Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-01-19
S16,OOO,OOOLOSS
IN EXPLOSIONS.
Believe Great Fire Was Of
Incendiary Origin.
POLICE SEEK THE MISSING
Russian Officials Will Assist Officials
and Authorities in Inquiry Into the
Cause of ConfIagration.

and Authorities in Inquiry Into the
Cause of Confagration.
The fire and explosions which
wrecked the plant of the Cana
dian Car and Foundry company,
at Kingsland, N. j., causing a
loss of $16,OO,00O, were POSSIBLY If
not probably of incindiary origin" ac'
cording to a statement issued by Off
cials of the company.
Of this total, s1O,OOO,OO0 consists OF
shells and explosives owned by the
Russian government. The rest was
in destroyed property of the Canadian
Car and Foundry company, Of which
half was covered by insurance.
Until investigation is completed no
further statement will be made as to
what evidences of incendiar.sm have
been found, it was said by an officer
of the company.
It was explained that the danger OF
fire or of explosions from purely ac,
Clupulul
mum by the fact that no completed
ordnance was on hand at the plant.
The officers said the propelling charg-
es for the shells were not attached
until they reached the battle field ana
that the same was true as to the de-
tcnating caps by which the trinitro'
tuluol in the shell bodies is exploded.
The explosions heard during the fire,
he said, were caused by the me't'ne
and expansion from the heat of The
trinitrotuluol blowing off the temper
ary caps screwed in the place for the
detonating caps.
Investigation by New Jersey aid
New York police authorities OF the
explosion and fire disclosed nothing to
Indicate that the origin was other than
accidental, it was announced. Furth'
er inquiry is to be made and it is un'
derstood that the Russian commission:
AGENTS for the purchase anl delivery
of approximately ] 100000 shells await
ing shipment from the plant to Europe.
will participate.
Police Investigators indicated that
the fire started when spark fell upon
2. table ignited with an infammable
fluid, while the flames spread when a
workman attempted to extinguish
them.
The property loss includes loss OF
shells, the destruction OF the munition
plant and damage to homes and other
buildings in Kingsland.
It Is expected there will be consid
cradle salvage on account of the fall
ure of thousands Of shells to explode
Fires burned briskly in the companys
works all day and it may be another
forty-eight hours before the main
buildings can be entered.
Early reports of less of life have
not been confirmed. Although a few
persons are said to be missing, nc
bodies have been found. The Hack
ensack meadows are being searched
on the assumption that fleeing per
sons may have perished in the marsh
es.
More than 1000 persons who fed
rom their homes surrounding the
plant to escape the rain of projectiles
were sheltered and fed by the police
and charity officials of nighboring
towns. Some time may elapse before
it is known whether any of the fugi'
tives lost their lives in the Hacken'
sack marshes through which many OF
them plunged in blind rush for safe
ty.
The heroine of the fire is te!e'
phone switchboard operator, who7e
position was in sight of the sro
where the flames first appeared. The
girl stuck to her post until she had
sent a warning over the wire to the
various buildings scattered through
the plant. AS she plugged in for the
last call, projectiles were descending
through the roof of the building where
she sat.