The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-09-22

vast numbers OF pei soAiS 49,
ured in the gigantic explosion "hi1"
wrecked the plant OF the Badische an
untabrik Company at oppau "i'h
OF NE estimated at 1900.
a.ooo ARE rJUEED
About 1000 persons were injured AZ
~. ho.pttals in Ludwigshafen ana Ma
rha,n are crowded and scores or pun
uc buildings and private houses nave
bean converted into hospitals
General Degouette. commandef IN
cni.P OF ths French army OF occupa
+,on and detachment Of French troops
have arrived on the scene 70 assist we
Germans in relief work
Hundreds of families are hSneless'
oPPAu WIPED OUT
Following investigation Oh
O, the company issued a statement sas
trS that the blast had occurred IN
warehouse containing zee tons OF am
roonturn sulphate. The exact cause
not yet known
Rhine. was = scene OF desoiatton ana
80 vh,I. the countryside for miles
around bore witness Of the terrlhc
force of the explosion
wEHcKAoE SEARCHED FOR DEAD
8,
pnes have been rushed to Ludwlssha'en en-
from all the nearby cities
Thousands Of workmen volunteers
ard .oldierg are engaged in searching
4he vreckage OF the factory and the
homes for more bodies
renporary norgues have been erec-
,.d ali around the scene of the explos-
-, and TODAY they presented scenes OF
nathos- Frantic women besieged the
buildings searching for missing faith
ers husbands. brothers and sons.
rvERY FAMILY SUFFERS
Police guards had been established
.ronnd the morgues and it was all that
+hev could do to hold back the scream
ing weeping. surging mass. Ever
far7ilv in the wrecked town had suf-
f.red bereavement and many persons
FAR distant from the scene had been
kulAd either by the shock or by flying
debris.
Manv OF the bodies were so badly
torn and mangled as to make Identified
ton Impossible. 1t is expected pup
lie funeral will be held for those
SOME BLOWN TO PIECES
some of the victims were completely
blown to pieces. making II uncertain
that the exact number Of killed viii
be known unless they are checked UP
through the company payroll.
The relief workers had gruesone
task. As they tore through the mass
Of wreckage they came upon human
iexs and arms and bodies from which
the heads had been torn
DEroEATToN TERERrc
Graphic stories were told by sur~
vors. They said that there was dull
roar. follow ed by burst of flame and
then a terrific detonation which shook
the earth like an earthquake. Enor-
nous clouds of black and greenish
smoke rolled upwards in clouds.
The seismegraph instruments in the
schools at stuttgart. so miles away.
recorded tremors similar TO those made
by an earthquake.
400 ARE IN MANNHEIM
Three hundred residents of Mann
helm were killed and 200 were Injured
After the explosion nplns working
men fed covered WITH blood and crime,
lighting their way through the thick
clouds OF chemical fumes. Many OF
them were naked as they had just com
pieted bathing after their shift in the
works when the explosives let go.
DAMAGE WAS FEARFUL
Iron gates in the plant were torn to
pieces like paper. Strong wooden
beams were reduced to toothpicks. En-
ormous steel tanks were crushed togeth-
er and blew up like line of explod
ing soap bubbles Farmers in their
fields two miles from the plant were
killed by the shock.
The wartime bombardments Of Op- |
pau. Mannheim and Ludwigshafen by
allied aviators were nothing compared
to the explosion of yesterday.
DAMAGE 200 oOo, 900 MARKS
There were no newspapers in Mann |
helm today The plants had been dam |
aged by the blast
Late dispa tches placed the total dam
age at 100000. 900 marks. (normally |
$4,000, 600 In American money! of
which 138.000,o 900 marks is covered by
insurance.
At the Mannheim offices of the Bad
ische Anilinfabrik Company It wasi
learned 1000 tons of salt petre that
was stored in the plant had exploded.
(CcndHued on page nine-l