Evening journal., 1921-08-25
TWODEAD, TWO
HURT; SHELLS
IN FLARE-UP
CONTINUED From First Page.)

Salem Hospital are:
Thomas Sharp, of Bridgeport, n.
J., right arm fractured.
Charles Howser, Deepwater VII
lage, N. j., shot in abdomen by }
bursting shell.
Both men are expected to recover.
There was a recurrence of the ex-
plosions at 1920 o'clock and 8
O'Clock this morning and intermit-
tent blow-ups during today.
The explosions and fire which
snuffed out the mems lives caused
much excitement here, the detona-
tions being heard in Wilmington and
nearby while a pail of black smoke
arising from the burning powder
was easily seen from this city.
While the bursting shells were be-
ing rained on the countryside about
the plant in New Jersey. bits of
shells which ranged from two to six
inches in diameter. were being
thrown across the Delaware River
and into Bellevue, a distance of three
miles.
The water of the river was fur
rowed at times by shells which re-
sembled torpedoes as they skinned
over the surface.
Captains of river steamers passing
the burning ammunition dump ex-
ercised caution as the shells OF frag-
ments went whinnying over the
decks of vessels.
1,,.. .~L,+ oa,,sad tta fret axoio-
sion will probably never be known,
two versions being advanced by
workmen at the plant One was
that McGill, while dismantling a 81
millimeter shell, detonated the fuse
and the flash ignited black powder
in a box nearby.
Another version was that brush
fire near the dump ignited some pow
der, the flames of which may have
spread to $4,000 pounds of powder
in two cars nearby and the wooden
buildings of the Columbia Salvage
Company. employers Of the men.
Word Of the fire was sent to Penn's
Grove and the fire department Of
that place responded but was pow
erless to lend any help, the bursting
shells endangering the lives Of every
one within a radius OF two miles Of
the plant.
The fremen, however, with the aid
of a wire cable, moved car loaded
with INT, a powerful explosive, to
a safe place. Had this explosive
ignited the damage to lives and
property would have been greater.
When the first explosion occurred,
the thirty-five workmen near the
dump, took refuge on the govern
ment pier, but the bursting shells
drove them from there into the Della
ware river. Scrambling down the
piling the men stood waist deep In
the water under the pier until res
cued bv motor launches which had
nut out from PENIS Grove. These
men we're taken ashore at Penn's
Grove.
While the men were running to
the pier, Wolf was seen to throw
M his arms and fall. Benjamin
Feathern and George Moffat rar
back and dragged the wounded mar
TO the wharf. He had been shoi
in the left side and his arm was
broken. He died shortly after be-
ing taken to the Office of DR.. r. c
southerland in PENIS Grove. where
he had been taken by H S. Ash
craft.
BY the time the men had reached
: the wharf the flames had communi
Gated to two gondola cars loaded
with black powder, and with hasi
they were ignited. The dump wher'
fne explosion occurred was about 81
, feet from these cars. It was salt
+ that these cars contained $1,000
, pounds Of powder.
McGill, who served overseas AM
> was wounded in a battle, was see'
=, to fall as the explosion rocked tn
a countryside. Efforts were made b
= his fellow workers to reach him, bu
J. the heat was so intense that the
!. we're powerless to assist him
a portion of his body was remove
e later by a young boy. McGill ha
g fallen when a few feet from the en-
trance to the plant
The workmen who reached tn
7 wharf with Sharp, administers
d first aid treatment to him by M
= plying a tourniquet made of scra
l. wire found on the wharf TO his rigf
e arm. which had been broken an
a cut. This stopped the flow Of bloo'
5. He was treated by DR.. r. B. Jarrat
E. It was reported at the Salem Nj
mortal Hospital, where Howser ha
been taken. that IL was necessary
l. amputate his arm. Howser wi
IS struck in the abdomen by a sho
J. Attendants at the hospital said thi
n. both men would recover. Hows'
s. was treated by DR.. n. II. Barnha
ct before being sent to the hospital
m Some idea of the force OF the G,
h. plosion was seen after the fire hs
s. died down when an automobi
i'd owned by Jacob Hughes, an en-
v. ploye, was found TO have been d
he molished. This machine was stan
as ing near the dump.
When Magilrs body was reco
p cred, the head. arms and legs we
he missing. Several shells exploded n
u morning and authorities of the or
tn nance plant are not allowing a ge
in eral search for the legs. arms al
head of Magill to be made until I
fires throughout the entire plai
z. have subsided or been extinguisheo
ay It was said this morning at I
ne plant that precaution will be TAX
to prevent any further casualty Q
IT. curing and information received
TO noen by the officials. leads them
mt believe all workmen accounted fol
tie 1t was said probably by this afte