The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-09-23
SEARCH RUINS FOR
BODIES OF VICTIMS
Vast Crater Is Fast Filling With
Water and Actual Loss May
Never Be Known.

MANNHEIM, Germany, Sept. 22.-Deso-
lation and ruins alone remain OF what was
once the flourishing town Of Oppau. The
town had $500 residents of which a ma
jority OF the men engaged in the chemical
works were killed or wounded. Soldiers
in French uniforms are clearing away the
wreekage, picking up the dead and in
jured as after big battle.
Eleven hundred dead and four thousand
injured is the latest estimate Of the dis
aster yesterday. which caused a greater
number OF casualties in the Mannheim
Ludfgshafen district than the four years
Of the war. The desolation around OPP
pau equals anything seen In Verdun or in
Flanders over similar area. Hundreds
Of persons are digging in the ruins for the
bodies Of relatives or friends, nearly a
thousapd of which have been recovered
thus far.
Thirty-six hours after the explosion
from the gaping. funnel like hole where
the Badische works formerly stood, there
are stiIl to be heard moaning and cries
Of the wounded, while the soldiers search
for possible survivors. Twenty-Five hum
dred OF the injured are reported to have
passed through the hospitals Of the sur
rounding cities.
The vast crater is slowly filling with
water and Il may never be known how
many victims found a grave there. All
mutilated but stin living animals crawling
amidst the twisted girders and blocks OF
concrete are being put out Of their mis-
cry. The fire1nen and relief workers have
not vet been able to discard their gas
masks.
The thirty second army corps Of the
French army Is in complete charge OF the
area, and every available French medical
officer had arrived early this morning to
cooperate with the German physicians
and surgeons The French and German
red cross are cooperating and big Ger
man sanitary train has brought large
quantities of medical supplies. The Ger
man officials thanked General DeGouette
for the prompt manner in which the
French army came to the assistance Of
the victims.
The French high commissioner on the
Rhine, NJ Tirard, and his entire staff
took charge OF the relief work. The mem
bers Of his staff were sent to al sur
rounding towns to enlist the mayors an,
people in the relief plan, in which the
labor unions are uniting. Several Of the
funds have already assumed large pro-
portions
Fran Frankenthal. four miles away,
there was a steady exodus Of the popula-
tion in which bandaged heads and arms
in sIings We're conspicuous. The village
OF Edigheim was badly wrecked and it
has not set been possible to rescue some
Of tho victims who are known to be under
the uehris.
At Oppau whole families were COM
pletely wiped out. about three hundred
bodies having already been placed in the
adjoining cemetery awaiting burial The
Mannheim hospitals are crowded with In
jured, more than 400 persons having
suffered from the explosion in this city.
Several French soldiers were killed and
many wounded when the force Of the
Oppau explosion wrecked the French bar
racks at Eisenheim. A train which had
just left that station was blown off the
tracks, plonghing through the wooden
sheds where French soldiers OF oceupa-
tion were quartered.
General DeGouette personally decorated
a Moroccan soldier who rescued eleven
wounded from the wreekage the African
being severely burned about the hands
and neck.
The experts who are inQuiring into the
(cOntinued on rage Three.l