Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-10-19
THE INVESTIGATION MUST GO ON

vL1 work # reconstruction of the Gillespie shell loading
plant at Morgan goes OF apace it is gratifying to know that N move
,nent q have a thorough investigation of the terrible explosion tht
occurred two weeks ago is not being overlooked. This matter Is fr
too serious to be ignored. While everything must be done TO hlp WIN
the var there must be assurances that the lives of the thousands o.
people living in this vicinity will not be placed In any more Ieop"iu'
than is absolutely necessary.
nr .oupr ve all realize shat as long IS these great munition and
shell loading plants ire located all about the city there is danger. That
isa chance we take for the sake of winning the war. bt W e aus DC
: assured that every precauton is being taken to give us the utmost
nrotoctio The haste that is Sc manifested in the reconstruction now
going OF is only a repetition of the rapidity Of the erection of the or
ipinal plant. Where there is so much speed there is a grave possiDi-
ity of carelessness; thoroughness is sometimes sacrificed for speed
But in the handling of deadly explosives such chances ought 0 to DC
taken and Perth Amboy, South Amboy and other nearby places want
to be absolutely assured that n chances are being taken.
It must be confessed that the people have had their confidence
in the Gillespie concern pretty well shaken and there is IN inchna-
ton to desire something more substantial than the mere sayso of that
company's officials before they will be contented'
Furthermore, the people hereabouts, as well as the people of New
York and other large cities within the metropolitan area, want
definite assurances that the T N T is being scattered more; that here
after there will not be o much of the helish stuff collected in one
place and that adequate guards-soldiers, if you please-wll b on
guard over the magazines all the time. The people have a right to de,
- and this and they do so demand. They are prepared to prove that
Such precautions are necessary for their future safety.
We look to Congressman Scully's congressional investigation to
start work shortly and the good work being done by Prosecutor
Stricken in preparing the matter for the grand jury is also most graf
flying to the people of Middlesex county. These Investigations can
depend upon every assistance that the people of this vicinity can fur
nish, and WE understand that already some valuable information has
been secured.
Backing up the action of the Perth Amboy Council of Defense
in criticizing the management of the Gillespie plant in the past and
in calling for more adequate protection in the future, action has been
taken by the Middlesex County Board of Freeholdcrs, the borough
councils at Matawan and Keyport, the township committee of Sayre-
vile and the council of South Amboy is to follow suit. Even New
York city officials are being interested along this line and, with that
greet ctv in such danger that traffic on the bridges and in the sub
ways had to be stopped, there is every reason why New York should
be deply interested.
If we have got to live in the midst of the greatest munition works
in the world, we at least want positive assurances that every precau-
ton is being taken to make living here a safe as it can possibly be
made under the circumstances. Such assurances we have not had in
the past from sources in which the people have confidence. They in
tend to have such assurances in the future, however, and will insist
upon the Investigations aud will continue to agtate their claims until
the recognition due them is afforded.