Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-06
DEATH TOLL IN
MuN|T|ON PLANT
EXPLOSIONS 50
Injured Number $50; Proper
ty Loss Twenty Million.
Army Officers Inves.
tigating Disaster.

Fertn AmOoy, N. e, Oct. Army
officers investigating the explosions
which wrecked the great shell load
ing plant of the 7. A. Gillepsie COM
pany at Morgan, estimated tonight
that the dead would number not
more than so and the injured $50.
The property loss probably will ap-
proximate between $lS,00O,000 and
$20,000000.
Late today it was believed danger
of greater devastation by the blow
ding up of stores of trinitrotoluol
was virtually over. All that sub
stance left unexploded is buried in
underground caissons along the
bank Of Cheesequake creek, upon
which the plant is located or is
loaded on four barges tied up at
the company docks along that
stream.
Army officers reported, after re-
connaissance by airplane, that the
location OF the boats and store hous-
es is such that they believed there
was slight probability it would be
exploded either by fire or concus-
sion.
South Amboy in Ruins.
With the passing of the menace
of an explosion around the plant
the problem of caring for the home
less became a serious one tonight
South Amboy, town of about
10000 population, four miles north
of Morgan, was virtually wrecked by
the series of blasts. Scarcely a
building in it remains habitable.
Many were unroofed and the walls
Of others blown in, while every pane
of glass was broken. More than
400 citizens decided to spend the
night there, however.
The Atlantic division of the Red
Cross established headquarters at
Perth Amboy this afternoon. Fifty
alnbuances from New York and
Newark, with corps of doctors and
nurses, arrived to take charge of
the situation. Eight central depots
were opened in churches, schools
and other public buildings. Com
Wandered automobiles and cars.
driven by members of the women's
motor corps from New York and
New Jersey. were sent out to pick
up fleeing refugees and bring them
back to the depots for shelter. The
Red Cross brought in from New
York five motor trucks loaded with
six toLj of supplies. The city AMI
all the territory around Morgan was
under military control with the state
guard in charge under the personal
direction of Governor Edge.
Women Panic Striker
Women who had been wandering
about the streets all day many of
them with children in their arms
received the reassuring news with
almost hystercal relief. The great
est difficulty has been experienced,
however, in quoting the fears of
those who have been vainly seek
ing news of husbands or relatives
who had been at work in the plant
when the first explosion occurred.
The cause of the first explosion
has not been definitely determined
and probably will not be until the
army completes its investigation
which is already under way. Off
GERS do not believe, however that
it resulted from over-heate1 T. N.
T. They are equally positive it
could not have been the work of
Germans spies, for they declare the
plant was the best guarded in the
United States. All employees had
been carefully investigated by the
secret service and they have been
constantly supervised
]. w Faust, assistant director of
civilian relief of the Red Corss esti-
mated that more than 1000 persons
had been made homeless by the hail
of shells and the force of the expio-
siohs. He believed between 10000
and $4,000 more had fled from their
homes, fearing disaster, and would
not return until all danger Is over. |
They present almost as much of a
problem as those who are actually
homeless.
Although South Amboy was hard
est hit by the blasts, many farmers
even nearer to the scene OF the dis
aster were heavy losers. The homes
which had been theirs before the war
began and the she'll loading plant
was built. were demolished.
Officers and enlisted men had
risked their lives for hours trying
to determine whether the stores of
explosives in the warehouse or on
the barges were in danger from the
flames which hmad swept through
the hundreds of buildings of the
plant which covers 200 acres, but
they had failed.
The signal corps was asked to
provide an airplane for observation
purposes and one arrived late in the
afternoon, manned by Major H. L.
Armstrong and Captain w. w. Wat
son. The machine circled around the
big tract surrounded with barbed
wire to aid the scores of armed
guards in keeping out trespassers.
Promptly upon hearing that the
plant would be rebdilt at once,
women employed in it and who
came here to escape danger, held a
meeting and decided unanimously to !
return to work as soon as the call
comes.
Many of US have boys over
there" said the chairman, land we
are all anxious to do our part to
aid In bringing the war to speedy
close. All of US know the danger
to which we are almost constantly
exposed, but it is nothing in COM
parison to that of our boys at the
front We want them to know there
will be no delay as far as we are
concerned"