davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
WOULD PAY MEN
FOR GUARD DUTY
Frelinghuysen's Interest in In
veStigation Aroused, De-
tense Council Hears

A brief meeting of the Perth, AM
boy Couh-N OF Defet SsasS<..li at
City Hall last night when the matter
of pay for the militia reserve for
services rendered while on duty dur
ing the explosion was again taken UP.
1t was announced that several of
the larger industries were going to
pay their men in full for the time
they were serving with the militia,
1t was decided to communicate with
all the employers of the men who
were on duty to ascertain their atti-
tude. AS the idea was to reimburse
the men for the time lost from work.
the city will be spared this expense If
the employers pay the men.
The council passed unanimously q
vots, of thanks and appreciation for
Major Antisell and his men for the
excellent services rendered; the ma
Jor was requested to convey to his
men the vote of the executive COM
mittee.
Mayor TenBroeck reported that as
result of the special committees
work regarding the protection of the
explosives still stored at Morgan a
detachment OF $50 United States
troops had been secured to do guard
duty about the Gillespie plant. In
bringing this about the valuable as
sistance of Congressman Scully was
secured and everything has been ac-
complished thus far that the commit
tee set out to do.
The mayor reported that he and
Chairman Adrian Lyon had been in
communication with Senator Freling-
huysen. who was in hearty accord
with the attitude taken by the Coun-
ell of Defense in regard to the Nor
gan plant and that he would, today.
introduce In the senate a resolution
somewhat similar to that already in
troduced by Congressman Scully in
the house. calling for q congressional
Investigation into the explosion. This
investigation will without q. doubt be
made and will be most thorough.
Efforts are also on foot to have
Mayor Hylan. OF New York. take up
the matter with the idea of getting
some direct action by the Board Of
Aldermen of the greater city.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
DRAW FOR PLACE
On THE BALLOTS
Candidates Positions Chosen
for General Election Ballots
by County Clerk

Under the new law, candidates are
not grouped on the official ballot ac-
cording to parties. A drawing is held
and their names appear In the order
in which they are drawn. ~
Such a drawing was held by County
Clerk b. M. Cannon at his office In the
county record building yesterday.
John Hanson of Perth AIHboy.
chairman of the Middlesex county
board of elections was present to rep
resent the Republican party and
County Chairman Thomas H. Hag-
gerty protected the interests OF the
Democrats
The result of the drawing is as fol-
lows:
u. S. Senator (Short Term).
James M. Reilley Socialist
Charles o. Hennessy, Democrat.
David Baird. Republican.
Grafton E. Day. Prohibitionist.
q. S. Senator (Long Term).
James NJ. Reilley,. Socialist.
George NJ. La Monte, Democrat
Grafton E. Day, Prohibitionist.
William ]. Wallace. Single Tax.
Walter e. Edge, Republican.
Congressman.
Robert Carson, Republican.
Thomas ]. Scully, Democrat.
James c. Mason, Prohibitionist.
State Senator.
Thomas Brown, Democrat.
f. Livingston Barbour, Prohipition-
list.
James A. Edgar, Republican.
Assembly.
Andrew Kirkpatrick. Democrat.
Albert ,Appleby, Republican.
Andrew Wight. Democrat.
Fred w. De Voc, Democrat.
John r. Dunham, Prohibitionist.
William w. Sellers. Prohibitionist.
Lloyd p johnson, Republican.
Charles e. TindeH. Republican.
J. Brognard Wright. Prohibitionist
Freeholders.
]. Edgar Bennett, Republican.
George g. Applegate, Republican.
Henry Warnsdorfer. Democrat
David NJ. Meeker. Prohibitionist.
Christ Jorgensen, Democrat.
Cyrus d. Greene. Prohibitionist
Coroner.
Samuel A. Van Vechten, Republican
William F. Harding. Democrat
James A. G~imstead. Prohibitionisf
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
SOLDIERS HURT
AS GAR STRIKES
CROSSING Gates

Three soldiers had a narrow escape
from death and were badly injured
about 10 o'clock last night when the
automobile In which they were riding
crashed into the crossing gates of the
Lehigh Valley and Central railroads
at Washington street because the
gateman had neglected to place a red
warning light on the gates and the
driver of the machine did not know
that. the gates were down until he had
struck them.
George Seanlon, of Lawrence.
Mass. the driver of the automobile.
was the most seriously injured of the
party. A piece of thd broken gate
jabbed him in the side and punctured
one of his lungs and otherwise badly
injured him. He is in the City Hospi-
tai in a precarious condition. Clyde
Ingle and Ted Churchill, both from
Base Hospital No. 9 of Lakewood. are
both badly injured.
Shortly after 10 o'clock last night
Word was received at police head
quarters that there had been a. seri-
Gus accident and that three men had
been badly hurt. Patrolman George
Kozusko was dispatched to the scene
with the ambulance and he took the
three soldiers to the hospital. 1ngle
and Churchill were kept at the hos
pital all night and this morning sent
to Lakewood.
According to the story told the
police by the soldiers they were COM
ing down Washington street from
Amboy avenue on the way to Lake
wood and did not know that the gates
were down until the automobile
struck them. They stated that the
only thing that saved them from in
slant death was the fact that they
were riding very slowly for II they
had been going fast the machine
would have gone not only through
the gates but right into a swiftly
moving freight train which was pass
ing at the time. The automobile,
new car, was badly damaged.
Complaint has been made many
times during the past few months to
the police by autoists regarding the
way the gates at this crossing are
handled. At times, as last night, they
are put down late at night without
any light and are kept down for a
long time and all the footing of auto
horns does not seem to make any
difference to the man who has charge
OF them for he nearly always fails to
raise the gates for long time and in
most cases 1t is a wait of from twenty
minutes to a half hour.
An investigation is now being made
by Chief Burke and the railroad off,
cials.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
YESTERDAYS LIBERTY LOAN PLEDGES TOTAL $4,000
COMPANIES PAY ALL
EXPLOSION CLAIMS

Every property owner who carried
explosion insurance at the time of the
recent explosion at Morgan is to have
his losses paid by the Insurance COM
panies regardless OF whether they
amounted to $40 or $4,000, provid-
ed he carried insurance sufficient to
cover the greater sum. This fact was
determined upon at a meeting of the
representative heads of all the leading
insurance companies in New York this
morning. Negotiations have been go
Ing on ever since the explosion to
bring this about, but 1t was not until
today that the definite facts were per-
mitted to become public.
In practically all explosion insur-
ance> policies there is clause which
says the company will be liable for
damage only to the extent OF 500 or
more. Thus, under the policy. there
was no obligation on the part of the
insurance companies 10 pay losses of
less than 800.
The insurance companies now agree
to waive this so-called "s100 clause"
and will settle all losses In full.
Explosion insurance is something
comparatively now in this country. II
has not been deemed necessary here
tofore because of the small likelihood
of explosions. At the time of the
Black Tom catastrophe very little ex-
plosion insurance had been written.
That set people to thinking. how
ever, andfwhen the Halifax disaster
took place. the desirability of having
explosion insurance especially in these
parts where explosives were being
handled on a large scale, became ap-
parent.
But 1t being something so new, even
the insurance companies had little
precedent to go by. This is really the
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
GRAND JURY To
PROBE DISASTER
Stricken Will Place Facts Be-
fore Body--BeIieve Workmen
Were Negligent at Morgan

A probe into the recent disaster at
Morgan is under way. This was ad-
mitted by Prosecutor Joseph e.
Stricken yesterday. The result of his
Investigations will be placed before
the grand jury at their next session.
October 25.
While the officials refused to talk.
some of the workmen have done SO
and one of the employees, a chemical
expert. has stated that the explosion
was caused by the overheating OF q
kettle of amitol which lis composed OF
INT and ammonia nitrate. and the
failure of workmen to food the kst-
tie with water when they discovered
the overheating.
Amitol sofidifies and must be melt
ed before 1t can be poured into the
shells. On the day of the explosion a
kettle holding fifteen hundred pounds
of the mixture was being reduced to
a syrup for shell loading when one of
the workmen discovered that 1t was
becoming overheated. The steam
with which they melt the stun was
shut off and efforts were made to save
the amitol but without avail and tho
first explosion followed.
This chemist stated that there was
a hose. nearby and had the workmen
used 1t t>the disaster would not have
occurred, although the kettle of ami
tol would have been rendered useless
1t Is probable the workmen realized
this and attempted to save the Kettle
until 1t was too late to save them
selves or the plant.
Word was received from Spotswood
today that secret service agents had
arrested q German named Charles
France, alias Frame, whom the de-
partment men claim may be able 10
throw some light on the explosion at
Morgan.
Suspicion was directed against the
man on the night of the disaster and
Investigation led to his arrest at the
Feldbaum home mestead where he is
making his home with his wife ana
three children.
When interviewed by the men from
the department of justice a large Ger
man flag was stretched across the wall
of one room and when told they would
take the flag he ref6rted that they
would have 70 take him also" His
arrest followed and he was turned
over to the authorities at Newark.
1t is understood that France Is
wanted in several places for his ac-
tivities since the United States entered
the war 1t Is known that he did not
register as an enemy alien which adus
to the case against him.
Frame was recently employed by
the California Loading Company at
Ernston, near the Morgan plant and
he will be questioned as to his where
abouts on the night of the explosion.
Mrs. Frame defended her husband
and displayed a Liberty Bond and
thrift stamps but they failed to I'M
press the officials.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
MASTER DRAFT LIST
IN HANDS OF BOARD

ceive theirs later.
All of the questionnaires are now
in order for numbering after the mas
ter list is checked Off as a number of
school teachers who volunteered their
services and were put to work with
good results so that the clerks of the
board can now go right ahead with
the checking of of the master list
and the numbering.
This city has been called upon to
send away seven men this week for
special service in the National Army.
One. John G. Clark, son of Alderman
John j. Clark, was sent away yester-
day afternoon. He was sent to the
medical supply department at New
York City.
Today Cornelius J. Kelly. Paul
Kemeny and William H McGinnis
will go to Lafayette College at Eas-
ton. Pa, for special course in me-
chanics. Tomorrow Edward Peterson
and John Reilley, of Jefferson street.
will go to the aircraft branch in New
York City.
A special call for a man for the
Military Aeronautic School at Garden
City, l.. l., was also received and
Anders Hansen, aged nineteen, who
registered on. September ~ this year,
volunteered to go. He is the first one
from this city of the new draft men
to go into the National Army.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15

first real test that explosion Insurance
mas had. Usually an explosion Is
looked upon as a great disaster ana
losses are either very large or so in
significant that they are not worth
bothering about. In this explosion,
however, the average property owner
Is the heaviest hit. Hundreds of
people who have taken the precaution
to take oAt explosion insurance find
themselves with n loss amounting to
anywhere from s25 to 800. But with
the clause in their policy exempting
the Insurance companies from paying
losses under 800 they find themselves
unable to collect anything.
The fact that so many small prop
erty owners were affected led Fred
]. Cox of the Boynton Brothers q
Company, who are among the largest
writer's of explosion insurance in the
state. to appeal direct to the heads of
the large insurance companies for
some consideration for the little fell
lows" Mr. Cox. through his position
as chairman OF the Executive COM
mittee Of the National Association OF
insurance Agents, was able to get into
direct touch with the leaders in the
insurance world and to impress thess
men with his plea. He first took the
matter up last Tuesday morning when
he got in touch with the committee
representing the insurance companies
having In charge the losses due TO ex-
plosions in this territory. His plea
was that this was great emergency,
that II was really the first real trial for
explosion insurance in this country
and that If the companies wanted to
make explosion insurance worth any,
thing In the future to the small prop
erty owner. tbe companies shouIi
CONTINUED on page 81
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15

The master list Of the draft num-
bers for the local draft men was re-
ceived by the Perth Amboy draft
board this morning and the work of
geeting things In shape for the class
ification of all men between>the ages
of nineteen and thirty-six was started
at once and will be rushed along as
rapidly as possible.
The master list contains the 1900
numbers pulled and this means that
Privates Charles X. Seaman, Jr., and
Philip Costello. clerks of the draft
board, will have to go over the list
and check off all numbers above the
highest number in the draft of Perth
Amboy. The highest Lumber here Is
$3.50.
The checking Off of the numbers
on the master list is no small task In
itself and after this has been done
and all of the questionnaires number
ed according to the master list num-
bers the draft board, which consists
of Mayor John F. TenBroeck, DIR.
Frank Q. Henry and City Clerk
Arthur Z. Graham will commence to
classify those who have registered
between the ages of nineteen and
thirty-six, these being the men who
were the first to receive the question
naires. No questionnaires have gone
to any men above the age of thirty
six as yet although the draft age limit
is forty-five. The older men Will re-
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
Rabld German Gets Six Months

Shortly before o'clock last night
Sergeant Morris at police headquar-
ters received word from Joseph Kils-
bey and DeBree Higgins, special po-
licemen at Plant No. l of the Roessler
e. Hasslacher Chemical Company,
that one of the night watchmen had
cursed the President and expressed
the hope that this country would lose
the war.
Detective Sergeant HUFF was detail
ed on the case and arrested LOUIS
Pneiderer, aged fifty-four. born N
Germany but an American citizen Tor
the last twenty six years.
When arraigned before ReesJder
Pickersgin the German did not deny
that he had made the remarks attii-
huted TO him and he was promptly
fned s175 or given the alternate OF
spending six months in jail, he was
placed in a cell and as he mas no
money II is likely that he VIII work
for the county for the next $50 days. .ha
Roy s. Hall, special agent OF u.
department of justice. was present AZ
tha hearing.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
.OSTEND MAY BE
OCCUPIED TODAY
BY THE BRITISH

Sv Associated PresS
WITH THE BRITISH IN BEL
GUM, Monday. Oct IA: 60 p. M.)-
Enemy resistance In Flanders, which
at FIRST appeared to be extremely Sc
we're, is reported to have been broken.
After the British assault there were
indications that the enemy was with
drawing his matefal from the coast
ceased firing.
The enemy artillery about Roulers
lost much of its effectiveness after the
allied attack. indicating that the Ger
mans had been Withdrawing their
guns The German rear guards were
overcome and furthermore the enemy
resistance was gradually growing
lighter as the assault progressed.
Among the prisoners taken was a
complete general staff and a battalion
commander.
The enemy has begun to blow up
materials which he could not remove
and the torch Is being applied to all
supplies that are abandoned by the
enemy.
The fact that the coast batteries
are not firing has given rise to the
rumor that the British naval forces
are operating off the coast. sOne re-
port went so far as to say that Os-
: tend was being evacuated by the en-
emy and has been entered by British
landing from the monitors. There
is no confirmation to these rumors.
Only thin enemy barage was en-
countered by the British during the
attack. South of Lichtervelde the
British have driven we'll to the east.
They have passed Roulers and are
still advancing. They are also operat-
ing quite distance east of the Menin-
Roulers road.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
LOAN WORKERS
ARE To CONFER
HERE TONIGHT

The grand total of fourth Liberty
Loan Bonds subscribed up to the
present time in this city was an
nounced this morning by Chairman
Adrian Lyon to amount to $1.44s,350.
This leaves $223,S50 still to be sub
scribed before the allotment OF
S1,672,200 Is secured here. The total
receipts yesterday amounted to s72.-
500.
With the cold figures s223,s50 STAR
ing the city in the face, being the
amount which must be raised before
Perth Amboy can consider her allot-
ment completed everyone must realize
where the city stands, and what great
work must be done between now and
the last Of the week IL we are to give
the boys in France the backing they
expect. Every bond counts now, and
special efforts are being made by the
committee to bring the campaign to
a successful close here.
A meeting of the executive commit
tee. captains and chairmen OF the
various committees will be held to-
night In the Liberty Loan headqaar-
ters at which time complete reports
will be made and the close of the loan
planned. When II is considered that
all but $223,S50 of the amount of the
loan has been raised, even in view
of the fact that 100000 damage was
done TO- property In this city Dy Inc
big Morgan Shell Loading plant ex-
plosion and the influenza epidemic
has made the holding of public meet
ings impossible, 1t shows that the
committee has worked increasingly
and that above all the turmoil tho
patriotism OF the people of this city
has stood the test.
A number of miscellaneous sub
scriptions were received yesterday
from the First National Bank. The
total amount received from this insti-
tuition was $4,000: the largest sub
scription included In this amount Is
that OF William Martin for $4,000.
Other large subscriptions turned in
by the bank were: r. L. Fowler. $500:
Garret Brodhead, $1,000: Edward
Kellar of New York. $1,000: Hamil-
ton F. Kean, $4,000: w. S. Weed.
$500; Castles Ice Cream Company.
$4,000; Modern Building & Loan As
sociation, $1,000.
Other subscriptions received yester-
day were Chesebrough Manu- featuring
esess4s,,zz.ys t25 1000: n. D.. wt..ing. dis
trict No. 8. S55U:-J--@%sr:-Krifg sz.505'.
r. s. Gill. $1,000; Fire Companies.
Nels Hanson, Captain. s1,0ee Carl
Jacobs. district No. 2s, 500: Po.ssh
Division. $4,000; John Peterson. dis
trict No. 6, $3.50.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
j. s. TRANSPORT
IS SUNK At PIER

By Associdted Press. ~
HOBOKEN, Oct. 15:--The Ameri-
can transport America sank at her
pier here this morning. She was re-
ported to have troops on board and
although details were withheld by
authorities, 1t was at first reported
that between thirty and forty of the
crew were drowned in the boiler
room.
The troops were reported all to
have been taken off safely. The cause
of the sinking is unknown bot 1t is
said that the ship was undergoing
interior repairs that may have in
some way had to do with the entrance
of water into her hold.
The transport was formerly the
Hamburg American passenger liner
America. She registers 22.622 tons
gross. She was taken over here when
the United States entered the war.
The vessel is $50 feet long and was
built in 1905.
With a navy crew on board the
ship has been In government service
acting as a troop transport.
The sinking occurred at o'clock
this morning while most of the troops
were still in their berths. In their
hurry to escape from the ship to the
pier most of them had no time to don
their clothes. The Red Cross were
called upon for assistance and soon
trucks filed with blankets and cloth
ing and food. also, arrived at the pier
for distribution among the shivering
soldiers
The sinking of the America makes
the second transport to, be put out of
commission in New York harbor since
the war. On April rs last the liner
st. Paul sank while being warped in
to her pier. Water poured into an
open portfolio and she turned over.
The st. Paul was not raised until
about two weeks ago.
Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-15
ON
THE WANE HERE
Meeting This Morning of AIT
Workers Who Are Trying to
QueII Epidemic

According to the various doctors of
the city the influenza epidemic here
continues to improve.
Mp statement could be obtained as
to tie conditions this morning from
the health department or Red Cross
authorities. as they refused to give out
any information until after a meeting
called at the East Jersey Club for 10
o'clock, was over.
The doctors, however, claim that the
epidemic. here has broken and that
the conditions continue to improve.
Although there are fewer new cases,
the doctors are busy with those suf-
fering from the after effects of the
disease. Many OF these cases have
turned into pneumonia and are caus-
ing the doctors a great deal of con-
cern.
Dr. Charles w. Naulty, Jr., United
States quarantine officer Is confined to
his bed with influenza and bronchitis
but Is expected to be able to be up
about the latter part OF the week.
Democratic candidate for state SEN
ator. Thomas Brown. who has been
seriously Ill with pneumonia, the re-
suit of an attack of Influenza, was re-
ported this morning to be greatly i'm
proved
Although the detail department of
the Atlantic Division of the Red Cross
which was dispatched to this city to
aid in taking care of the people who
suffered through the results of the ex-
plosion and influenza have returned
to headquarters In New York, the
doctors and nurses and several of the
ambulances still remain here caring
for the sufferers of the disease, and
aiding the people of the city to return
to their everyday life.
Many more deaths have occurred
during the past twenty-four hours
ending this morning from influenza
and pneumonia. There were eighteen
bodies at the temporary morgue at
State and Centre streets this morn
ing of those who had died during the
night. most of them being brought
are mostly of the foreign population
various big plants of the city
Mrs. Helen Nugey. twenty three
years old, formerly Miss Helen LIP
TAX, fell a victim to the disease. She
died on Saturday at the home of her
mother, Mrs. Rosa Liptak, S19 Good
win street. Her funeral was held this
morning with interment in st. Mary's
cemetery Mrs. Nugey's husband is
seriously i'll in Roosevelt.
All of the undertakers and embalm-
ers are still rushed and with the as
sistance OF out-of-town help they are
managing to take care Of all cases
that they have on hand. 1t Is i'm
possible to get the exact number OF
deaths in the city or the names of
those that have died from the disease
or other causes.
CONTINUED on page So