Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-11

"'s April 1l.--W1th 123
dead and between 1c5 and LEO ,,i,raa
the majority girls and young women
the authorities today turned their ef-
forts toward placing the blame for the
explosion yesterday at the plant Of the
Eddystone Ammunition CORPORATION.
Alpa b. johnson. president OF the
Baldwin Locomotive works, said tho
disaster probably was due to an acc;-
dent or carelessness.
Opposed to this was the signed
statement of s. NJ. Vauclain. head ar
tho munition company, in which he
said:
we are unable to account for the
explosion in any way other than the
act or some maliciously inclined per-
son or persons"
While the police refused to discuss
the case OF two suspects arrested here
last night after an investigation. II
was intimated that valuable informa-
tion was secured from papers found
on one OF the prisoners.
The men under arrest, father and
son. the latter giving PHILADELPHIA
address, are said to be aliens.
Altho the police and company Of
ficials worked all night to establish
the identity of the dead they were
hampered by the condition, OF the
bodies. Some OF the victims. it was
believed. were blown into the Dela-
ware river. s
Bodies Thrown 200 Yards
Several bodies were hshed out OF
the marshes 200 yards from the ILL
fated building, and 1t is feared that
others may have been blown into the
river still farther away. All were
badly mutilated and many were burn
ed beyond recognition.
Some of the injured were tempo
! rarily cared for in buildings of the
ammunition company. while scores OF
homes at Eddystone and nearby
towns were thrown open to others At
one residence in Ridley Park thirty
five persons We're given attention. None
of them had been hurt, but were in n
state of collapse from shock and hys-
terra.
Survivor Tells Of Disaster
William A. Drayer. one of the Sc
riously injured told of his experiences
after he regained consciousness
about 10 o'clock" he said. II turn
ed on my chair and asked one of the
girls what time it was. She told me,
and | had no sooner turned back to
my desk than the first explosion oc-s
Cured. The first one sounded like the
explosion of five gallon can of gaso-
! lene. When the third explosion occur
red | was blown through the door near
my desk to the side of n donkey loco.
motive which was standing on the rail-
road track east of the building After
! regainag consciousness / noticed the
flames bursting out Of the structure. [
saw Il girl rush out with her clothing
in flames. She stumbled and fell and
! tried to pick her up. but | was so
weak that | also fell. Later another
man rescued her
Another Survivors, Story
Basil Greenko, a Russian inspector.
in the billet department who was in
jured and brought to 4 hospital here.
said there was no powder in the load.
ing room and no fire. He said:
II was standing near one of the
tables when from under the door Of the
loading room there came n bright glare.
Then instantly another bright light and
and everybody fell to the floor.
There was no powder In the load,
ing room and no fire. nothing but cases
of empty shells. perhaps ten or fifteen
carloads. There was heavy iron door
between the loading room and the bill.
let room. and with the first glare the
door was blown off. and then came the
second burst of light just as I turned
F., to see what caused it.
1T was awful. Men and women
were falling all around me. l tried
| to help, but was too badly hurt