The sun., 1918-11-16
SHIPS STACKING FOR
MORGAN TINT STORES
Large Quantity on Hand When
Explosion Destroyed 49,
155,839 Pounds.
PLANT WAS BUILT BY U. S.
Investigators Learn Company
Did Not Spend a Dollar
i'm Construction.

| The reason such large quantities Of
explosives were stored at Morgan, n. J..
at the time of the explosion. October 4
was that the United States Government
( was unable to get ships for the trans.
portation Of munitions. This was re-
vealed yesterday before the Senate CON-
mittee investigating the explosion.
10 Millions of tons of amatol. said the
witnesses, were manufactured at the
plant; and when sea transports could
not be procured for it the plant man.
| ayers had to store much of 1t In the
immediate vicinity. INT and nitrate
OF ammonia were stored for the same
reason.
In a word, said the witnesses. had
the Govsrnfnon: been able to move tho
output with the speed that had been
expected much OF the damage caused
by the explosion would not have taken
place. The consequent loss of life, 1t
was also asserted, would have been re-
duced under proper shipping conditions.
Nice-president f. A. Yates of the T.
\. Gillespie Company was in the wit
ness chair most OF the day. Senator
Frelinghuysen asked him Mt length con-
corning the financial arrangements of
his company with the Government. 1t
was shown that the company did not
put dollar into construction.
Government Financed Work.
T..- Government financed the work
on a basis OF cost plus 10 per cent. for
the promoters. Under the first construc-
ton contract the company received 10
per cent. OF the gross expenditures and
under the second agreement IL received
per cent. The Government spent 312,-
100000 on the plant, OF which the Gill
lesp.e company received Sl,200.000 in
commissions.
Mr.. Yates said that T. A. Gillespie.
president of the company, received S12,-
600 year for experimenting the con-
struction and that like amount was
paid to Major Armstrong of the British
army as an expert in construction work.
Senator F-elinghuysen wanted to know
why British officer should have been
employed on such terms.
THE Ordnance Department advised
his employment" replied Mr.. Yates.
1t was shown that 12.155,S39 pounds
or explosives were destroyed by the
blast out OF a total on hand OF $685.
0Ia pounds. and that ,000 pounds was
loaded on cars on sidings OF the plant.
do you consider that this afforded a
menace to life and property in the sur
rounding country asked the Senator.
YES" said the witness.
No Control Over Raw Material.
"Why did you allow that amount to be
kept on the carS?'
I'VE had no other place 10 put II. We
had no control over the raw material
which the Government kept sending 10
the plant. Magazines designed to hold
10000 pounds of INT or nitrate am
monia actually held 265,00O. Others de-
signed to hold 100000 pounds actually
held 400, 900 pounds. The Government
should have shipped consignment Sep
TENDER &c. but could not get the neces-
sary tonnage, and the output piled up al
the plant We kept manufacturing and
the Government kept sending the raw
material There was nothing left for us
10 do but allow the finished product 10
accumulate"
The committee took short recess and
viewed the plant. At the close OF the
session adjournment was taken for a
week, when the questioning OF witnesses
will be resumed. Senator F>elinghuysen
will continue the investigation alone next
Thursday
Fifteen witnesses called by the COM
paIy will be heard. and conclusion of
the hearing is expected within a week
from next Saturday.