The sun., 1918-10-07

'"hut street, New York, office
hu then at o'clock in the morning
came a crash that threw ma ont on bed
got up and ran out doors.
When the Big Crash Came,
1t wasn't SO bad at first on Friday. :"
ne said, when the first explosions On me.
we were scared. but they died down
sIter a time, and about midnight we
,nousht II was all over and went to bed.
Ano then at o'clock in the morning n
crush that threw me out Of bed. got
up and ran out doors.
mere was crash after crash, Chim-
neys dropped into the street and the
plate glass windows seemed to jump
OUT at me and then fill into a thousand
pieces. The people came running out of
.neir houses and ran into the middle of
inc street, where there was less danger
OF being cut or hit Up behind the hill
we could see great sheets Of flame
shooting up. and after each one would
De bang that threw US about as II we
had been paperr
Women ran about wringing their
hands and screaming. their children run
ming after them. crying and looking
over their shoulders Sometimes they
fel down and cut themselves, and got
up again crying and ran on, not know
ing where they were going Some of
them had on their night clothes and a
Few were partly dressed in the few
things they could pick up. with every
explosion the houses. seemed to swing a
bit and we could hear timbers cracking
as the roofs shifted and the porches
moved.
Couldn't Leave Old Home Town.
by and by went back to my house
to quiet my sister. My big dog was
there. too. and with every bang he
jumped clear of the ground and then
whimpered, but didn't run out. 1t
seemed as II the earth had lifted under
us and don't wonder he jumped. In the
morning my sister couldn't stand il any
longer and she went away. I don't know
where, but ] determifeu to stay. You
see have lived here a long time and |
mated to go. besides I wanted to take
care OF the dog. He's back there now,
but I guess he can get along on water
until come back. He didn't have any
thing to eat all day. and neither did I,
only a piece of cake
But strange and madly rent as South
Amboy seemed at midnight II was ever,
more place to wonder at when day.
light revealed the devastation which the
pAooto hau iclt. IL was loWH WHICH
had been turned inside out, and the
things which were hidden ordinarily be-
hind the walls OF privacy were thrown
open to the winds and to any one who
looked at them. Houses were not things
OF wood with front doors and windows
which shut one out, bur cracked and
riven structures through which one could
see the little household gods scattered
about as II In mockery.
The old family crayons OF grandfather
and grandmother showed through the
empty window frame and vacant door
ways. swinging askew on the walls. Here
were the stairs showing with a womans
wrapper dropped on them. and here
through holes In the walls could be seen
bedroom wardrobes with the family
clothing still hanging on the hooks. A
pink dress lay across a bed with most
of the plaster from above holding II
down. while the rain still dripped
through cracks in the roof and COM
pleted the ruin Of It.
Shattered Cars in streets.
The Red Cross rooms of the local
chapter were open to the street, gar
ments lying on the sewing machines as
they had been left the day before. the
chairs and mirrors Of the village barber
here a cash register lay almost ready
to topple from broken window to the
street Trolley cars. their windows
shattered. were standing In the middle
of blocks. At one house all the win
dows. frames and doors had been blown
Nout. the ceilings were down and the
furniture a tangled heap of wreckag e.
but out in front a fagpole still stood
with the Stars and stripes flying
valiantly, and they are flying yet.
In the afternoon the AMY authorities
permitted some of the people OF the
town to come back TO get clothing and
other things they needed, and the way
in which they approached their houses
was not the least amazing of the strange
sights one saw. Some OF them came
back wringing their hands. and almost
beside themselves with grief and the
shock of having their homes OF yeats
suddenly turned into sleeves for the
winds to play through. Others were
weary and tired and listless and walked
up through the ruin of their porches
and front rooms as iftoo exhausted tc
be moved by what they saw. Others
seemed utterly Indifferent.
Some Of the women were hysterical
and one was so unstrung that two young
soldiers. were boys, tried to comfor.
her and went with the shrieking woman
into her home and remained with her
until she regained a little compoSure
That was one of the things which forced
itself into ones notice, the kindness and
consideration which these boys with
bayoneted rifles showed the dis.
tracted people. Some OF those who lived
in the part Of town furthest from the
| explosions were permitted to stay there
last night, and the Red Cross distributed
- 80 MI x.-os
too soaked and ruined to give then
| warmth.
| Cat Chung to Perch I'm Tree.
A Major In charge OF the relief worl
| had established himself in a schooihous.
| in which not a single window or dool
was left. There he. so far as possible
| provided food and clothing to those whC
| were In need of them. and saw that tn,
things they wanted to get from thei
homes were obtained. Opposite thi'
| school was church which had SUI
| fered as much as any building in tn,
place. Its stained glass windows wer'
scattered in the street. and the roo
gaped with cracks. The altar Pnt
| decorations were broken and cast dow
| in a heap in front of the twiste'
| benches.
| But outside was a bit of cheer. 10
there two old women. who had been al
lowed to return. had built a stove o
bricks and on it cooked coffee in wasl
| boilers. This, with the food Furnished
by tho Red Cross. they distributed 4
! the people who had nothing in thei
| homes and it was the only cheerful
gathering place in the whole town.
Not far away was little group