOTHER BLAST
A SCORE KILLED
DUPONT POWDER PLANT Elk
PLoDED LAST NIGHT
SHOCK FELT IN FOUR STATES
Officials Declare There Are No Indi-
cations OF Plot, Though Rumors
Are That 1t and One at Kings
land Were lncendiary.

New York, Jan. 13.-Unconfirmed
reports of heavy loss of life in the
explosion of the 100000 shells of
smokeless powder at the Haskell Du-
Pont plant last night were circulated
today. A policeman there declared
27 were killed One doctor is quot
ed as saying he counted IL dead. The
DUPONT accounts for only two miss
ing.
Hints of incendiarism are many,
but as in numerous recent explosions
hereabouts. officials declared there
was no indication of plot. Twenty
five explosions have occurred Ill the
Haskell plant previously.
Last nights shook four states and
the glare was visible as faT away as
Albany. The country around the
Haskell plant was filled with fleeing
terror-stricken men, women and chill
dren when the explosion took place.
The 500 of the DUPONT night force
the fire started in the mixing machine
from which it spread to the big
magazines.
" Two Magazines Exsiode.
New York, Jan. ia score OF
lives were lost when two of the pow
der magazines of the Du Pont Powder
company, at Haskell, n. j., blew up
at 9:3$ O'Clock last night, and coupled
with this comes a statement from ofll-
Gals of the Canadian Car and Foun-
dry company that the fire and explo-
sions at their plant in kingsland, N.
j., on Thursday, causing a loss OF
S1GO0G,000, probably were incendiary.
The explosions ut Haskell We're of
terrific force, and we're felt for many
miles in all directions. The detona-
tons were followed almost immedi'
, ately by fire, which could be seen
as far away as YOnkers and ut distant
points in New Jersey.
The Haskell plant covers several
acres and is one Of the company's
largest. ..
Think Fire Incendiary.
A statement that the fire and ex-
blossoms which wrecked the plant at
kingsland were possibly if not prob
ably of incendiary origin was issued
here by the officials of the Canadian
company.
The total loss, it was stated, was
$16,000,OO0. OF this total $160O0,00O
| consists of shells and explosives
owned by the Russian government.
The rest was in destroyed property
of the Canadian Car and Foundry
company, of which half was covered
by insurance.
Until investigation is completed no
| further statement will be made as to
what evidences of inccndiarism have
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
accidental causes was reduced to Il
minimum by the fact that no COM
pleted ordnance WAS on hand at the
plant.
When the hundreds of families
which fled from Kingsland after the
explosions began their return to their
| homes today they entered Il desOlatCd
village. Many of the houses were so
shell-riddled they were not tenable.
Many of those who ran for safety had
spent the night huddled uncomfort-
ably in churches and schools.
notnpa tinns continued throIlphnut
the day. Occasionally three-inch shells
exploded and frequently smaller ones,
and the police kept persons from en-
| tering the danger zone. Thousands
of unexploded shells lay on the
ground.