The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-12-23
Terrific Explosion.
GAS MAIN IN SOUTH BOSTON
BLOWN UP.
SEVERAL KILLED AND MANY
WOUNDED.
Warehouse Shattered and Streets
Torn Up.
NUMBER OF PERSONS MISSING
TFIRsr DEsPATCH.1

BosroN, Dec. % Shortly before o'clock
this evening terrible explosion occurred in
South Boston, by which large number of per-
sons were injured and several killed. As yet it
is impossible to learn the cause of the explosion
or the full extent of damage. The large gas
main running under Federal street bridge to
South Boston, and thence along the water edge
under the pavement ON Federal street, explod-
ed with loud report tearing up the pavement
for distance of $50 feet or more. The street
were buried in the debris. Crosby's grain ware
house was badly shattered, and will have to be
taken down. The foreman was instantly kill
ed. 1t is supposed several persons were blown
into the water. Several dead bodies have al
ready been taken out. The wildestrumors pre-
vail.
SECOND DESPATCH.
The following is list of the killed and
wounded as far as ascertaned at II p NJ, by
the explosion this evening at the Federal street
bridge; Edward f. Sanderson, foreman of Sum
ner Crosby's grain warehouse, died in thirty
N. d. Kempt, chief clerk pension Office, kill
ed; Patrick O'Brien, taken to his residence,
supposed fatally injured; Timothy Sullivan, leg
broken, injured internally, will die; Charles F.
Green, leg broken, otherwise badly hurt sup
posed fatally injured; Jerry Mccarthy was
it is thought he will recover; John Mahoney,
taken home severely injured, perhaps fatally |;
Edward Remington, Jr., 254 Sd street, blown
into the water and escaped slightly injured; Ell
Samuel Collins, Sd street, badly hurt about the
had and face; Kate Mullen, Sd street, slightly
injured Bernard Steeples, 152 Dorchester ave-
nue., blown into the water and rescued with
slight injuries; Jacob Cransh and John Fer
maid, slightly injured. A teamster named FL
we'll, was engaged with Charles Grim in load
ing team at Crosby's grain warehouse when
the explosion occurred. Grim was fatally in
jured and Elwell has not since been seen, and
is supposed to have been blown into the water
and drowned. Six or eight persons known to
have been in the vicinity 0f the explosion are
missing, and are supposed to have been blown
into the water and drowned. Parties are now
engaged with graphing irons dredging the river
for bodies
AS yet there is no positive knowledge of the
cause Of the exposition, but it is supposed that
the recent cold weather caused pipe to burst
and the ground becoming impregnated with gas,
ignition from some cause communicated fire to
the confined gas and caused the explosion. The
scene of the explosion is thronged with hun
dreds of anxious and curious people,
The main pipe, about five inches in diameter,
passes under Federal street bridge and along
the causeway leading from it up Dorchester
avenue (the continuation IN South Boston OF
Federal street.) This causeway is composed of
ment resting on foundation of pilDg, and on
either side for 175 feet or more is the river. Eye
witnesses state that the first intimation was a
bright flash about midway the causeway, fol-
lowed by sharp explosion, paving stones,
gravel and debris flying in all directions, and
almost Immediately thereafter the causeway on
the right hand side (under which ran the gas
MANY fell over into the river, carrying over
with it several persons, who were stunned, in
jured or killed by the explosion. The number
of these is not yet ascertained, but it is feared
several are buried under the debris at the bot.
tom of the river. The pavement was complete
| wooden portion of the bridge to Crosby's grain
warehouse, which is balt upon piing at the
end of the causeway, on South Boston side.
This building was badly battered nd shattered.
Had the explosion occurred five minutes later
the loss of life would have been tar greater, as
the draw of the bridge had been up for some
time, and crowd of 800 or 400 people on their
way from the city to their homes in South Bos-
ton had collected this side the bridge, and in a
few minutes would have swarmed upon the
causeway.