Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-05
Blasts of T. N. T. Shatter
Windows in New York,
Twenty Miles Away.

New York, Oct. 5.-After
more than eighteen hours Of
terror with scenes graphical
by resembling those i'm war
devastated France, dozen
towns In northern New jersey
were in a shattered condition
this afternoon as cOnse-
quence of the munitiOn disaster
which visited the district last
night with trail OF tremen-
dOus explosions and raging
fires which continued through
out today.
At the $4,000, 900 shell max
ing plant of T. A. Gillespie and
company, situated at Morgan,
n. j., producing ammunition
for the American and allied ar
mics, an explosion from an IN
known cause scattered fire
brands among tons Of triRitrO-
tOluOl, the most powerful eX-
plOsiVG known.
Detonation followed upon deton-
alton and these repeatedly sboog
the terrain for a radius Of 81
miles, this territory including New
York City, where buildings were
shraken and glass was shattered,
With the situation at Morgan
this afternoon such that firemen.
soldiers, sailors and civilian work
ers found it impossible to penetrate
to a zone within two miles OF the
Gillespie plant, no definite esti-
mate coulG be made of the number
of persons who perished. The
flames burned unopposed at the
Gillespie shops and were threat
ening with destruction two other
great munition plants in the vi
cinity
Perth Amboy, Oct. .. - With
flames raging among the buildings
where explosions occurred an
night long at the great shell-1oad
ing plant OF T. A. Gillespie and
company at Morgan, n. j.. indica-
tions at 10 a m today, more than
twelve hours after the first de-
tonation, we're that perhaps hun
dreds OF persons had perished
OF the company's 1000 night shift
employees only 10l had been defn-
itely accounted for. II hours after
the first detonations shook Morgan
and surrounding territory as far
as New York City, where tho shock
rocked houses and shattered win
Gows
Whether the 1900 unuccounted
for were dead or merely had fed.
it was impossible TO determine
Firemen were fightins the flames
and scattered shells were eypiod-
ing and all energies were devoted
to averting a worse disaster. The
task of trying to learn how many
were killed aud who we're saved
had to be left in allegiance.
Men Blown To Pieces,
While unofficial estimates placed
the number OF known fatalities aL
l27 at 1890 a. m, an officer OF the
Gillespie company expressed tine
opinion that the death list would
prove 10 be much smaller The
unofficial figures were based upon
statements Of persons who declar-
ca that "a men perished tn the urst
explosion last night and That %
fircmen, including their chief, nam
ed Donohue. and is guards at the
Gillespie plant were blown 20
pieces when one of the buildings
exploded at a. m
Parties OF exhausted men have
been struggling into Jersey villages
all night with appeals for cots for
burned and mutilated employees and
fremen at Morgan
People Rush Out OF Town.
Thousands of people had hur-
r.ed away from Morgan and SUR
rounding towns during the night.
leaving many communities today
virtually without resident papuIu-
tions and il was considered prob
able that with these went many OF
the Gillespie employees as yet anac-
counted for
Telephone communications with
Morgan was suspended by the re-
peated conclusions and this sltua-
tion made the obtaining or aHl-
uuate details almost impossible.
The company's officials were eu-
gagged this forenoon iu trying ID
determine the whereabouts OF tGt
employees. No eXamiuat.o Of tha
runs has been made Here AMI
there body MAS drawn o1f Tls
Continued On Page EiyeJ