Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-16
MANY BUILDINGS
ARE SHATTERED
Many Hundreds Of Persons Thrown
TO Sidewalks by Force Of
the Explosion.
Nv ss.o~fatea Press 20 Every Fv~ning

nv ANNOTATED rrees 20 Every Fv~1ing
New York. Sept. l6.--A terrific erpio-
sion which rocked all If lower Mania ttan
occurred at noon today outside the Offices
Of J. r. Morgan and Company IN Nall
Street. Several persons we're killed and
many others injured.
.Iflnials Spencer Morgan, son Of j. +.
Morgan and a member of the firm, ~ns
badly cut by flying glass. Officials OF the
company dcnied first reports that pomp
had exploded in tho Morgan building
All windows in the firancial district were
smashed 10 atoms. Fifteen minutes after
the explosion occurred eight were re-
ported killed and 20 injured
The list Of caralties, mounting -
axrited word passed from mouth 10 mouth
at 1920, was reported to have reached
fifteen killed and fifty injured but an
accurate count was impossible IN the
intense confusion that swept the hnancial
district.
1t was equally impossible half an hour
| after the explosion occurred 20 deterrnine
| either its exact nature or location, for
spectators were held back by the police.
IL was reported, however that shortly
| before noon an automobile with two
/ men drew up IN front o. the Morgan
| offices and that when Morgan detectives
/ approached the machine one man ahgnt-
/ ed and either accidentally or ptrposeiy
/ dropped what appeared TO be DoInD-
| Occupants of a skyscraper looking
| down on Wall Street told another ver-
| sion of the automobile story. They
| declared they had seen the car draw up
| and the men leave il. These spectators
| advanced the theory that the bomb
| If it was a bomb-had been timed
| This version differed from the hrst,
as regards the two passengers and their
| chauffeur. The first story had It that
/ they were among the dead or injured
Never In its history has lower Man
| haitian witnessed such excitement as
prevailed today. Trading on both the
/ Stock and Curb Exchanges Was ordered
/ suspended for the day few minutes
/ after the explosion occurred and from
/ then on lower New York forgot all its
/ business affairs IN attending to the Needs
1 of the injured. !,
/ Fire apparatus and ambulances dashed
| through the narrow creeked streets OF
/ the financial district on which lay a
covering of shattered glass and the
/ broken remains of men and horses.
/ Among the bodies were those OF three
| girls terribly mutilated A police Gordon
| was hastily thrown around the entire
/ financial district when thousan, hearing
| the explosion fiocked to the tip OF Man
| haitian Island. Police reports at l2.35 had
| Is dead.
Unofficial reports had 80 dead.
| The United States subtreasury. i'm
mediately opposite the scene of the ex-
| plosion was placed under heavy police
/ guard TO protect the millions OF dollars IN
/ gold, silver and paper money lodged IN the
| great granite structure.
At l2.15 the report that the Stock Ex-
/ change had closed for the day was con-
/ firned. The board of governors ordered
! the closing two minutes after the eNplo-
/ sion occurred.
Newspaper men counted eight bodies
1 in the Street and the bodies of several
/ horses. The Morgan building appeared q
/ shambles and part of the front of the sub
treasury across the street was torn away.
The 40-story Equitable Building was
rocked by the explosion as was all OF lower
Manhattan.
Fhe first efforts of the police were direct
ed toward aiding the injured and removing
the dead. At I2.40 fourteen bodies were
| seen living on the sidewalk and ten others
| were reported to have been taken away by
| volunteer workers.
An emergency call was sent to Cover
nors Island from which heavy detach-
ment was sent TO New York to guard the
| subtreasury and aid the police.
/ Great excitement prevailed IN the
financial district and police reserves were
rushed to the scene. Crowds were KEEP
back and it was difficult 60 see whethei
the blowup occurred IN Morgans or tn,
Stock Exchange. Several persons wer,
seen lying injured on the sidewalk.
Crowds which gathered in momen
| were held back by police reserves 81
that it was impossible for newspaper mel
arriving at the scene to find out delnitel,
Just W here the explosion had occurred
Another report had it that an automobile
In front of the Morgan offices had blov
up, while another had a manhole ex
plodIng.
Heads of the FIRE department on reach
ing the scene. directed thelx efforts towar,