The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-11
Disaster Generally Believed to
Have Been Work Of Spy In
Hire of Germany
c0MPANY'S HEAD,
HOWEVER, SCOUTS IDEA
1T WAS INCENDIARY
Exploding Shells Filled Air,
Many Having Been Stored In
Shrapnel Loading Building of
Baldwin Locomotive Works

uiLdueipIlld, d. April Iu'
One hundred and sixteen
munitions workers the major
ity Of them women and girls
are known to have persisted to-
day in a mysterious explosion
which wrecked the shrapnel
loading building of the Eddy
stone, Pa, Ammunition COM
pany, owned by the Baldwin
Locomotive works at Eddy
stone, Pa. Eleven of the dead
have been identified. Scores of
others are missing. and it is
believed that the final death
toll will be $50 or more.
Six hundred and twenty five
persons were in the structure
when the explosion occurred.
Of this number more than go
were injured, many of them
fatally.
Rumors were rife as to the
cause of the explosion, but
Alba r. Johnson, president Of
the Baldwin Locomotive works,
insisted that it could be traced
only to an accident or careless
ness on the part of persons
within the building. He ridi-
-culed any idea of German plot
ters, saying that 200 armed
guards picket the plant day
and night and that no plotter
could have had access to the
building without the knowl-
edge of Captain Walter
Wilhelm. the general manager
and vice-president Of the mum
tons company.
Basil Greenko, the Inspector for the
Russian government who was in the
building at the time OF the explosion
declared that prior 10 the explosion
he saw fare of flame coming from
i room at the north which held nc
powder. He said that he was at a
loss to account for the fire except tina,
III Rad -teen due to IN aCctdenr. OF
was the work OF incendiaries.
Four Investigations Start.
E Four Investigations were started inn
mediatsly to ascertain the origin
Frank 9arharino. special agent OF the
bureau OF investigation of the depart
ment of justice In charge OF the ac-
tivities against aliens SUSPECTED OF
overt acts was on the scene with sew
efaI OF his assistants. lie said at the
ssnd OF superficial investigation tina,
he held the explosion to have orig
mated In an inceniiary Are.
Captain Wilhelm. in charge OF the
plant. also instituted his separate IN
|nuiry and fntiInatel that the explo-
sion was due to either carelessness in
packing the powder or to concus-
sion from some other source. Can
tain Of Detectives Tate despatched
lieutenant Wood with twenty men ia
the scene and from the information
which they picked up they held that
the explosion was a. mystery that
might never be explained. rs:sief OF
Police Venice. of Chester. in charge OF
the police. held an Austrian prison or
who was seen to he running &fons the
tracks Of the Pennsyivana railroad
from Eddystone to Moore station. The
man was held and Chief Vance de-
srsared that be had been unable to get
an" suspect TO talk freely.
# The building. which was wrecked by
8the explosion. stands in the central por-
zion of the munitions grounds west OF
she Pennsylvania railroad tracks, which
Siun along the waters edge. ri is one
scf the usual mushroom structures.
Sahru. 500 feet in length and nearly
si00 fee: wide,
In this building the shrapnel shells
5Nre packed and completed for teiiv-
try to the belligerents. The structure
houses about 500 men and 1e5 women.
The latter being employed In the load
ing room. where the greater loss OF
life resulted from today's disaster.
Here the powder pellets" ara placed
I'm the shells. the powder packed down
spron them. and then they are stem
sciled and sealed and packed for de-
livery.
Many shells In Building.
4 Inspector Greenko stated that yester-
day there were twenty long cases. each
Aontaining 400 of these powder p~l-
lets. awaiting the labors~ OF the women
ana girls. In addition. he said n great
Number OF shells had been finished and
assored for shipment.
" Ninety girls were at work a. the
loAding room. he estimated While
2nbcut thtrty-hve others were busy In
TT aGjoining room to the north.
N William A. Dreyer fixes the TINS OF
lSsontinaeA "a GeconA Pass. !,
III S aSsss