Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-09-13
WORKMAN DROPS
BOX Of FUSES
Was Instantly Killed by Careless
Handling Of Explosives
COL. ANDREWS IN STATEMENT
Says Plant Is No Menace to
the Surrounding Ter
ritory

Carelesspess in handling high ex-
plosive fuses which had recently been
received from a transport from Ger
many Is claimed to have been the
cause of the explosion on lighter
at the wharf of the Raritan Arsenal
yesterday which caused the death of
one man, seriously injured another
and hurt six other workmen. All of
the men struck were civilian employ
es. The man killed is G.. Coslenis,
twenty years old, of Bonhamtown.
The body has been removed to the
morgue of Coroner Harding at New
Brunswick.
The explosion occurred shortly be-
fore noon on a barge tied up at the
wharf of the arsenal on the Raritan
river.
The injured are: Joseph Niles, COL
ored, 81 years old, of 373 Fulton
street, Woodbridge. His condition is
still serious.
Nicholas Nihalve. rs years old.
South River.
Martin Yackalian, 81 years old, 225
Huntington street. this city.
James Harper, colored, 6S years
old, Durham avenue, Metuchen
Casper Irvine, 68 years old, lit
Andie street. New Brunswick.
Joseph N. Shirley, 4s years old, 40
Church street, New Brunswick.
The curgeon at the post hospital,
George Powers. 81 years old, Is
Silver Lake avenue, New Brunswick
Major Kraft. stated this morning that
the condition of all of the men had
improved over night and that 1t was
expected that all would live.
According to the official report
made to 1t. Col. J. III. M. Andrews, in
command Of the post. the f1are-ap
was caused by Coslenis. who let his
box of fusses fall to the floor of the
lighter. The explosion which follow
ed fatally injured him and sent flying
fragments into several of his co-work-
ers. About forty men were working
near the scene of the accident unload
ing the boxes of fuses from barge
on the Raritan river to freight cars
TN wharf at the Arsenal. The men
had been specially warned that the
fuses were particularly sensitive and
each man carried box, one at a
time from the barge to the cars. Phe
ammunition was among shipment
recently received from overseas and
was part of the lot either captured
from the Germans or turned over by
them to the Allies at the time of the
armistice. They were of German
make.
Col Andrews was emphatic in his
statement that the accident was of
the kind which occurs ever so often
at all large industrial plants and
that no amount of precaution by the
authorities could prevent such oc-
currences. Not all of the fuses in
the box dropped exploded, the officer
said, and none ofythe other ammuni-
tion was affected.
I'm this plant as in other large in
dustrial plants of this size there are
bound to be minor accidents but they
carry no menace to surrounding ter
ritory," the colonel said. This oc-
currence proves this contention"
Colonel Andrews claimed that
there was a tendency among the
residents of that section and by cer-
tain newspapers to exaggerate and
enlarge upon the accidents which
happened at the arsenal until the ar
senal had been placed in a false light
before the public. He said that in
reality there was no more danger to
the surrounding territory by yester-
days explosion than If the men had
been killed or injured in an accident
on the railroad sidings from a crash
of locomotives.
AS an outcome Of the investigation
following the explosion August at
the arsenal when ten men were be-
neved to have been killed the Board