The sun., 1918-11-08
KENYON GAVE WORD
TO CLOSE SUBWAYS
Advised Mayor of Peril to the
Tubes During Blasts
at Morgan.
INQUIRY TO BE WIDENED
Senator FrelingImysen III
formed Other Magazines
Are Located Near City.

Fire Chief John Kenlon jumped to his
feet yesterday during the investigated
which was started In the rooms OF the
Chamber OF Commerce at Perth Annoy
n. j., into the explosion which took place
n few weeks ago at the plant OF the t.
A. Gillespie Company at Morgan. n. j.,
and solved a long standing mystery. he
admitted that 1t was upon his suggestion
that Mayor Hylan ordered the subways
stopped on lines leading under the East
River.
At the time of the stoppage OF traffic
no one could be found who would admit
responsibility. The current stories OF the
day had IL that a message had come TO
the Mayor from the United States Army
authorities warning him Of the danger
OF new blast. The army officers de-
MED having giving any such Information,
and 1t was only yesterday that the pub
lie learned why the Mayors order had
been issued.
81 told the Mayor that It was best to
close the subways." said the New York
fire chief And IL the wind had not
changed when It did shortly after I Wis
tied the burned area, the INT explosion
that feared would have taken place.
and God alone knows what damage
would have been done, especially to the
subways and the tubes under the rivers.
visited the burned areas and then COM
municated with the Mayor. advising him
TO shut down the underground railways.
as there was danger of big explosion
that might wreck the tubes. If the
wind hadn't changed 1t Is my opinion
that great damage in Manhattan would
have resulted"
VIII Extend Investigation.
The hearing will continue to-day, and
perhaps for another and on Monday an
inspection Of New York harbor will be
made The Senate committee making
the investigation is composed Of Senator
Freliughuysen of New Jersey. Senator
Meyers of Montana and Senator Beck
ham OF Kentucky. Local officials from
the neighboring New Jersey towns told
Of ~" 4er"~" dove bv the AVnl"s'on.
Senator Frelinghuysen announced he
wouu recommend tnat the investigation
be extended TO embrace the whole sub
Ject OF storage of explosives In and
about New Yo~k barnrsa o. rers's'o~t
assertion that the district close to the
city mods many giant uius-".",s, 80
explosion of aty or all Of which would
mean widespread danger 20 the city.
Direct charges OF carciessncss and
negligence were made by Adrian Lyon,
attorney and executive chairman OF the
said those charges were based upon
evidence procured by Elmer II. Geran.
Sheriff of Monmouth county. and Fred
erick Cox, secretary of the council. The
complaint setting forth these charges
says:
There appears to nave peen no care
in the plan OF construction so as to pre-
vent other units exploding In the event
that one exploded Furthermore, the
storage magazines seem to have been
built in such a manner and SO close TO
the she'll loading plant that their safety
vas greatly endangered.
Evidence of Negligence.
I'VE submit that theye is much evil
GenCe that there were negligence and
carelessness In its conduct and opera
tion. We are told by their representa-
tlves that the largest amount OF INT
that exploded and which caused so mitch
damage was 1900 Wounds: and yet
masses Of 10000 are allowed TO re-
main"
The charge also Is made that the plant
was carelessly guarded, so much so that
1t would have been possible for per-
sons to gain easy access 70 the maya
zines and blow them up" Even three
days after the explosion. ii was stated,
1t was possible for strangers to go unhin-
dered into the magazines and handle the
boxes Of INT
Allegations were made that enemy
aliens and other untrustworthy per-
sons were employed At the plant that
there was an inadequate water supply
and fire protection, and that had the
water supply been sufficient the fire
might have been stayed after the frst
explosion.
Murray Hubert Commissioner OF
Docks and Ferries OF New York city. was
present AT the hearing, accompanied by
Representative William T. Cleary. an
expert on transportation They are in
tcrestei in having the investigation EN-
brace all OF New York harhor.