The New York herald., 1922-07-22
500 POLICE SEEKING
STORED EXPLOSIVES
Will Comb All Warehouses
to Prevent Recurrence
of Jane st. Disaster.
FIRE Is STILL GOING
Magnesium Spilled From
Boxes Sent to U. s. Ord
nance Office Blamed.
INDICTMENTS ARE SOUGHT
Banton Will Ask Jury to Hold
Storage Men for Man
slaughter.
INDICTMENTS ARE SOUGHT

The fear that explosive material
may have been accepted secretly OF
unknowingly by some of the many
storage warehouses in New York CITY
as was the case with the Jane street
warehouse, which is still burning af-
ter four days, and that an explosion
which might cause great disaster
might thus result, caused 500 police
men and firemen to be assigned yes
terday to make a thorough inspection
to-day Of every such storage place.
This special force has been ordered to
scrutinize the contents of the ware
houses and to satisfy themselves that
nothing inflammable or explosive is
being sheltered without permit and
full knowledge Of the authorities.
We are going at this job with a
fine tooth comb" said Fire Commits
sioner brennan last night "The Jane
street explosion, causing the death of
two men and the injury or more than
twenty, indicates that such prevent
able tragedies are more likely than we
had suspected. II illegally stored ma
terial is found in any of these ware
houses IL will be confiscated and sum
monses issued for the owners.
Another safety measure growing out
Of the Jane street explosion and fire
is expected to be achieved within a few
days by an order requiring warehouse
owners to file sworn statements weekly
as to whether they have accepted in
fiammables or explosives. Warehouse
owners violating this and other safety
measures will be prosecuted for prison
sentences. y
All of these suggestions were dis
cussed yesterday at conference called
by Mayor Hylan to devise ways and
means of reducing such hazards.
Among those attending were Joseph
Martin. Acting Fire Chief; Thomas J.
brennan, Fire Commissioner Frank
j. Monaghan, Acting Health Commits
sioner. and Commissioner of Accounts
Hirshfield.
VIII Ask for Indictments.
The District Attorneys evidence in
the Jane street case will be laid before
the Grand Jury early next week. 1t is
Mr.. Banton's intention to ask the
Grand Jury to return indictments for
mansaughter In the second degree.
His investigation Is virtually complete
and A. Morgan Jones. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney, will appear before the
Grand Jury on Monday or Tuesday.
1t has been learned that on June Is
the United States Ordnance Office at
80 South street opend bids for 13, 400
pounds of magnesium to be used for
aerial bombs and rockets in connec-
ton with aircraft work at Baldwin
N. Y. Weisenthal & Co. of 565 Broad
way secured the contract and we're TO
deliver the magnesium to Fort Lafay-
cite. The powder was to have been
sent first in two lots to be graded and
sifted by the General Compolite Com
pany at 325 Borden avenue, Long Is
land City.
After eighteen cases had been moved
from the Jane street storage ware
house to the sidewalk, leaving twenty
six cases still within the building. the
explosion occurred. due. probably to
some of the cases having leaked and
to magnesium powder having sifted
to the floors. The principal question
for the Grand Jury to determine is
where to place the responsibility for
failure to take out a storage license.
FIarcups During Day.
Smoking more stubbornly than ever
after two new outbreaks of hidden
flame. the warehouse continued yester-
day and last night to resist all efforts
by the firemen. There was a danger
Gus flareup at 3 A. NJ, again at IL
A. NJ. and once more in the middle oi
the afternoon. At r. NJ, for the
first time since Tuesday morning, fire.
men managed to enter the building
rislxing their lives under the puroened
and sagging floors. This was the first
chance they had had for nearly ninety.
six hours to make a fight at close range
and Chief Helm said 1t might be two
or three days more before every spark
was out. The fire chiefs we're less ap.
prehensive last night of a general col.
lapse of the weakened walls. much OF
the pressure from within having beer
relieved by small collapses.
Large crowds continued to surround
the neighborhood. held back by ropeo
off street entrances and lines of police.
men. They stood for hours watching
the two water towers and half dozcr
hose lines shooting about 1900 gal
l,nu ,f xpator an hour fpfo tla eftpi