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Black Tom Island Explosion Occurred Off the Coast of New Jersey on July 30, 1916

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Black Tom Island Explosion Occurred Off the Coast of New Jersey on July 30, 1916 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster 1916-1969 5.25 linear feet Processed by Melissa Perlzweig December 2012 Source: Report On Explosion at Black Tom, N.J., July 30, 1916, by Colonel B.W. Dunn, Chief Inspector of The Bureau of Explosives. February 1, 1917. Photograph No. 3, page 7. Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Archives and Special Collections St. John’s University Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Table of Contents Abstract 3 Source 4 Access 4 Preferred Citation 4 Copyright 4 Historical Note 4 Scope and Content 5 Subject Terms 5 Organization 5 Series Description 6 Container List 6 2 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Abstract Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969. 5.25 linear feet The Black Tom Island explosion occurred off the coast of New Jersey on July 30, 1916. Soon after, a group of insurance companies organized the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster to make sabotage claims against Germany. The case was heard by the German-American Mixed Claims Commission and Germany was originally found not liable, but after a rehearing in 1939, several Germans were found responsible for the explosion. The result was a settlement of $50 million to be paid out to a group of 72 insurance companies. This collection includes newspaper clippings, Committee meeting minutes, correspondence, briefs on the hearings, damage reports, auditors’ reports, account books, bank statements, and additional records from 1916 to 1969. Collection donated in 1981 to the College of Insurance by the New York Board of Fire Underwriters. Subjects: Black Tom Island (N.J.); Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster—Records and correspondence; Explosions—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—1910-1920.; Sabotage—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—History—20th century.; Lehigh Valley Railroad Company—Disasters—1910-1920.; World War 1, 1914-1918—Claims—United States; Mixed Claims Commission, United States and Germany; New York Board of Fire Underwriters; Irving Trust Company; Rumsey & Morgan; E. C. Niver 3 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Source This collection was donated in 1981 by the New York Board of Fire Underwriters. Access An appointment is necessary to use this collection. Please review the library’s access and membership policies. Access to certain materials may be restricted at the discretion of the library due to preservation concerns. Preferred Citation Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster. Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library, St. John’s University. Copyright Materials may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to request permission from the copyright holder for further reproduction. Historical Note Black Tom Island was an island in New York Harbor off the coast of New Jersey, owned by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company from 1905 to 1916. During World War I, the island was used to store and ship ammunition supplies for the Allies. On July 30, 1916, there was a series of explosions on the pier at Black Tom Island. The largest explosion occurred at 2:08am and was felt as far away as Philadelphia, causing damage in New Jersey and Manhattan. Several people were killed in the explosion and property damage was estimated at $20 million in 1916. Two German men who worked at the pier were suspected as responsible for the bombing. After the explosion, a group of insurance companies created the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster as a way to make sabotage claims and collect money from Germany. In 1924 after all of the claims had been filed with the Committee, the Committee presented them to the German-American Mixed Claims Commission that had been established after World War I. Following a hearing, in 1930 the Commission announced a decision that Germany would not be held liable for the explosion. However, the Committee petitioned for a rehearing and in 1939 the Commission reversed their decision. The final settlement was $50 million to be paid out to 72 insurance companies between 1941 and 1967. Today, due to landfill projects, Black Tom Island has become part of mainland New Jersey at Liberty State Park. There is a commemorative plaque at the site of the explosion. 4 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Scope and Content These records document the claiming process and disbursement of funds through 1969, by the Special Committee following the July 30, 1916 Black Tom Island explosion. The collection includes newspaper clippings from 1916 to 1941; meeting minutes from the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster; correspondence between lawyers, insurance companies and individuals; damage reports from the explosion; briefs on Mixed Claims Commission hearings; auditors’ reports; bank statements; and other insurance company records. While there are original inventories of these records (see Box 1, Folder 1), the documents had been moved out of order many years ago. Upon attempting to reestablish the original order, it was found that the inventories were not completely accurate. Subject Terms Black Tom Island (N.J.) Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster—Records and correspondence Explosions—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—1910-1920. Sabotage—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—History—20th century. Lehigh Valley Railroad Company—Disasters—1910-1920. World War 1, 1914-1918—Claims—United States Mixed Claims Commission, United States and Germany New York Board of Fire Underwriters Irving Trust Company Rumsey & Morgan E. C. Niver Organization The Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster collection is arranged into five series: Series 1 – Original Inventories Series 2 – Record Books and Published Reports Series 3 – Reapportionment and Distribution Records Series 4 – Irving Trust Company Series 5 – Correspondence Series 6 – Insurance Company Records Series 7 – Rumsey & Morgan Series 8 – Releases Series 9 – Miscellaneous 5 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Series Description Series 1 consists of the original inventories of the collection as it was donated in 1981. Please note that the original inventory is incomplete and does not match exactly the contents of the collection. Series 2 consists of meeting minutes, briefs, record books, account books, and published reports from the Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster and the German-American Mixed Claims Commission, spanning from 1916 to 1968. Series 3 contains records of reapportionment and distribution of the money awarded to claimants in the Black Tom Island explosion. There are reapportionment and distribution of dividends from 1947-1948; reapportionment and distribution of recoveries from 1952-1954, 1958-1962, and 1964-1967; history and record identification data from 1916-1958; and auditors’ reports from 1941, 1949, 1957, 1961, 1963, 1966, and 1967. Series 4 consists of U.S. Treasury bonds, an account book, statement of securities, bank statements, and a checkbook from the Irving Trust Company, between 1941 and 1968. Series 5 consists of correspondence from people involved in the events following the Black Tom Island Disaster, including E.C. Niver, long-time secretary of the Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, and Cecil Shallcross, long-time Chairman of the Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster. Correspondence spans from 1919-1968. Series 6 consists of insurance company records from 1940-1974, by companies with claims in the Black Tom Island disaster. Most of the records are from the Globe & Rutgers Insurance Co. Series 7 contains documents from 1923-1967, related to Rumsey and Morgan, the law firm that represented claimants in the Black Tom Island case. Series 8 consists of 1941 releases of Henry Morganthau, Jr., Cordell Hull, Charles A. Ericson, William D. Mitchell, F.F. Beer, and Paul L.G. Hilken. Series 9 consists of documents that do not fit into other series in the collection. It includes newspaper clippings from 1916-1941, a photo of Black Tom Island pre-disaster, IRS F990 and F1099 tax reports from 1963-1968, and various other miscellaneous records and documents. Container List Series 1 – Original Inventories Box 1 Folder Description Dates 1 Original Inventories c. 1958, 1981 6 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Series 2 – Record Books and Published Reports Box 1 Folder Description Dates 2 Committee Minute Book, Including Circulars to the October 3, 1916- Companies and Various Forms January 10, 1940 Box 2 Folder Description Dates 1 Committee Minute Book, Including the Final Circular to September 26, 1940- the Companies January 9, 1968 December 12, 1967 Box 3 Folder Description Dates 1 Memorials of the Underwriters August 10, 1922 2 Ericson Worksheets for the Memorials (removed to oversize) n.d. Box 4 Folder Description Dates 1 Brief on Behalf of Insurance Companies who Suffered Losses through The German Destruction of Private Property in Time of Peace November 1926 2 Brief for the Underwriters in Support of the Memorials Filed by the Underwriters and by the Lehigh Valley Railroad July 24, 1928 3 Reply Brief for the Underwriters March 15, 1929 4 Memorandum on German Exhibits
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