Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-11
Greater Number of Dead Were
Women and Girl Employees
of EddyStone Ammunition
Corporation,
CAUSE ACCIDENTAL, IS
BELIEF OF DETECTIVES
Not More Than Half Ton of
Powder in Wrecked Build
ing at Any Time, Is Off,
Gals Statement,
fuy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wraHl

tny MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiRHl
Chester, Pa, April 10.-One num-
dred and twelve persons, most OF them
women and girls, lost their lives, and
121 were injured by a series of ter
rifle explosions today in the shrapnel
building of the Eddystone Ammunl-
ton corporation at Eddystone, one
mile from this city. Many of the IN
iured were mortally hurt and it is
feared the final death list viii reach
$50, while others probably will be
MANNED for life.
How any of the 800 or more en-
ployes in the building, in which were
stored approximately 10000 shells, es-
capped. is almost beyond conception,
as there was scarcely a fragment OF
the structure left intact. Fire added
to the horror and most of the bodies
were so charred that identification
was impossible.
In the absence of any official state
ment 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 all lacked confirma-
ton. Twenty Philadelphia detec-
tives were sent to Eddystone soon af-
ter the explosion on a rumor that II
was the result of plot. After spend
ing several hours investigating, they
reported that they had learned from
officials of the corporation that n
quantity of shrapnel had been placed
near a radiator and the heat might
easily have exploded it. Their opin-
ion is that the explosion was purely
accidental. No arrests have been
made.
Powder Kept in Magazine.
An official of the corporation, in
discussing the probable cause of the
explosion, declared that at no time
was there more than half a ton of
powder in the building and this never
was in bulk.
THE powder was kept in n maya
zine on the banks of the creek" said
this official, "and was carried to the
building in cans that hold two gal
Ions. From these cans it would be
distributed to the workers who used
gauges to fill the shrapnel shells.
So far as we have been able to learn,
there We're only three explosions. Two
of these were comparatively light, but
the third was terrific, so powerful
that boathouse $40 yards away was
demolished
The explosion, which was felt in
Philadelphia, a distance of fifteen
miles, occurred about 10 O'Clock. in
what is known as the "10-F" building,
a two-story structure, rs by 800 feet.
In this building time fuses were pre-
pared, more than 80 per cent of the
workers being women and girls. Prob
ably fifty men and boys were en-
ployed in the building at the time of
the blast and the majority of them
escaped.
Great excitement followed the ex-
ploson. A pail of smoke darkened
the entire town, which has a popula-
ton of about 5000. This was soon
lightened by the flames from the
burning building. Rescue squads We're
quickly formed. the entire Chester
fire department responded, and am
balances from Philadelphia and
Chester soon were at the scene. a
strong guard of Pennsylvania militia
men and cadets from the Pennsyl-
vania military academy was thrown
around the plant and everyone except
those assisting in the rescue work was
forbidden to approach.
Bodies Blown 200 Yards.
Several bodies were fished out of
the marshes 200 yards from the ILL.,
fated building, and it is feared that
others may have been blown into the
river, still farther away.
There were numerous instances of
heroism. Capt. Walter Wilhelm, vice
president of the Eddystone corpora
ton and formerly national guards
man, Drawing smoke and flame to en-
ter the wreckage, carried ten persons
to safety.
For a time there was confusion
among the rescue squads. At first
no one realized the extent of the dis
aster. So serious was the danger