The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-22
300 BODIES Of
BLAST VICTIMS
ARE RECOVERED
Continued from First Page.)

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then a terrific detonation which shook
the earth like an earthquake. Enor.
nous clouds of black and greenish
smoke rolled upwards in clouds.
The seismograph instruments In the
schools at Stuttgart, sixty miles away,
recorded tremors similar to those made
by an earthquake. Three hundred
residents of Mannheim were killed and
zoo were injured.
After the explosion living workmen
fled, covered with blood AMI CRIME,
fighting their way through the thick
clouds Of chemical fumes. Many of
them were naked rs they had just
completed bathing after their shift in
the works when the explosive let go.
Iron gates in the plant were torn
to pieces like paper. Strong wooden
beams were reduced to toothpicks.
Enormous steel tanks were crushed
together and blew up like a line of
exploding soap bubbles.
Farmers in their fields two miles
from the plant were killed by the
shock.
The wartime commandments Of
Oppau, Mannheim, and Ludwigshafen
by allied aviators were nothing com.
pared to the explosion Of yesterday.
There were no newspapers in Mann
helm today. The plants had been dam
aged by the blast.
Latest dispatches estimate the total
damage at 200. 900, 900 marks normal
ly $4,000, 900 in American money! Of
which 13S.000,000 marks is covered by
insurance.
At the Mannheim offices Of Ithe
Radische Anilin Fabrik Company It
was learned that 1000 tons III salt
petre that was stored in the plant had
exploded. The saltpetre had previous
ly been examined and pronounced safe
end "unexplodable."
Oppau was a war town" 1t grew
up around the dye plant which was
erected for the manufacture of poison
gas during the war. II was only a
few miles from Mannheim and Lud-
wigshafen.
It was one Of the first places where
poison gas was manufactured for war
purposes, and vast amounts OF this
war material was turned out during
the conflict. After the war when the
factory was converted back to an ami
line dye plant Oppau continued as a
thriving little community.
The Badische Anilin Fabrik Com
many Tor the Baden Dye Works. Is the
biggest producer of dyes in Germany.
The plant at Oppau was said to have
employed about $500 persons.
The Red Cross has started Oelief ex-
petitions for the scene.
Scores Of families are camping in
the open. Many are cooking their
meals on the smoking debris. Am
monia fumes permeate the atmosphere.
Many French soldiers were injured.
They were on ten French Rhine boats
which patrol the river Mannheim. The
ere now on duty at Oppau.
Three hundred Of the dead have
been identified, according to one
from Mannheim today.
The crater dug out of the earth
by the terrific blast at Oppau was
ITO yards long and $50 yards wide.
Soon after the blast water began
seeping into the great hole from un-
springs opened up by the
force Of the explosion.
Debris was piled fifty feet upon
scores OF bodies. Relief workers
saved the lives of many injured
workmen who were buried eighteen
feet under the debris.
Children Among Victims.
Some children were killed by the
explosion force while they lay in the
beds. At Mannheim, many, in panic,
jumped from windows.
. Frankfort has sent a caravan Of
doctors and stretcher bearers who
had experience in the war, the relief
workers arriving In automobile
trucks. There was plenty Of work
for all.
The force of the blast can be
gauged by the fact that nine gas
at Oppau, each containing
so 900 cubic meters Of explosive con-
tent. have entirely disappeared.