New-York tribune., 1920-09-17

Inc explosion occurred just as the
chimes of Trinity Church were tolling
the hour of twelve. Before they had
ceased and to the echo of crunching
glass the great avenue of finance re-
sembled battle-strewn field where
only dead bodies and the forms of the
injured lay in huddled heaps.
One eye witness mentioned the deliv-
cry wagon, which others said had been
driven up to about a foot and one-half
from the curb in front of the United
States Assay Office, across tho street
from the Morgan office.
He said that while coming through
Wall Street he saw the horse and
wagon. The latter was light in color
and was such as is used by grocers.
Dead Scattered Over Street
Captain Joseph E. Engel jr., of the
Bureau of Special Service, Police De-
rarment, was less than q block south
OF Wall Street, on Broad, at the time.
Almost rocked from his feet by the
4uakelike vibration, he ran amid
showers of glass to the corner of Wall,
where he got his first glimpse of the
destruction.
There was not soul in sight ex-
cept the dead and injured lying on
pavement and sidewalk" said Captain
Engel. There was the tinkle Of fall
,ns glass, few smoking awnings on
nearby buildings, and film of smoke.
MY first thought was that the ex-
plosion had occurred in the Mills
Building, just next to Morgan & Co.'s
office. AS collected my wits, / began
to see shattered wheels, the axles and
springs of a wagon, then the remnants
Of horse and battered automobile.
Other people began to gather and a
few policemen came. We saw woman.
evidently Spanish woman, and two
little boys pick themselves up from
the sidewalk in front Of the Sub Treas
ury Building.
"All three were injured and dazed.
They began to look for third boy,
who, the woman frantically cried, had
been with them. The dead were lying
here and there: The injured began to
move. Two girls who had evidently
been passing the Morgan corRer from
Wall into Broad Street got up and ran.
n
front Of 36 Wall Street badly hurt and
placed in motor truck which came
along.
II spent. perhaps fifteen minutes on
the scene before left to report" said
Captain Engel. at is my belief that
almost all the persons within thirty or
forty yards of the explosion in Wall
Street were killed. Those | have men
toned miraculously escaped.
when the crowd began to gather a
few persons came staggering from the
entrance en-, to Morgan & Co. and nearby
Wall Street buildings. They were
dazed but did not appear to be seri.
ously hurt. But, l will never forget
that empty street and the bodies lying
IN 1t as turned the corner from Broad
IT was. momentarily, a deserted village
OF great buildings except for the hud
died forms that lay here and there"
Chauffeur Blown Under Cab
Daniel Wordsman, of 25l West 11sth
street, taxi chauffeur, standing in
broad Street, within fifty yards Of the
explosion, was blown under his car
and his passenger was blown cut Of
IT, Wordsman said
"A man had just got into the taxi
and asked to be taken to the Lafayctte
Hotel and | was preparing to crank
up when II seemed like the end Of the
world" he said. "Somethng seemed Ia
knock me down and slide me under the
machine. Glass absolutely rained from
that building" he added, pointing te
the twenty-one story structure at II
broad Street. "The pavement rocked
and trembled, and finally crawled out
from under the taxi. My passenger
was lying in the street. Before I coulc
speak TO him he scrambled to his feet
and ran up toward Nassau Street, hold
ing his head. All the glass in the tax
was broken. A policeman came over anc
told me that would have to take som,
oi the injured to the Broad Street Hos
pltaL made two trips and carried si,
persons"
Wordsman led a comparatively tran
gull life ~ a sailor aboard the trans
port Siboney and the battleship New
Mexico during the war. lie said tina,
yesterday was the most turbulent scene
he had ever experienced.
Knocked Down Twice
S. Il. Hills. Of the Columbia Trust
Company, who was an eye witness oi
the expiosion without being injured
said the clock on Trinity Church
struck twelve ss he turned into Wal
Street. He made his way, to the Stock
Exchange, and as he was directly In
zxent Of It the explosion occurred He
was knocked down, but rose quickly te
his feet.
. "Then again" he said, in telling his
story, Il found myself sprawled in
the street. don't know what it was
that knocked me down the second
time"
IL Was Like Being Gassed
Maxwell Van Buskifk. who hax an
office on the ninth floor Of the Mills
Building, overlooking the Morgan Of
hees End ths Sub Treasury, said:
Fl was sitting at my desk near q
ws@aAH H1sis 5usS zaomsnt before Che