New Britain herald., 1926-07-14
NUMBER DEAD MAY
 NEVER BE CHECKED
Arsenal Explosion Victims
 Known Today Total 2t
LOSS ABOUT 75 MILLION
Govt. Officials Believe That It Will Be Impossible to Ever Definitely Ascertain Just How Many Were Killed

Killed.
 Dover, \. J. -uly 14 lP)-Indica- tiOns today were the number of victims of the explosion that destroy ed the Lake Denmark and Picatinny arsenals and wrecked havoc in a dozen Jersey towns probably never will be known.
 Even the lightning bolt that set off the $75,00o,000 holocaust prob ably never will gain official rccogni- tion, as the only men who saw it close at hand were picked up dead near the building that was struck or have vanished
 The list of missing has varied from hour to hour and Brigadier Gen. Hugh Drum, in charge of po- Icing the area, has not at any time been willing to make any positive statement as to the number. All records at the arsenal were destroy cd. As late as yesterday three marines who have not been listed us missing made their appearance in a dazed condition and were unable to give a clear account or what had happened to them.
 Losses Are Great
 The death roll stood al q early today, and wet ground and ruins soaked by a heavy rain during the night made for safety as marines continued searching for additional bodies. The latest unofficial esti- mates places property damage as high as $G5,Qoo,OOO for the Lake Denmark naval arsenal, $5.000,0uo for the Picatinny army and $4,eoo,- 900 for civilians.
 Four towns were practically de- yastated. In Mount Hope 107 com pany owned miners cottages were wholly or partly destroyed. Wharton, RockaWay and Hibernia were the three other towns that suffered the greatest damage. Smashed plate glass, plaster and debris were strewn through the streets of Dover, Boonton, Milton. Newfoundland, Luxembourg, DeanyiIIe, Succasunna and Ironia
 300 Persons Injured.
 About $4ooo0O of the estimate civilian damage consists Of claims for injuries to 800 persons. These claims will all have 10 be considered by congress as the army and navy are not authorized 10 pay them, and they cannot he taken 10 court.
 Great trees lie stripped of bark and foliage in the 56O acre naval reservation. some uprooted, some cut down by shell fragments but all with their tops pointing away from the blasts. Nothing green remains near the exploded storehouses.
 Holes Blown Tn Ground.
 Jagged holes 50 feet deep and 100 feet across in solid rock mark the sites of two storehouscs that blew up first. The site Of third blast lad not been located early today. The huddled auI smashed steel frame work of one building was by observers to tn" sEele- ion of q wr,cwed iirigiltc. Officers houses and barracks lie crushed flat, as if they had been made Of cards.
 In the midst of the desolation the tall smoke stack of the poWerhouse still stands. A rcd Persian cat and her four kittens survived the blasts and are now in the hands of their owner. Mrs. Edward Allan Brown, whose husband, q naval doctor, was killed. The garrison flag was found waving, uninjurgd. over the shatter- ed roofs of officers quarters at the Picatiuny arsenal.
 1000 Refugees Return.
 Nearly 1000 refugees were back in their homes today after three days in public buildings or homes thrown open 10 them in nearby towns. Some Of them found their houses intact while others returned 10 shattered ruins, but al Red Cross hcadouarters in MorristoWn it was said that only one woman with her baby had returned there after seeing her home.
 Two bodies were recovered yester- iav. in addition 10 the 19 previous ly found. One was that of Mrs. John Wadhams. wife Of the civilian chief clerk Of the naval depot, and the other was too fragmeutary for lm- mediate identification.