The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-12
MUNITION PLANT
. FIRE SOUNDS LIKE
ABOMBARDMENT A
Loaded Shells Rain Shrapnel
All Ab0ut Scene.
Plant Fire Chiefs Head Blown
on by Shot.
DD0DcDTV Incc conn mn
PROPERTY LOSS s2OO,OOO
Town IS Miles From Fire Hears
"Heavy Artillery"
1900 High Power Shells Blow
Up at Newcastle, Del.

Wilmington, Del, Dec. ia ter-
rifle bombardment shortly DeIore
o'clock this morning with sheils iiy~
ing in every direction aroused New
castle and immediate vicinity; as WeE
as Wilmington and other points ana
soon developed into fire which hao
broken out in one of the most DAN
gerous sections of the shell ioaoins
plant of the Bethlehem steel com
pany, about a mile below Newcastle.
The blaze which is of unknown ORR
gin, started in the shell loading house
in which were stored 5000 sneis
loaded with T. N. T., one of the most
violent of all explosives used in war
and 10000 empty shells.
Estimate Loss at 100000.
The burned building contained
4, 500 shells, all of which exploded. a
high fence near by was riddled by
shells.
jacobson was running away and
was about a quarter of a mile from
the burning structure when shell hiS
him.
The loss is estimated at 100000
Incendiarism is suspected by some
persons.
His Head Blown Off.
The fire had scarcely started when
the contents of the loaded shells be-
gan to fly in every direction. The
building which was frame StrGS-
ture, about 100 by $50 feet, burned
ike IlnQeT, ana as IIS EcaCnco
the loaded shells the latter began to
explode and occasionally one would
! be hurled out of the building.
One man Theodore Jacobs of Har-
| rison, N. j., the chief of guard. was
killed, his head being blown off By
| So far as could be learned no other
person was hurt either in the fire
| or because of the explosions but sew
eral were slightly hurt while run
ming to escape danger or to help
somebody else.
struck Houses Mile Away.
Only ten men were working there
at the time and they fled from be-.
hind their protecting barriers to
safety. The flames exploded hun
! dreds of loaded projectiIes stored in
the room. For more than an hour
after the fire started a barrage Of
shell fragments and shrapnel flew
about the plant, driving firemen and
others a half mile away to safety
zones.
Some of the shrapnel struck houses
| in the Dobbinsville section, a mile
| distant from the plant. The flames
| spread to one of the office buildings
| of the plant. es
| Chester, Pa, reported that windows
were nearly shaken out in buildings
| there. Early reports were that the
munitions pant took fire following
the explosion. Lives were endangered
! by exploding shells.
/ The first explosion is understood to
/ have occurred t. the projectile plant
| at $3.50. All wires from Wilmington
| to Newcastle are declared to be down.
| Heavy explosives were still hear at
$3.50. Shrapnel was exploding all
about the projectile plant.
Chester. Pa. which plainly felt the
| shock of the first explosion, is eigh-
teen miles from Newcastle. The
Bethlehem plant at Newcastle was
! erected since the European war began.
Precaution Against Fire.
EmDty Droiectiles are taken thers
from Bethlehem and acids and ex-
plosives are hauled across the Della
| ware river from the Du Pont plant.
! About 1900 men work in three
! shifts day and night. The munitions
loading rooms are constructed so that
the shell leaders work behind con-
crete protecting walls which mini
miZes the possibility of fatalities.
The plant is enclosed with a high
fence and all persons not employed
are excluded.