New-York tribune., 1918-10-05

ing flames.
A tent was hastily erected on the
outskirts of the industrial centre, and
here the wounded were brought for
first aid as rapidly as they were picked
up. The ground about the demolished
buildings seemed to have been literal
ly strewn with them.
Many had been hurled broadcast by
the force of the explosions. Others
had run from the buildings badly hurt
and had kept on until they dropped.
Men with stretchers went about the
length and breadth Of the plant search
ing for victims. AS the fire died down
their work became increasingly diff
cult. Most of the night they groped
about, hunting with flashlights and
lanterns.
Telephone Operator a Heroine
Dazed and knocked about by explo-
sion after explosion, the telephone
operator of the Gillespie Company
stuck to her switchboard. Every pane
of glass in the building was broken,
and eor time it was believed that it,
TOO, would take fire. She remained at
her post. however, and did invaluable
service in sending in calls for physi-
clans and fire apparatus.
Rescuers not only had their hands
full with care for the injured, but at
times they were forced to aid in fight.
ing back the crowd of frantic women
whose husbands and sons worked in
the plant. They poured out of the en-
ployes' homes in Morgan and South AM
boy; they stampeded across the Rari-
tan trestle, and fought hard to break
through to where the buildings were
flaming in order to search out their
relatives.
In the five minutes that followed the
first explosion this part of New Jersey
was shaken by a series of blasts like
the rapid firing of heavy artillery.
Perth Amboy was thrown into con-
fusion by the tremendous conclusions
and South Amboy was badly damaged.
Immediately all available assistance.
tire-fighting and medical. was rushed to
Morgan. While the explosions were
still crashing ambulances started on
the dead run from Perth Amboy Hos
pltal. few minutes later and the
wires were hot, summoning every avail
able bit of fire apparatus from New
Brunswick, Railway and Elizabeth.
South Amboy, mile and n half from
Morgan, suffered heavily. Every pane
OF glass in the town was shattered bv
the force of the explosions. Rocked
by blast after blast, choked by smoke
and da7zled by fierce bursts of flame
that ran along the horizon after each
concussion, the people of the town.
mainly foreigners, were thrown into
panic.
Bridge Choked by Refugees
Gathering up the most precious of
their household goods, they fled. For
en- hour the bridge across the Rari !
tan, which links the community with
Perth Amboy, was choked by hundreds
of refugees, fleeing to safety on foot.
by horse and by automobile. Women
lost their husbands and children lost
their parents in the push that fought
and struggled across the causewav
The Changing of ambulances from
Perth Amboy and the hooting of fire
engines from other cities. as tbev
ploughed their way as rapidly as nos
slble through the terror stricken mob |
OF fugltlves. added to the confusion.
In the hour following the first ex-
ploslon South Amboy was stripped of
halt of Its normal, population.
AS far as can be learned, the first
Of the series Of explosions occurred
about the time the night shift was to
60 to work. The explos on was fol-
owed by others, in quick succession
There was lull, and then same \
dozen or more of .hc explosions. .,ome
II these were so severe they were
1eard miles away, and in some in
itances glass was broken in houses and
stores five to ten miles from the seeno