Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-12-06

All the close OF leSleIudg = StSStOh
of the investigation Senator Joseph =.
Frelipghuysen read into the record
of the proceedings a traffic report
from the Gillespie plant which show
ed that large quantities OF INT are
being removed from the plant TO Fort
Wingate, New Mexico. 1t was denied
yesterday by an employe of the COM
pany who handles traffic matters that
any explosives are being shipped 10
the Raritan arsenal at Bonhamtown-
This man said that while shells,
both loaded and unloaded, were being
sent to Bonhamtown and stored
there, INT as it is shipped out of the
plant is being sent to the southwest
The traffic report follows:
Dec. 2. Received orders to ship
2. 900. 900 pounds INT to Fort Win
gate, New Mexico.
"Dec. 8. Shipped two cars (approx-
imately 1000 pounds).
Dec. 4. Loaded six cars approx
imately 400, 900 pounds). These cars
have been braced and will go out to-
day (Dec. 81.
dec. 5. Loading two cars approx
imately 100,0 900 pounds) this morning
which will be shipped today Total,
500, 900 pounds to date"
Major ii. l.. Armstrong of the Eng
lish army. the expert who Is paid
$4,000 year by the Gillespie COM
cupled the stand for a large part or
the afternoon yesterday. His testi-
mony produced little startling beyond
the fact that he was qualified as an
expert through his experience In
England said tnat he considered the
plant at Morgan to be an exceptional
one in many ways.
Pressed for his explanation of the
cause of the original explosion at the
fuI,t nf 4
major said that like other witnesses
any cause he might give for that
would be mere conjecture. He said
that he believed the detonation was
caused from one of two causes. Tne
| first was that some dangerous impur-
| ity might have been introduced into
the kettle OF amatol In the Sill unit
designedly; or second, that some kor-
| eign impurity might have founo ~
way into the material that was De-
yond the knowledge sxpvrrs@
Either OF these contributing factors
might have caused the detonatfon
which started the disaster.
The major admitted that he had
| feared for alien enemy activity and
was constantly on the outlook for any
thing that might have been suspicious
J He said that he believed that the
company was always careful and
looking out for safety principles ana
that he~believed the plant was sum
ciently guarded.
Upon the completion of his testi-
mony the major was complimented py
Senator Frelinghuysen upon his ser
vices rendered in the war for England.
| in the fighting area. and later FOR TINS
| country in his valuable assistance 10
the ordnance department and the
Gillespie company. This remark was
LOUDLY applauded by the audience
Major Armstrong, who has lost part or
his left hand in action, and VINO was
In the first Somme battle, and wound-
ed In the action, makes striking
figure and is a general favorite at the
plant.
Col. Harris, who graduated from
West Point in 1907 as a field artillery
officer, later was transferred to the
ordance department He is chief OF
the loading section OF the engineer
ing division of the ordnance corps.
He is also chief of the trench mortar
shell division.
The colonel was the first witness
called today, with Senator Henry L.
i Myers chairman of the committee. sit
ting with Senator Frelinghuysen. The
latter took UP the examination or the
officer.
Fifteen days storage of explosives
at any loading plant was at first al
lowed by the ordnance department..
but later the limitation was extenled
to sixty days the witness said.
His first contact with the Morgan
plant came during the construction OF
the first units.
The condition of the plant and the
causes of the disaster, the witness
opined, were In brief as follows;
The Morgan plant was the
first of the government plants to be
built and operated. I made a general
survey of the layout and operation OF
the plant and was agreeably surprised
to find it to be wonderful that the
work had been done 80 readily ana
SO well.
"Of course I found amatol on floors
and benches and was concerned more
because of the loss to the government
than the actual danger. l menuoneo
these conditions at an explosives con-
ference in Washington ana we an
agreed that the condition was due 10
the fact that 1t was new operation.
~ NV second visit 1 noticed that con-
ditions were considerably better
al 6-l-1 unit, during August.
found it to be in good condition ana
reasonably clean. While there was
amatol on the benches and moor, the
place had been reasonably cleaned
up"
should store ten months supply OF
explosives at any plant. the colonei
IContinued on page 81