New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-12

Frederick downstairs and rode on the
ambulance through the shower Of hot
steel TO safety.
The girl Mt the switchboard whc
plugged in" Father McDermotts call
was another who remained at her post
despite the reign OF terror. Tessit
Mcnamara, operator Of the Kingsland
Central, stayed in her revolving chair
with the receivers clampcd TO her ears
keeping the terrified town in touch
with the outer world until the wires
were blasted away. Then she tainted,
with her job well done, and was car
ried away to safety by Fred Walters
Of East Rutherford.
Police Brave Shell Fire
Chief of Police Michael Mcintyre Of
Lyndhurst, with his force Of seven
men. is responsible for the clearing
of Kingsland. The shells were still
exploding. Some scared high into the
air, trailing smoke like rockets, and
burst high above the factory which
was now a solid sheet of whirling yell
low fame. Others went off in the
heart of the FIRE, sending up great
showers Of sparks. Others still came
hurting out Of the flames and eX-
ploded in tree tops, in the road, on
the roofs Of houses.
When Mcintyre, who is a former
member of the New York Fire Depart
/ ment, arrived, he found women and
children clustered on porches, crouch
ing under trees, dazed and fearful to
move. They seemed 10 believe that
the shells were hunting for them and
that their only hope of safety was in
standing still. Mcintyre and his men
risked their own lives, but they led
many hundreds TO safety.
After the first few minutes thers
was no, attempt TO fight the fire
When the blaze was discovered a few
of the men in the plant who kept their
heads attempted TO operate the fac
tory fire engine. The flames got from
under control almost Immediately and
they fed. Later, when the Rutherford
Fire Department appeared, shells were
falling so thickly in the town that no
attempt was made to enter IT.
Refugees Seek Safety
All afternoon and until late at night
the dreary crowds of refugees, sick
with fright. numb with cold, many OF
them without knowledge Of what had
become Of their families, driftei into
Rutherford and other nearby towns
Some Of them carried children. Others
bore some pitiful little treasures which
they had snatched from their homes
before their flight
In Rutherford the town hall, NOV
ing picture theatre and other buildings
were turned over to them. There they
sat all night long, many of them SO
dazed that they were unable to talk.
II. +. Toub, who owns an underwear
factory near Kingsland, made hoteI
OF il for the homeless. Women and
children filled the entire plant. FoI
these Toub furnished coffee and what
food he could get.
All afternoon and evening shells con-
tinued 10 boom and bang and to shat
ter Kingsland. BY IL o'clock last night
three more houses had caught fire and
a she'll had burst in hotel run oy
I Frank Bromeski, tearing the building
wide open. Sergeant Taylor, OF the
/ New York police, was riding in an auto
mobile with Mcintyre and had entered
/ the district under fire when a shel
/ dropped through the tonneau OF theii
car. destroying its entire rear construc
ton, but doing them no injury.
Looters Work Under Fire
Other horrors Of the beleagured city
were piled upon Kingsland when dusl
came on and looters braved the shell
/ fire 10 steal from the homes OF ref
ugees. Thirteen OF these were arrest
ed early in the evening. Toward mid
night. when the fire had slackeneC
slightly. Sheriff John W. Courier or
dered the men who were guarding tn
town 10 shoot down every plunderei
they met
A crowd of several thousand persons
hung about the police Gordon most o
the night, watching the fire ebb an'
quicken and listening to the crashing
OF shells.
During the night a detachment o
i police, deputy sherifs and civilisn
searched the marshes as well as the!
were able in the hope OF finding SOM
of the men missing. II was rumore'
that a number who fed from the burn
ing plant were still in the swamp. I'M
was discounted by Chief Mcintyre, wh
said that he believed those who sougih
TO escape in this way were all brough
safely to firm land.
In the Italian cemetery at kingslan'
a group of mourners were gathered
about a grave into which a coffin wa
about TO be lowered when the explosion
occurred. The coffin was hastily re
placed in the hcarse and the entir'
cortege fed at gallop.
Late last night two more refugees
were brought in to Police Hesdquarter
at Rutherford. They had been founC
sitting dazed in ,he middle of roa'
in Kingsland, while shells burst abou
! them. One of them is brown hen AM
the other a large Plymouth Roc!
rooster. The police are caring TO
! them.