Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-23

Boston, December o. Shortly before o'clock
this evening terrible explosion occurred in So.
Boston, by which large number of persons were
injured. 1t is yet impossible to learn the cause OF
the explosion or full extent of damage. The large
gas main running under the pavement on Federal
street exploded with loud report, tearing up the
pavement for distance OF $50 feet. The street
was thronged with people and many were buried
in debris. A grain warehouse was badly shattered
and will have to be taken down. Several dead
bodies have been taken out. The widest rumors
prevail.
The following is a list of killed and wounded,
so far as asceitained at this hour on p. M by the
explosion this evening at the Federal street
bridge:
Edward r. Sumner, foreman of Sumner Crcs-
by's grain warehouse, residing on l and 9th SITS,
died 50 minutes after he was taken from the RUNS.
H. \. ID. Kemp, chief clerk in pension office, 10
Linden street, killed. Patrick O'Brien, "A Middle
street, taken to his residence, supposed fatally
injured Timothy Sullivan, 30 Dove street, leg
broken and injured internally; will die. Chas.
F. Grim, i26 Dove street. leg broken ard other
wise badly hurt; supposed fatally injured. Jerry
Mccarthy, S!h street, teanster, was blown from
his team and taken mp unconscious; will recover.
John Mahoney, 5lG dorchester Avenue, taken
home severely injured, perhaps fatally. Edward
Remington, Jr 254 Sd street, blown into water
and rescued, slightly injured. Ellen Field, 20
Dove street, and her son, Michael Field, slightly
injured Samuel Collins, 81 street, badly hurt
slightly njared Bernard Steeples, l52 Dorches-
ter Avenue, blown into the water and rescued !;
slight injuries. Jacob Crauch and John Fernald
slightly injured.
A teamster, named Elwell, was engaged with
Chas. Grim in loading team ut Crosby's grain
warehouse when the explosion occurred. Grim
was fatally injured, and Elwel-not since been
scents supposed to have been blown into the
water and drowned.
Six or eight persons known to have been in the
ycinifv Of the pyniOsnu are rpies nd
posed to have been blown into the water and
drowned. Parties are now engaged with Crap
ping irons dredging the river for bodies
As yet there is positive knowledge ofthe cause
the explosions but it is supposed that the recent
cold weather caused the pipe to burst, and the
ground becoming impregnated with gas, ignition
from some cause communicated fire to the con-
fined gas and caused the explosion.
The scene of the explosion is thronged with
hundreds of anxious and curious peopIe. The
main pipe, about five inches in diameter, passes
under Federal street bridge and along the cause
way leading from il up Dorchester avenue.-(The
continuation in South Boston of Federal street,
This causeway is composed of three feet or more
of dirt and gravel, with pavement resting on a
foundation of piling, and on either side for 10
feet or more is the river.
Eye witnesses state that the first intmatiou was
a bright flash about midway the causeway, fol-
lowed by sharp explosion, paving stones, gravel
and debris flying in all direction and almost i'm
mediately thereafter the causeway on the right
hand side, (under which ran the gas main,) fell
over into the river, carrying over with it several
persons, who were stunned injured or killed. The
number of these is not yet ascertained, but it is
feared several were buried under the debris at the
bottom of the river.
| The pavement was completely torn up for a dis
lance of l.5 feet-from the wooden portion Of the
bridge to Crosby's grain warehouse which is
built upon ping at the end of the Causeway, on
the South Boston side. This building was badly
shattered and battered. Had the explosion oc-
Cured five minutes later, the loss of life would
have been far greater, as the draw of the bridge
! had been up for some time and a crowd Of 300 or
400 people, on their way from the city to their
homes in South Boston, had collected this side the
bridge, and in a few minutes would have swarmed
upon the causewGy.