New-York tribune., 1922-08-14
Strikers Are Blamed for
Blast That Injuries S,
Rocking Cars of Local
Near North Bergen, NJ.
Flying Glass Puts =
Scores in Danger
Woman and Children Are
Chief Sufferers; ;3Bombs
Thrown, Witnesses Say


Dynamite was exploded as the
Dumont Local, West Shore subur-
ban train, bound for Weehawken,
crossed a steel trestle over a road
leading to the Babbitt soap factory,
near the Granton yards in North
Bergen, N. j., at 1910 p. m. yes
terday. Strikers or their syrnpathiz-
ers are believed to be responsible.
Two children and three women
were injured SO severely as to
necessiate their removal to North
Hudson Hospital when the train
reached the Weehawken terminal.
Scores Of others, most Of them hys-
terical from fright and some suf-
fering from cuts, were treated by
ambulance surgeons in the station.
Police Blame Dynamite
According to the report entered On
the blotter at the North Bergen police
station, the explosion was that of dynz-
mite and the ties and rails Of the west
bound track, next to that on which the
local was travelling, were splintered
and torn up for considerable distance.
1t is believed that if dynamite was
the cause it was planted on the west
bound track with the intention Of
wrecking the bridge as the Albany To-
cal, which leaves Weehawken at 2:I5
a. m. passed over it. The eastbound
train, it is thought, exploded the
charge prematurely. The track It was
following was not damaged sufficiently
to throw any of the Ave cars from the
track.
The engine and three foremost cars
had passed over the bridge before the
explosion occurred. Evidence that two
separate charges of explosive had been
planted was seen in the fact that sew
eral seconds after the last car had
cleared the bridge there was another
explosion at about the same spot
Blasts Heard Three Miles
The detonations were heard for Gis-
tance of about three miles and windows
in North Bergen were shattered within
radius of several blocks.
All five of the cars in the train sre
of steel. Numerous windows were
broken, out the cars themselves were
undamaged. The passengers, Of whom
there were about $50, were thrown
into panic. Scores of women tainted
and there was a general rush for the
aisles.
John Wendt, the engineer, stopned
his train quickly, and Charles Stew
ard, the conductor, and members
of the crew hastened through the cars
assuring the passengers that the train
had passed the ordeal safely and was
in no further danger. 1t was pale
and shaken lot of passengers who got
out of Weehawken, however, and many
Of the women had to be assisted into
the station.
Those taken to the hospital are:
Anna Schmidt, four years old, 64s
Sixtieth Street, Brooklyn.
g Florence Duncan, GAS Sixtieth Street,
Brooklyn.
Mrs. j. Terrific. Plat Washington
Avenue, Brooklyn.
Theresa Cyakoage, 537 West Forty
fourth Street.
Fred Rathgen, two years old, ce4
Halsey Street, Brooklyn.
Able to Leave Hospital
None of the injuries are serious.
Like those who were treated at the sta
ton, the FIVE who were taken to the
hospital were cut by glass from broken
windows and suffered from shock. They
were able to leave the hospital early
this morning.
JOLT Upsets Passengers
Someone pulled the emergency brakes
after the first explosion and the train,
which had been speeding to make up
lost time, came to a stop with a series
of jolts which threw standing passen-
gers to the floor 1t was about 1000
feet from the trestle and'a brakeman
started back but was recalled by the
whistle before he had time to inyesti-
gate at the scene of the explosions.
Conductor Steward found SO many
gashed arms and faces on hasty tr.p
through the cars that he thought the
wisest thing for him to do was to hast
en- TO Weehawken where medical aid
could be obtained.
Although police Investigators were
strongly Of the opinion that the explo-
sions were due to dynamite placed on
the west-bound track. passengers on
the train we're sure thaht bombs had
been thrown at them. Bitter remarks
were made about strikers who dyna-
mite women and children, some of them
by men who said they themselves were
union members.
Charles J. Lowe and Frank Dlgney,
of Bergenfield, were in the smoker. the
last car OF the train and described the
attack after reaching Weehawken.
II hurried up TO tae cars where the
bombs had struck" said Mr.. Lowe,
"and saw there baby. certainly not
more than two years old. with It's leg
laid open By q heavy piece Of glass