Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-27
NEWS OF THE DAY
At NEW CASTLE
Two Men Killed and Five Others
Hurt in Shell Explosion at
Bethlehem Plant.
arerial Correspondence of Every Evening

arecial Correspondence of Every Evening
New Castle, July 27.-Two men met
death Yesterday afternoon as the result
of the explosion of 6-lnch shell at the
loadinq piant of the Bethlehem Steel Co,
below here. They were John >. McNeal,
whose home town is variously gwen MS
scranton and New York. and Frederick
NIc(;ibbon about whose hallIng port
there is also indohnItcncSs, being gwen
as 226 New Castle avenue and delaware
CITY. McNeal was killed instantly and
AIc(iibbon died not long after the ac-
.,idcnt in Delaware Hospital. Wilmington,
where he was taken in the company ann
bulancc.
Five other men were injured by the ex-
plosion. among them being John Hickey,
Harry Wallace and Elmer Walrick.
Part of the roof of the building was torn
on hv the bursting she'll and following
the explosion n fire broke out III the press
room. The flames were soon cXtinguIshCd
hv the company fire department. no
whistle Of the plant was blown for several
minutes. notifying the people ot the hre,
and a number of the residents here rushed
TO the scene. but they were not permitted
IL enter the building. 1t Is sald that tne
shell which exploded was iight-"'lRht
one. and while an additional amount "I
powder was being pressed INTO II cN-
plodcd flying into hundreds OF pieces i,
Superintendent PariS 81 the plant s'a'cd
last night that he could give no estimate
OF the damage done aside from the death
OF the two men, hut II IS not thoueht ~ "
very considerable sum.
When the explosion occurred there was
a mad rush for places ut safety and the
excitement among some ot the employees
was 50 great that Il was thought best 10
moi attCtnDt 10 resume operations before
Monday. when all needed repairs Will be
completed
There was . sharp explosion heard
throughout New Castle and adjacent ter
rltnry and the room was filed with smoke
The firc fighting force of the plant nj once
respondc,l "a the call and soon located the
body of McNcal, whose death was m
stantaneous, and that Of Frederick Nc
Gibbons, who w:lS stlil ahvc.
Yesterday morning NJ II oclock the
neo1,lr of this CITY were alarmed by the
fIouirr of tho whistle NJ the Raldt plant
~ the Pcnn-Scahoard Steel Corporation
Everybody thought that the cause ct the
alarm was a FIRE or accident at the plant
but il happened 10 hc Just tire driil-
The men quickly responded 70 the two
long blasts Of the whistle, and IN five
minutes time had hose carriages out hose
unrccIcd and the plug stream on. An cN-
relIcnt SUNNY Of water was gotten from
the mains leading from the Delaware
river The stream was thrown more than
100 feet
The Nlldcl baseball team Of Whining
tor will hc the attraction at the BATTERY
Park grounds against the New Castle
Reserves today The game will start
promntly at : o'clock The lineup OF the
reserves will he as follows Finder eat cher,
frecburv or Shaw. pitchers Gallagher
first base Chase, second hase, Proud.
short stop; Kern, third base McleVltt,
lpft field: Rothrock, center field; Cramm,
right field
il, Ross Farra, the local labor agent,
was in the city Yesterday and visited the
various plants lie also secured list Ct
the men who are clasSed as ldicrs and
elackers He said they must work 81
fight. He has rounded up q number Of
this class of men. and on Monday Will
send them to the various plants for en-
pl0yment
Rev John R. Bicking, pastor Of Naza-
roth VI l.. Church. announces the follow
ing services for tomorrow lass, . . m.
sunday school, 10 q. m preaching by
the pastor. 4 NJ Subject, Following
Christ !" Baraca class. p. N young
peoples meeting, go p m, preaching
bN the pastor. p m. Subject, bleSsee
i the Man
Lost on Monday, July IS, while goinl
from Fourth street II Delaware stree
wharf. gold breastpn, containing TIVE
pearls and a sapphire Reward If returne'
to Miss Mary 1oman Adv,