The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-06
WRECKED TOWN
NOW DESERTED
Amboy Villagers Flock to
Neighboring Places Where
Welcome Awaits Them.
BRAVE IN THEIR MISERY
Red Cross and Y. NJ. @. A,
Give Splendid Emergency
Service to Refugees.


One old man. who refused to be
budsed, and Chief Of Police Macdonald
we're the only inhabitants OF South Am
boy who remained in the wrecked village
last night. Before the dreary twilight
fell the gray uniformed girls Of the Red
Cross Motor Corps had whisked away
the last of the bewildered. homeless
PEOPLE, and the town that got the worst
Of the fearful explosion at Morgan was
4 deserted village indeed.
But through the roads and felds
everywhere toward Perth Amboy and
Woodbridge and Elizabeth and the other
communities that lie 90 thick in that
7 part Of New Jersey trickled streams Of
human misery--mothers and fathers.
scls babies, frightened children clutching
,tIll more frightened dogs; old. old peo-
pie lettering along. all with the same
dsred expressions on their faces. az II
they scarcely realized what had hap
pnsd.
A great noise, a great glare. the win
dows crashing in upon them-and then
out they were upon the streets, parents
separated from children. wives from hus-
bands. everything confusion and horror.
y All the horrors of war were there. in
| dsed, except the worst horror-German
soldiers. But in the minds OF all who
could gather their wits together hung
the same black cloud Of certainty that
the enemy had caused this disaster.
None could explain why. but "this thing
was all planned out" was what one
heard everywhere.
Red Cross Mobilises Quickly.
The training American women and
men have had in war work had
chance to show its mettle yesterday, and
nobly 1t stood the test The Auantic
division of the Red Cross mobilixed all
its forces Immediately upon the news
OF the explosion, and early In the after
noon twenty-five ambulances. carrying
doctors, nurses and workers went from
New York. Newark Red Cross sent an
other twenty-five ambulances ana q
hsedouarters was established in the
Board of Trade Building on Smith
street, Perth Amboy. But that tells .
small part OF the tale Of mercy.
1t seemed as II every woman who
could drive car was on the spot. carry
Ing refugees. feeding refugees. trying to
comfort and direct the scared people.
OF course every Y. NJ. c. A. building.
Cery church and armory and city hall
within miles around was opened to take
In the 1000 homeless people. to say Moth
Ing Of many private homes But 1t was
no easy thing to gather them In. No
one will ever know how many slept Gut
In the cold woods last night. You
couldn't ride three rods anywhere In the
outskirts OF the towns without seeing
desolate parties on lawns and in fields.
And as long as daylight lasted most OF
them walked, Just walked. seeking miss
ing relatIves-or walked, they didn't
know why, refusing offers Of help. dimly
hoping they would be allowed to 90
back to their wrecked homes
T. Up and down Smith street. in Perth
Amboy. wandered a decent looking
woman of middle age. leading by the
right hand her father. past 70. and by
the left hand a feeble, tottering mother.
The strained look on their faces caught
the attention Of Motor Corps girl. and
she stopped her car. already loaded with
refugees, to ask them II she couldn't take
them somewhere to rest The woman
said their name was Leonard and they
we're from South Amboy.
Seek Their Missing Soldier.
But we've got to find my brother"
she insisted. Hes q soldier and he had
leave from Camp Dix. He was sick last
night. very sick, and when the explosion
came and the doors were blown In. and
the windows and we all got cut. we
thought the world was at an end-and
when I come to my senses my brother
was gone"
Come" said the girl motorist sooth-
ingly, come and let US put your father
and mother where they can rest and get
some coffee and then your brother will
De found, Surely he can 20 back to
Camp Dix"
obstinately the old people and the
lister shook their heads. Frank didn't
nave his pass to go back to camp, he's
got 10 get 1t from the doctor" they
urged. And then they stumbled on.
weary. hungry. slipping on the piles of
shattered glass, peering into the face of
every uniformed man In the hope that
II might be Soldier Frank.
Then there was Sarah Boyce and her
lost Liberty bonds. A lone woman 10
sarah and she worked in the Hercules
powder factory. With the savings from
her wages she had bought Ave $50 bonds.
And tonight she knows she will never
Zee them again.
She was tramping slowly along Smith
Street, dead tired. a plain woman with
work marked hands. and to the Red
Sross girl who invited her to go to the
l' headquarters and get coffee she
turned deaf ear.
All 4
was muttering over and over. my
home? No: I didn't have no home
Just had two rooms near the mum.
uons' but everything / had was there
ana my five bonds that ! scrimped 90
buy in the bureau drawer. And
Ney didn't give me no time to get them
ana here l am with only the clothes on
my back"
The soldiers will save the bonds. y
some one told her. but she plodded on
with hopeless misery in her faded eyes
All gone. all gone" she was repeat.
ing In her dull monotone as she drifted
from sight
Blow Heavy to the Sick.
But worse losses than that there were
a. towns of the size of the wrecked
villages there are always sick peopl,
ana Friday nights experiences there
were not good for the sick. One italian
nan and wife whose name could moi
pe learned had two children very II
win influenza. They hadn't much
money but what they had they carried
olt OF their wrecked home with tn,
Two sick children
- With their little roll OF money they
rrred a taxicab and started toward
seWark and a hospital. On the way thu