The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-06
Brooklyn Bombarded
By Ten-InCh Shells
Hundreds Flee In Terror
When Lighters Cargo
Lets Go In Fire

New York, Dec. s. HundredS OF
homes in the Fort Hamilton portion of
Brnoklyn virtually were under heavy
artillery bOmbardment this afternoon
resulting from intermittent explosions
of c!ghl-inch guns and ten-inch shells
ON Il steam lighter which caught flrc
whil.. moored to the army reservation
wharf.
Gathering together their belongings
in :; belief that the naval arsenal at
Fort Lafayette, a small Island near
Fort Hamilton was ablaze, terrified
scores left their homes for 4 safer zone,
driven to frenzied haste by tho series
Of explosions which were heard tor
miles around.
An official statement from Fort Ham
. iiton tonight said no lives had been lost
and that few persons had been injured,
Two Of those slightly injured were =
man and Il woman VINO had n narrow
escape from death. They were motor
ing past the wharf opposite the
lighter when In" first explosion "c-
CURED Fragments of shells pcppcr"d
their automobile. but the occupants sui
frrrd only slight wounds and after
receiving medical aid at th" Bay Ridg"
naval hospital We're abl" to go Rome
Warnings Flashed
The glare from the exploding amuni-
tion and the flames from tho wharf at
tractrd thousands TO the Brooklyn and
4, Staten Island water fronts.
As explosion followed explosion and
the danger to craft passing the Mar
rows, between Fort Hamilton and Fort
Wadsworth. grew menacing. brighter
light" signals were flashed. warning
mariners 10 give the threatened area
u wide berth.
I Soldiers from Fort Hamilton were
dispa tched by their commanding officers
into the residential section TO aid those
, who were fleeing their homes and to al
lay panic.
Police reserves summoned from ad-
jacGnt precincts who cndeaVored 10
clear the danger zone We're handicapped
in their work by great throngs Of mot
oristS and pedestrians who fiocked 10
the scene unaware of the danger to
which they We're exposing themselves.
RumorS or heavy casualties resulted
, private physicians expecting there
would be urgent need of surgical aid.
Catastrophe Pearod
The proximity of the naval arsenal
at Fort - Caycttc with its stores OF
high explosives and intlammable mater
ial was Il source Of intense worry to
the combined military. naval and muntc-
ipal fire lighters.
AS the blazing lighter and its eNplod-
ing shells brokn away from the wharf
and began to drift. in the direction Of
the arsenal, the crews OF navy tugs and
municipal fire boats redoubled their en-
ergirs. Fcar OF n frightful catastrophe.
should n shell strike the arsenal and iS-
mite tons of gasoline stored there were
allaycd TO great extent when the
lighter grounded on the sand bar.
The army wharf. about two hundred
wards long was destroyed. The loss
was estimated ny army officers at ap-
proximatcly 100000. The metoropogi-
cal station on the wharf was also de-
strnycd Windows in nearby residences
in the Fort Hamilton section were SHAT
tered by tho demonstrations and houses
p ,l,ny NTH n fhrPn
miles.
, It was learned later that the naval tug
Samosct. commanded by Ensign Benta-
min +. Stucker..C. $. ", was the craft
that pushed the -Amackissan. the blaz-
! ing lighter. on the sand bar.