Evening star., 1918-05-19

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room when the blast came" he said.
without warning l started up and
up until l lost consciousness. When
/ hit the ground l came to, and my
two friends landed about a hundred
feet from me. 1 got to my feet and
injured man. l put him on my back
and started from the plant when the
second explosion occurred"
The explosion hurled burning embers
in every direction for almost a mile.
and oil derricks were set afire, adding
iagration. Pumping on oil operations
was stopped and sand was thrown on
the burning derricks to extinguish the
flames.
Parts of Bodies Found Mile Away.
Tonight portions of human bodies are
being picked UP mile and more from
the plant. Residents ABOUT Rennerdale
reported seeing the bodies of men fly
ing through the air, and early tonight
arms and legs were being reported
along the railroad tracks three-fourths
of a mile from the Aetna plant.
During the afternon. while the Red
Cross parade was being held here the
Of white robed women knew
nothing of what had happened at their
very door. In some of the streets some
curiosity was aroused as to the reason
for an open lane through the streets of
the line of march. This was ordered
and was strictly enforced by
the police to give rapid and free access
to the various hospitals where the
wounded were being carried from the
hospital trains.
The fire that followed the explosion
was probably as deadly as the rea!
blast. although precaution prevented
it taking it's toll of human life. Resi-
Of no
describe the scene as one resembling
the eruption of a volcano. Huge
clouds of yellowish brown smoke rose
in the air in dense volume, carrying
with it a suffocating gaseous fume
that spread over the countryside.
These fumes and those of sulphuric
acid that had been released kept on
any one who would attempt to get to
the plant on rescue work.
Troopers of the state constabu1arv.
who were early ordered on the scene
from the Bridgeville station, ARRANGED
from the plant. ind tonight the deadly
fumes are so heavy that no cne has
been able to approach within that dis
tance.
cakdale Described as Living He'll
DR.. J. A. Hanna. a Pennsylvania
railroad surgeon in charge of the first
relief train which brought the injured
to this city. described Oakdale as a
Giving he'll lie said that when his
train left the stricken community the
flames were shooting 900 and 400 feet
into the air and threa tening TO on
gulf the town. He said his train had
to race through the flames to pass an
tank of T. N. T. and at
repetition of the former blasts
DIR. Hanna said he saw children ly-
ing dead on the hillsides mile away,
and that relatives and friends of en-
ployes of the plant tried to storm
through the barred zone in an effort
killed. DR.. Hanna was struck by
flying piece of iron about two miles
from the plant.
When the injured began to arrive
at the railroad station in Pittsburgh
the Red Cross procession was at it's
height. Without waiting to finish the
line of march seventy-fve registered
Red Cross nurses. awaiting orders to
go to France, left the line of march
and. under the direction of Miss
Catherine Cat a Dempster, secretary Of the
first-aid stretchers
being carried in the parade. proceed
ed to the station and the various hos
pitfalls, nursing forces of which have
been depleted by the war.
Sheriff w. S. Haddock. with a corps
of deputies, have established head
quarters about the scene of the ex-
plosion. and are prepared to remain
days until their duties have been car
ried out
No Verification Of Number Dead.
Absolutely no confirmation of the
estimated number Of deaths was yet
and many of those killed
were consumed by the flames and
their deaths never will be definitely
beyond being reported
missing" Six rescuers are reported
to have fallen into a burning stream
of sulphuric acid. but their names are
not known.
The communities within half a score
of miles of the scene of the explosion
tonight are in high state of nerv-
BUSINESS. Two large tanks of T. N. T.
another powerful explosive. still
stand, and there is great fear that
these will let go at any minute. No
one is permitted to approach them
within half a mile.
Communication with the stricken area
tonight is most precarious and infre-
quent. All wires. telephone and tele-
graph, were carried down, with the ex-
ception of one wire, which is in great
danger. and the greater part of the
time is Communicated by state and
government officials. Debris covers the
tracks Of the. Pennsylvania railroad.
blocking the Panhandle division, SO
that it is reported no trains will be able
to get through to Columbus, Ohio. for
twelve hours.
This is the eleventh fatal explosion
or fire in the Aetna chemical plants
since war broke out in Europe These
plants are located in this section Of
miles of Pittsburgh. The previous ex-
plosions have claimed total of twen-
ty-six victims.
Coroner Samuel C. Jamison tonight
ordered q census of the town in an
effort to ascertain the number of
an Office. and through circulars dis
tributed throughout the valley called
upon all survivors to register with
out delay. 1t also asked persons
whose relatives are missing to report
the fact to the company. The office
timekeeper of the works. who said
he had his time sheets in his hand
when the explosion occurred. and In
spite of the fact that he was blown
through his office door, he succeeded
in saving them. General officers of
stated. were expected to reach here
tomorrow.
A detail of mine rescuers from the
arsenal station of the United States
bureau Of mines. arrived in Oakdale
tonight, and. equipped with oxygen
helmets. were prepared to penetrate
the dense mass Of gas, which still
overhangs the site of the plant, in
the search for bodies.
NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP