Newspaper Page Text
our oym v- Ovmr MM The Telegraph service of The Daily Gate City and Coxutitn tion-Demoorat iq received over wir* VOL. 123i NO. 25. Followed by Enormous Fire on Black Tom Island^* With Loss of,'"" Millions. DEATH LIST ZSUKKNQWN One Hundntf Nofii, lnjv«4 Not Including Thoee Hit toy QIIN Many IBIlea i* Away. v.ri•••'./.'y--* [By J. P. Yodar, United Preaa Staff Correspondent] NEW YORK. July 81.—Mystery early today still beclouded the real cause of the explosion and Are which early Sunday morning occurred on Black Tom island. Vtethcr a Are. starting on tb« Iwige loaded with nitrocellulose or Ignition of four freight cars loaded with high exploe Ives, was the cause, no one eoald tall today. -c Perhaps the exact cane* never wRl be known. The condition ofth* am of devaa tatlon made l^hapoeslbUj todayjo Tom. which iarsally a peninsula. At that hoar shrapnel and thraa Inch sheila burled deep In the ruins were being ignited occasionally by tha heat, vtfto a desultory pop-pop that kept workmen and crowds of spectators at Tcapeetful distaaces. Dead, missing and Injured- lists ad mittedly were mere estimates up to noon today. The very nature and tent of the blast.and lira made topoa Bible, this early, anything lfta definite compilation of life loss. .Only a visit to the scene can make on* realise how difficult it will be aren after sev eral days of aearch of ruins and tee ords to tell the exact loss, |is Up to 8 o'clock, only two known dead wfere marked down. Twenty five others Are missing and j4the lie are known to have been Injured. Thfs listv In Injured doesn't lnclnd* those hart miles away from the scene by falling glass." Four separate investigations start ed tdttay by the railroad companies, Jersey City authorities, the state and the federal government. Agents of each were on the' scene and will re main until they, go into every phase of the case. Estimates of the property damage run all' the way from $20,000,000 to f50.000,000. The concensus of opin- er correct after complete tabulation had been made of thousands upon thousands of Shattered windows and other similar damage done la Jersey City, Brooklyn, (Manhattan and a dozen surrounding torn, dtles and .hamlets. This one item of smashed glass "alone incidentally has been estimated at more than a million and a quarter ^dollars. Only the facta that, the two major explosions occurred at the hour thev did-2:08 and 2:35 a. m.—and where they did, undoubtedly "presented far kreater loss of life and vastly more property damage. Black Tom la sit uated at the bulging end of a long peninsula that Juts about three mile? ioff Cbmmuqlpaw, sligMly south of Jersey City and south of Kilts island and the small plot of land in York harbor on which the atatwe of Liberty stands. Had the explosion occurred on the mainland of either the New York or Jersey coasts, the shock, (Continued on page 2) 'i. .v.. Mao Awakened by first Blast Was Near at Hand When Second One. Came. PEOPLE IN THE STREETS '*is 'Y* ^".'*1 "A Sleepers Were Awakened by What •/.. They Thought at First ^Was an Earth a \V.' i" [By HeflK^ ^L OeZJana, Written for the United Press.] JBStSBV CITT, N. J., July 31 waa Hterwtly jarred from my bed wMb the first of the two tltaiflc blasts occurred on Hack Tout pen Insula Sunday morning. Jly first drowsy thou^it wss that It waa an earthquake. After getting to within a few feet of the scene of the explos ions a. few minutes later and viewing tilt .utter devastation wrought, wondered hom some smaller buildings ever kept from crumbling under the Impact of that blast that made itaelf felt in five eta tea—New Jersey, Delar ware, iPsnnsylvanla, New York and Connecticut. Buildings shivered like a giant ship smashed by mountainous seaa. Glass waa Jarred from windows, like water drops ire Bbaken off by a big dog. JroSkery rattled. Thouaanda dashed tile streets In night clothes and many of them stayed there for hours after the, sfoond detonation, frigging Open SPaeM to -be as far ,.away as Wp ffak *i(Mlags.' Maay docks JliM^ulfaP throughout this city, lower Manbatian ahd Brooklyn, jiwiy stopped dead still for the s^bond thsit the vibration continued. Doors crashed Inward and. roofs were fippeo off. Brick chimneys toppled, adding to the pandemonium and dm aa they streck tin or tile rooted Then eveix-^lwt-:Tealised it could not be an tatibonke because of the lightning iHter: rOashes tollowed by flames that^eeeaoed to shoot two hundred yards Into the air from the direction of Ominunipew. it was so lllEht several roosters nearby began crowing. 1 telephoned the United Press In New York and ten minutes later was aft near the scene as I 'oduld get. Soon after that, ambulances came carry ing calm looking, white capped nurses and policeman. Then came the fire apparatus. Suddenly the entire world •seined to ajplit open. 1 didn't realy hear anything- My ear-drums merely seemed to collapse. A -pillar of flame slut skyward. Upward and surround ing the fire column rolled a circlet of peculiar colored smoke twenty feet in diameter. iAs It touched the top of the flame, it umbrellaed Out until it formed a mushroom shape and then came another-crash of sound. A door just .behind me fell inward. I ffelt a sens&Uoo, much magnified, Ion'among Jersey City oillclals was' as one gets when an elevator dips that the latter figure would be near- suddenly ten or fifteen stories. Then, came a whistling and whirring overhead. It was shrapnel and 1 ducked to lie face downward until the worst of it seemed to stop. It later developed this bombardment came train shrapnel and shell loaded ^freight cars some distance frbm the''end of the peninsula. By this time there were countless pat-pat-pat, bang, smash, explosions from out in the harbor. Explosives on careening barges were letting go. The nurses, least excited of anyr one about, methodically went about recelviiv & number, of injured the policemen were bringing out. When day came, the ground for miles about reminded me of descrip tions the war correspondents nave given of shell-pierced earth about a fort. The only difference was ap pearance here and there of great pieces of heat colored steel, some ten to fifteen pounds in weight, looking like some Hercules had twisted the ends in opposite directions. Several such bai* were found two or three miles ®way from the peninsula. BIG BUSH FIRE RAGES WITH LIVES IN DANGER Miiiintu of Dollars Worth of Timber Destroyed and •-$ To^ns Wiped Out. TORONTO Ont, July 31—The blp Best bush lire to the history of On tario r- Tvince. was still raging today Loss of 300 lives is feared. Already th» Art has, covered much tha tarri ory froa Cochraae to .J. Hearst. Timber, valued at milions of dolars, is belifeved to have been con sumed. A doaen towns and villages are in the Are sone. Telegraphic communication has been destroyed and it is not known whether they were destroyed or not. Fate of two hundred settlers In the lire district is unknown. The towns of Cochrane and Mathewson are reported to have been destroyed. Between them lie the settlements of Iroquois Falls, Ifushka, Watahbeag and Kelson—all in the. district reported swast by the critical oondition. .J- Running Fight In Which Two Hundred Shots Were changed bjrl the Men. iv! Mi* A BL PASO, Texas, July 31.—Three troopers of the XXghth U. 8. cavalry were killed in a running fight with Mexican bandits neaV Fort Hanoock early today. The' detachment of American cavalry kHled five of the Mexicans. None of the dead have yet been Identified. One American cavalryman was wounded. The bandits were surprised by the cavalry patrol and Immediately fled toward the Mexican line. About two hundred ehots were exchanged. It is supposed that the -bandits were Vil listas on their way to- raid some American ranch. Three other troops of the Eighth cavalry were rushed from El Paso to ifort Hancoclc by special train. Their Instructions were to follow the bandits trail into Mexico if neces sary or expedient. I£t ft Only Tvwo Killed. WLt PASO, Texas, July 31.—Two Americans were killed in a clash be tween a detachment of troop F, Blghth United States cavalry and a party of Mexican bandits at the San che* ranch, one and a half miles be low Fort Hancock, Texas, at 5:30 a. m. today. Five of the Mexicans, nearly half of the band, were killed In the running fight that followed the bandit's resist ance to arrest. Three troops of cavalry ordered from Fort Bliss to pursue the escaped bandits were afterward ordered held back. Pursuit of the bandits across the line Into Mexico was contemplated for a time. Robert Wood, a customs Inspector, with the cavalry patrol, was one of the first to be killed in the engage ment. Private John J. Twomey also was killed and Sergeant Louis Thomp son was wounded. The accuracy of the cavalry took heavy toll among the bandits and pursuit was abandoned after the remainder of the bandits dis appeared in the brush. Capt.. H. B. Cuehing of the Efehth Massachusetts Infantry made official report of the fight to General Bell at Fort Bliss. Cushing is ranking officer in,the Fort Hancock district. However, no mill tla participated in the clash. 1 Slocum Not Blaifiad.' WASHINGTON, July 31.—No stig ma should be attached to Colonel Herbert J. Slocum, Thirteenth cav alry, for failure to guard Columbus, N. M., against the Villa raid that pre cipitated the present Mexican trou- s. 'v* W: U. fl. Oaralry Surprised Band of Outknrs and Chased JTV® HtEAflERS KILLED nib CcSattation^Bcmocrat KEOKUK, IOWA, MONDAY, JULY 31, 1916 Iowa Farmer Family Almost Co&Jletely Wiped Out in A id a a os in W ,'•: MUSCATINE, Iowia, July 31.—Four were killed instantly and two others seriously in jured when an automobile in which they were riding was struck by a Milwaukee freight train*at Stanwopd, Iowa, late yesterday. ~v S''' The dead'are: MR. AND MRS. IRA MILLER: VELMA, their seventeen year old daughter. ,OLARENQE TINKLEY, an employe on the luiller fanp at Stanwood. The eleven year old twin girls of the Miners, jtfe^iowjn a Cedar |U^ids. hospital in a sir ill ram- ON THIS SIDE '#•& «. v. German Submarine Deutsoh land Appears Afraid to Make Start for UTC' Home, & FRIGHTENED BY RUMORS 8prsa Have Been Scattered Xtl Along tli»4Jhi#'3HHiXi e^iBiwwere of Kngllah Plot. F*? wi is" [By Carl D. Groat, I Carl D. Groat, United Press Staff Correspondent.] BALTIMORE?, Md., July 31."—Official and unofficial spies were scattered down the Patapsco today by the Ger mans to protect the sub-sea freighter Deutschland against the suspected machinations of the British. This counter-moveCnent was taken in view of the United States' govern ment refusal to convoy the submarine to the Capes. The fact that one of the allied watch ships had disappeared from the harbor without cargo.only served to heighten the fear of the Germans. Promoters feared she will lurk down the bay to ram the submarine. Hints that the Deutschland might be rammed "accidentally" have be come facts to th^ pverwrought Ger- mans. Preparing to Leave. BAX.TIMOREJ, Md., July 31—At 1:30 the tur, Thomas F. Timmins started its eL Tines and began clearing away the ba\j,p8 obstructing the pas sage of the l^rman super-submarine (Deutschland, irtw snuggling at the foot of Andre street. There Ib every Indication of imtilediate departure. The Bremen will reach the three mile limit tonight and then or early tomorrow morning, the Deutschland will go down the bay. This prediction was made by a mem ber of the big boat's crew in say ing "auf wiedersen," to a friend on Locust Point today. .» FOREST FIRE WAS TERRIFIC So Far There- Have Been 184 -r ^s^Lives Reported Lbst. NORTH BAY, Ont., July 31.—One hundred and eighty-four lives have so far been reported lost in the greatest forest fire northern Ontario has ever suffered. More than two million dol lars property damage has been done. The fire district forms a strip of territory shaped like the letter J, with Bourkes forming the end of the base Cochran the junction with the cross bar and Hurst and Iroquois at either end. The fire broke out at 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon and was reported simutaneously at sev eral points forming a semi-circle Crom Bourkes to Hurst, over a hun dred mile frontage. Driven by a forty mile wind from the south, the flames rolled over the countryside Just like a heavythunder storm coming up ahead of a hurri-i cane and with everything as dry as! (Ooattaaad on (Continued oa page 1) (Continued on paga 2) 'iMT'r L- .r'*'. ,.V„ A rJrA V.WV:~f" n\ rft^t rt\ THE ENEMY itv wiltt kiAfc/s- 'PS?**!*? t,•"*' ¥&* German War Office Reports That Kaiser's Troops Ar^ Successful at All 1 W" OTHER SIDE DISAGREES France Claims Victory In Numerous Engagements, as Does Also England and .c Rusala. B2BRUN, July 31.—-Anglo-French at tacks through the morning along the front from Longueval to the Somme were everywhere repulsed with san guinary losses, according to the war office statement today. In the eastern fighting sone, also, the war office declared, Russian at tacks had been repulsed. "Northwest and west cf Buczacz," the statement asserted, "the enemy penetrated our first line, but were driven back. All attacks were vic toriously repulsed." Violent Combats. PARIS, July 31.—French troops brilliantly retrieved a temporary Ger man footing obtained around Monacu farm, according to today's communi que. The enemy had taken a slight hold there, but French counter at tacks drove them out and back. The official statement detailed "numerous" German counter attacks against Helm wood and extremely violent combats in that neighborhood in which the Germans were repulsed. "In the course of these attacks," the statement asserted, "our left bank batteries enfiladed the enemy, caus ing heavy losses to them. Around Verdun, German attacks on Hill 304 were checked by French fire. In the region southwest of Fleury, the French progressed further. A Ger man grenade attack west of Vaux Chapler was unsuccessful." Between Pozieres and Logueval, the report said, combats were progress ing In favor of the Teuton army. In this fighting 781 prisoners and thir teen machine guns were captured. South of the Somme, the statement said, a violent artillery combat was continuing. Describing the Russian fighting, the war offlco said between Witoniez and Turgo southwards and also on both sides of the Lipa, the Russians were again repulsed with heavy losses. Near Zafecze, the Muscovite troops penetrated, but a counter at tack drove them back. In this sector 1,889 prisoners were taken yesterday. Forward Again. PETROGRAD, July 31.— After fierce fighting around Brody. the Rus sian forces have thrust their way forward again, this time taking ground from the Teutons up to the rivers Graberki and Seret. The war office statement today made this an nouncement. "^he ^ar office asserted that in the region of the Stockhod river, the Rus sian forces were fighting their way r.A :f RMS FOR Why Some of the Members of Companies at the Boderf Are Carrying Guns, r$:'" SOME SONS OF VETERANS Many of the Boys In Blue Today Ara 8ona of Union and Confederate 8oldlarau [By William G. Shepherd, United MHROEDBS, Texaa, July 31.—Men belong to European armies in order to fight for their countries. After seeing these amies and oomlng to see the American armies oa the Rio Grande, the question arises, "why have American men joined the militia?" This question asked, hit or miss, in an automobile tour of the lower Rio Grande valley yesterday, brought these answers: Capt. Elmer McDevltt, of Duluth, Co. A, Third Minnesota, all-Ameri can guard from Yale in 1913: "When the European war began, I realized that American young men didn't know anything about fighting, and I felt it was my duty to learn." 8. G. White, of Dallas, artificer. Second Texas: "My father and brother were mur dered by Mexicans and I Joined to fight." A. X. Nofel, of Minneapolis, private, Cohmpany I, Sdcond Minnesota, for mer rug merchant of Syria: "I went to the University of Min nesota for an education, but whpn I found military training was compul sory In the university I made up my mind I might as well Join the militia and get a full military training." Colonel Robert McCormick, of Chi cago: "After seeing the war in Europe, I decided that Americans ought to learn how to protect themselves." A. W. Dahle, bugler. Co. D., First Minnesota: "I learned to be a bugler in the boy scouts and when the trouble with Mexico arose, I Joined the mili tia to go into Mexico." Captain G. A. N. Anderson of Far go, Co. B, First North Dakota: "Four years ago there was a little scare In Mexico over the Madero troubles, and after reading the papers one evening I decided we would have trouble with Mexico, so I went down to the armory before bed time and enlisted." R. H. Slmme, of Falrbault, sergeant major,- Second Minnesota: "I alwaya wanted to go to a gym nasium and there wasn't any Y. M. C. A. in our town so they built an ar mory with a gym. I joined the militia." Captain Glen Latter, of Washing ton, Iowa, Troop A, First Iowa cav alry: "My grandfather was killed In the war of 1812, and my father and five uncles were in the civil war. My brother was in the Spanish war and I joined because it was my turn." Lieut. Forest Lee Lowery, of Dal las. Co. B, Second Texas: "My two grandfathers fought on the confederate side, one under Forest and one under Lee. I was named for those two generals. My folks fought |n every American war up to the pres ent time and I want to fight in this one—if there is going to be one." Col. W. I. T. Mollison of Falrbault, Second Minn.: "My father was in the union army in the charge at Gettysburg with the First Minnesota and when I was six teen years old he took me by the nape of the neck, led me to the mili tary recruiting office and made me join. It was purely compulsory and the o-peration frightened me because the captain lifted me off my feet so my head would touch the height bar, as I was too short." In the last seventeen months, the juvenile court of St Joe. Mo., Investi gated 4.784 cases, most of them set tled out of court. t, THE WEATHER Slightly cooler. Fair. Local temp—7 p. m. 95 7 a. m. 80. An End Comes to the Boiling Blistering Days for the "r Chicago Haa M4 DaaOia Prom Haat Oaring tha.^^ .. ..pad Four j£ •/.:*• EIGHT PAGES 1 M$m 1 West. WA YESTERDAY WASTORRID *r*- Old! Dayii 4 M* "W*"- aHUCSAJOO, My SL—Cooler weath« er f«as in aldht tor tha middle waat today, after a day of record heat. A cool wave, aoowdlac to Hi* weather* forecaster, will hit thia section to* night. Today It will be ooolar than yesterday, but still hot Death's toll in Chicago yaataatar from the hot wave waa 117. Tldaj makes a total of 264 deaths in Chi cago in the last tour day* as a result: of the heat Ndnety-nlne babies havo died since Friday night The num ber of deathe in other cities through out the middle weai aa a result of the heat were not obtainable. It was estimated, however, that they wouldi add at least 160 to the Hat. Mil waukee (done mwrted twreai dead for yesterday. Sunday waa Mil waukee's hottest day in forty-five, years. It was *102 degrees by the gov ernment thermometer. Heat records for Chicago were smashed as far back as 1901. A temperature of 101 waa recorded. In July, 1901. tha mercury registered 102 degrees. So great was the jam at bathing beaohee here that police reserves were called to clear the streets lead ing to the beaches. Gary. Indiana, waa the hottest place on the map with 11j6. Three died from the heat there. It waa comparatively oool along the Mexican border, Paso and San Antonio regv lstering 88. East Will Get Hot. WASHINGTON, July 31.—Cool high winds sweeping out of the north west will bring relief from the hot wave to the lake region and the coun try between the lakes and ths Rockies, the weather bureau said to day. The east is to get its share of warm weather at once. It warmed up to day and will get warmer, it was said. That prediction held good for the eastr south. Ohio valley end extreme west In the Rockies it is to bo normal. Heat Fatal to Two. ELGIN, IM., July 31.—Reat killed two in Elgin just before relief came today. The victims were Henry Runge and an unidentified man. Battle In the Sky. LONDON. July 31.—Combat be« tween a British aeroplane and a Zep pelin thirty miles off the east coast of Great Britain was reported in an admiralty statement today. The aeroplane pilot, it was related* fired more than two trays of ammu nition at the German dirigible before he was temporarily incapaciated by a portion of his gun flying off and stunning him. When the pilot recovered conscious* ness, the Zeppelin had disappeared. Tired of Life. CHICAGO, July 31.—Mrs. Bsthe* May, 23, took poison at her home and is In a critical condition at a hospital. In a note she said she was tired ol life Another note was addressed to W S, Carter, 1221 Jefferson Bldg., Peoria. Its contents were not made public. MANY FREAKISH INCIDENTS IN CONNECTION WITH BLAST Statute of Liberty is Slightly Damaged by the Explosion. NEW YORK, July 31.—Miss Lib erty's gown was torn a little and some of her skin punctured by shrap nel bullets—but the famous statue on Bedloe island today was found to be surprisingly free from injury, con ,\» if,'rm.• sidering its location less than a mile from Black Tom peninsula. Many freakish Incidents were reported here and elsewhere. The main door giving entrance to the Statue of Liberty Was wrenched oft its hinges a8 by a giant hand: the iron cover to a powder magazine was torn away, all doors were crush' I ed in and probably a hundred bolts joining the plates which compose the giant figure were broken or sheared oft. A number of angle bars weri vxntlnued on page 2) A •#%i