New Britain herald., 1918-10-05

ana coupled It to the tram, ana LOOK the cars out of the danger zone. As his task was completed, q shell struck him and he was killed.
 Wives Seek Husbands. Tn contrast with the thousands of townspeople who fled, the wives and other relatives of employees hurried into the vicinity of the Gillespie plant and became frantic upon learning that hundreds might have been killed. Throughout the night these persons refused to leave the district and were kept away from firesWept ruins only by the military guards.
 While unofficial estimates placed the number of known fatalities at 137 at 10:30 a. m.. an officer of the Gill lespie Co. expressed opinion that the death list would prove to be much smaller.
 The unofficial figures were based upon statements of persons who de- clared 94 men perished in the first eX- plosion last night, and that 25 fire men, including their chief, named Donohue and eighteen guards at the Gillespie plant were blown to pieces when one of the buildings exploded at 3 a. m.
 Another semi official estimate placed the death list at ten, with a declaration that virtually the entire working force, except few in the building where the explosion occur red, fled ahead of the succeeding blasts.
 The American Red Cross has begun relief work among refugees and in 1Hred.
 X fEFn mil fnt the greatest force Of the original ex- plosion and the military guard there ordered everyone to leave the town as a precaUtiOn. Tue residents most of whom had been in terror throughout the night, did not need formal urging, and the roads to Perth Amboy and other towns were packed with people, all hurrying to escape the danger zone. Earlier in the evening, power ful shells of various calibres, destined for use of the Allied armies, had been hurting through the town. Various units of the New Jersey State Guard were called upon to protect the homes of people who had fled.
 Until dawn today firemen, guards men and rescue parties were unable to approach the ruins of the plant and search for bodies of the victims, on account of the ever-present danger of exploding shells and ammunition.
 Officials Deny Spy Story.
 The cause of the explosion is not known. Rumors were circulated that spies or alien enemies were re- sponsible, but these were promptly discounted by officials.
 The extent of the property loss has not vet been estimated by the com pany officers. The plant is said to have been valued at $1S,00O,0O0.
 Buildings are being blasted to stop the spread of flames which were said to be raging in some of the buildings at 9:30 q. m. At that hour only 101 of the company's 2, 900 night shift en- ployes had been accounted for. Scores of injured have been sent to hospitals at Elizabeth and Railway.
 Other Plants Threatened
 At II o'clock today flames and sparks from the Gillespie plant were threatening two other big munition places known as the Oliver and Cali fornia plants. Hundreds of soldiers, sailors, Gillespie employees and civilian volunteers were endeavoring to avert an even greater destruction.
 As a measure of precaution the au- thorities ordered the evacuation of all towns within a ten mile radius of Morgan.
 Persons in a party of IS refugees arriving at one of the towns said that before the first explosion occurred last night they saw an airplane lowering over the Gillespie plant