The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-03-20
Hearses Shuttle In
Every Direction
CONTINUED from Page II

and Col. Clarence Parker, ruler OF
the school grounds and its vicinity
under martial law, placed the num-
Der Of dead at 425. Only a census
of the migratory workers will es-
tablish the precise number Of dead.
Some bodies we're mangled beyond
any possibility OF Identification, and
there were number Of fragments
of bodies left 1t was impossible to
decide how many entities they once
composed. .
OF the 1875 injured, AZ remained
in hospitals today. Eight were IN
critical condition but physicians ex-
pect almost II not all Of them to
recover. Gradually, the hospitals
were releasing more children with
bandaged heads, and arms In sings,
who walked the streets, living SYM
bols of the tragedy.
Experts At Work
The task Of the experts was ull-
dramatic but Of Importance. They
hoped to establish the exact reason
why the natural gas accumulated
in the buildings sub basement ex-
ploded with enough force to demol-
ish all its walls and dump its three
floors and roof on top Of the other.
The basement was a cavity beneath
the 800 foot long building, without
windows or other opening to the
outside, walled and paved with
concrete. The explosive experts
pointed out that 1t was comparative
to the brass cartridge case Of a rifle
bullet-it confined high explosive,
natural gas, as tightly as a brass
case confines gun powder. It's dem
tonator of a nature unknown, when
set of had the same result.
Explanation Considered
This explanation was considered
by DR.. E. p. Schock, professor OF
chemistry at the University Of
Texas and the states leading explo-
sives expert, who arrived yesterday
afternoon and thoroughly explored
the ruins.
DR.. Schock said some of the gas
radiators In the building may have
had faulty vents, and 1t was posi-
BILE that the gas accumulated be-
tween the walls and exploded. He
could only guess at this theory be-
cause the blast tore the radiators
to pieces and left little evidence Of
their original condition. Arriving
today were G. w. Jones of Pitts
burgh, an expert on gas surface ex-
plosions, and three experts Of the
United States Bureau Of Mines, D.
J. Parker, Salt Lake City, H. B. Hill
and Gustave Wade Of Dallas. They
will testify before the military
board Of inquiry. Col. Parker said
the session would be open. that Its
purpose was to establish the reason
behind the explosion rather than
to search for some one to blame.
He explained that 1t was a military
function to investigate thoroughly
any occurrence or circumstances
sufficiently disquieting to public or
der to invoke a proclamation Of
martial law.
More Investigations
Investigations Of another order
were undertaken by the Texas In
surance and railroad commissions,
and by committees Of the senate
and house. They wished to prevent
such tragedies in the future, and
also to determine II the explosion
was due to negligence Of any sort.
There was no disposition among
the hereaved to blame persons or
circumstances. To the oil field
workers, the black crude and the
natural gas they pipe up out OF
the earth carries with its natures
own protective devices against ex-
plosions-to them, an oil well fire,
q gas explosion are acts OF God
which no man can control, and they
held only kind and sympathetic
sentiments for William @. Shaw,
the schools superintendent and re-
sponsible executive. whose own IL
year old son was one of the victims
No Mass Funerals
There had been talk Of mass
funeral services, but the workers
families wanted nothing Of them.
They wanted individual cofflnS for
their children. individual prayers
said over their bodies. They wanted
tie traditional consolation Of o pub
liz display Of grief. and so today
and tomorrow approximately SOC
funeral corteges will wend out
through the red clay hills along