Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-23
KNOWN DEAD
AND 81 MISSING
Result Of Explosion Wrecking
the Aetna Chemical Com.
pany's Plant
"a MEN ARE INJURED
Country II Desolate for An Area Of
Several Miles, Around shattered Ex.
ploSiveA Factory at Oakdale. Pa.

Pittsburg, Pa, May 19.-Ftfty six
men are known to be dead. 81 injured
and in hospitals, and 81 employees of
the Aetna Chemical company are
missing as a result of the nine ex-
plosions yesterday that wrecked this
plant at Oakdale. sixteen miles from
this city. The report Is the result Of
the days Investigation by State.
federal. county and city officials and
Of the work Of scores Of men under
direction Of Coroner Samuel c.
Jamison.
Throughout the night and all day tn.
day men were extinguishing small
fires in the debris and vera bringing
out remnants Of human bodieH legA
and arms, hands with finger rings on
them. and In some instances only the
moderated torsos were found. In some
cases Identification was possible. but
in most of them there was nothing
to indicate tho identity Of the victim.
These gruesome recoveries were car
rid to the temporary morgue In
buckets where every opportunity to
view them was given anyone that
might have lost friend or relative In
the disaster.
While earlier explosions wrecked the
plant, the last one about $780, blew the
piles Of debris clear Of the ground and
scattered them over moro acreage than
before and blackening every piece OF metal
or timber az we'll as anything human.
beyond recognition.
All day a blue brown smoke continued
to hang over the ruins considerably i'm.
peding the work Of the searchers. Its
deadly fumes are feared by the residents
Of the community. and only when slight
breeze would lift the smoke would search.
ers be able to get close to the various piles
Of debris.
For a time the work was impeded further
by the thousands Of sightseers that flocked
to the scene from the surrounding coun-
try. Automobiles blocked all roads to and
from the place and another company Of
| the State constabulary was rushed In
| automobiles from Greensburg. to estab-
the disaster. The crowds were ordered
| back and automobiles we're turned back
| when they had reached within fve miles
of Oakdale. Later a complete Gordon en-
crcled the plant a mile and half and
only those having business. or the oni-
Gals were admitted past the guards.
Thousande Of persons streamed into
the temporary morgue all day to view
the gruesome finds from the ruins. and
1t took a specia! detail of police to
keep this morbid element in check.
| The country to-day is desolate for
an area Of several miles around the
plant where the former beautiful green
hillsides have been scared and burned
by the blasts. The meadows and fields
have been scared. and fruit and shade
trees have been blasted and denuded OF
their foliage.
Federal officers. representing the
department Of Justice to-day ordered
the arrest OF two men who were pho
|tographing the ruins and who are
charged by a woman with making
seditious remarks. A special police
man employed by the Aetna Chemical
company arrested two men early to-
day as they were about to hurry away
from the plant on a motorcycle. The
names and charges upon which these
men are held are withheld by Officials
pending investigation.
Miss Meryl Aschelman. the graduate
nurse from St. Johns hospital who wal
caught In one of the explosions. while
doing rescue work yesterday was re
ported to-day to be in a fair way e
recovery. despite the loss of one les
that was blown off.
Up to tonight III Of the $50 employer
Of the plant had registered at the tenn
porary headquarters established for thi'
purpose.
The cause Of the explosion had not beer
determined tonight by the many ofiicial
and explosives experts seeking to solv'
the cause. although It was stated tina
H. l.. Wollenberg. general manager o
the company. who arrived from New Yorl
this morning. probably would make
statement tomorrow.
The interests Of the United States gov
eminent is being looked after by arm,
and navy officers and representatives o
the bureau Of mines.
Coroner Jameson questioned w.
Sanderson. assistant superintendent o
,, the plant but Sanderson was unable I
account for the explosion. He said h
thought II occurred in a tank Of tulou
He said some mon were unloading tw
cars Of T. N. T. when the blast came an
, that the men were all killed. Nigh
I Superintendent Keller also was unabl
to account for the explosion. and sal
there was between $4,000 and $500
pounds Of high explosive in the plar
I at the time