New-York tribune., 1918-03-27
No Lives Are Lost;
100000 Damage
Cause of Disaster Un.
solved, but Federal
Agents Talk of
German Plots

Fire and series of explosions yes
terday destroyed the plant of the Jar
Wis Warehouses, Inc, Jersey City de-
pository for army supplies. The lives
of more than 1900 workers were en-
dangered and damage of $4,000
caused. German agents are blamed by
officials of the Naval and Military In
telligence bureaus.
In addition to demolishing the Jar
Wis warehouses and yards, which cover
two city blocks at Twelfth, Thirteenth
and Provost streets. Jersey City, the
fire destroyed the Erie Railroad repair
shops, adjoining the storage plant,
spread to the yards of the Erie and
Lackawanna Railroad and destroyed
twentyfour freight cars laden with
supplies for the Allies and fifteen loco
motives.
After burning for nine hours the
flames at a late hour last night con-
tinued to illumine the Jersey shore,
and tiremen and apparatus drawn from
every available fire house were still
working to prevent them from spread
ing.
No known Loss of Life
Sixty employees of the Jarvis plant
and 1000 workers in the Erie repair
shops, including eight women ma
chinists,. were said to have been &C
counted for, ands no lives, so far as is
known, were lost.
Hundreds of railroad workers and
freight handlers were at work near
the storage plant when the first explo-
sion occurred, and whether they were
able to gain places of safety will not
be known until to-day.
What precipitated the disaster is
mystery, but employees of the Jarvis
plant agree that the fire started before
the first explosion wrecked the main
building of the plant. Thus those en-
gagged in the building were able to seek
safety.
Explosions Alarm New York
Exactly at 8 o'clock the first ex-
plosive blast shook the Jersey shore
with terrific violence and startled
Manhattan. A dense cloud of thick.
oily smoke rose from the Erie yards
and. borne by a brisk west wind, rolled
across the river TO Manhattan, settling
over and darkening the territory be-
tween Chambers and Wall streets and
spreading Brooklynwards across the
East River.
The explosions we're the most vio-
lent felt in New York since the Black
ION disaster. The noise alarmed
workers in the lower section of the
city, many of whom-their nerves at
nigh tension over the war-believed
manhattan had been attacked by Ger
man airplanes or submarines. Many
windows were shattered by the second
detonation.
i, In Jersey City the force of the ex
rlosions reduced three frame buildings
200 feet from the Jarvis warehouse to
splinters; rocked Hoboken and left but
little glass IN the neighborhood.
Blasts Hurl Debris into Air
me first detonation was followed at
intervals ora few minutes by four other
equally violent explosions, and Gin
osTs, sparks, wood splintcrs and other
OBJECTS thrown up by the blasts were
..siaed upon river craft and, carried by
me WIND, fell upon the startled crowds
~ ~ fark Row and lower Broadway.
kfesidents Of the congested sections Of
seTsey City, foreigners for the most
part we're terror stricken, and dismay
prevailed along the Manhattan water
atoht until the source of the explo-
sions was learned. Pcdestrians. with
aeports OF German long distance guns|
aho pfonised air raids in mind, gazed
@.pprenensiyely upward until the blasts
wwsre traced by the smoke clouds TO
New Jersey.
Fire Started in New York
.. sparks, borne across the river, fred
ne IRE Railroad ferry-house 1T the
10Y oi Chambers Street, and did 81. 800
aamaxe before IL conId be extin.
xuished. The Southern Pacific lighter
congress, loaded with general rner-
ssnandiss for Boston. aIxo wan igniteI
pises Of glowing wood which fell
Ipto its hold. Tugs and lighters, un-
ger bombardment, scurried 10 safety.
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