The Indiana State sentinel., 1875-06-03
THE BOSTON BLOW OUT.
EXPERIENCES OF THOSE WHO
WERE BLOWN.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING DtsSIhOh ED-
DAMAGE DONE-sEARCHING THE RUINS
SCENES AND INCIDENTS-sPECULATIo As
To TIE CAUSE OF THE CALAMITY.
The Boston Globe gives an elaborate and
graphic description OF the terrible scenes at
tendant upon the mysterious explosion al
ready reported in the Sentinel: The build
ing wss five stories in height, and had a
frontage of 25 feet on Washington street. II
was completely demolished and fell with
in moment after the explosion, bury
ing number of occupants in the ruins.
So far as ascertained. there were fifteen or
twenty persons in the building at the time
OF the explosion. AT s P. NJ. nine had been
taken out OF the ruins, of whom but two
were fatally injured. A man named Pratt
shock, and all the glass within block of the
building was shattered. Sergeant Thomas,
of station 4, was on the ground quickly
after the explosion, and ran to give the
alarm. but some one was ahead of him, and
the alarm was sounded from the box st the
corner Of Washington and Boylston streets,
exactly one minute and half after
the explosion. The fire department
rallied with its customary prOmptness,
and tha flames, which were now bursting
from every part of the debris were quickly
exiinguished. The news of the awful oc-
currence spread like wildhre throughout tie
city; second alarm was rung in al GA, and
immense crowds invaded the streets in the
locality for a distance Of many blocks. The
nobly, and did their best to keep back The
tremendous crush, and to remove the suff 5r-
ers as expeditiously as possible. As
fast as the wounded were removed
they were taken TO the city hospital
in ambulances and every available vehicle.
n n.
of $3.50 o'clock. An eyewitness told a
Globe reporter that the sound was not
sharp. but muffisd and dead, like heavy
"boom!" Ii was so heavy as TO shake the
earth for a great distance, and Immediately
the air in the vicinity was
FILLED WITH FLYING BRICKS,
beams, and clouds of binding dust. No
flame was visible from the street. When
the explosion occurred, Globe reporter was
standing In front OF the building of A. Whit
ney & Co., No. $50 " sshington street, op-
posite Dows's corner. The first incident
which attracted his attention was
the abrupt flight of a hack from
the street TO the sidewalk where che
stood. Mr.. A. r. COrliss, who was looking
into the hat store at the corner of Washing
ton and Kneeland streets, says the first
thing he noticed was the topping over OF
the walls of the building and the terrific
crashing OF the rafGers as they fell. He says
he saw a carriage containing three ladies
overturned on to the sidewalk, and, an in
slant later, woman fell or jumped from
the third floor of the bu lding to the streets.
In his words: "Shs shot down like a
rocket" He saw the walls in falling strike
the apple stand on the corner, and sup
CT ushed to death Mr.. COrliss rendered
efficient service to the the woudded, VIII m
he assisted to- remove, acting in the coolest
manner in the midst of the widest excite
ment. He helped to remove four persons
from the ruins. James Mitchell, OF 13 La
Grange street, had remover his goods from
the house only yesterday, but the house
was heavily damaged, and Mr.. Mitchell had
a very narrow escape. James r. Sanford,
real estate agent, was sin the plumb
er's shop on La Grange street up
70 moment before the accident,
when he stepped out on the street, and
the next instant found himself in the
jewelers. store, No. 81, LAGRANGE street, hav-
ing been blown through the show window.
He was injured about the throat and head,
and his hands were slightly cut. He then
ran into the shop of one SellermanD, Ger
man, aud asked for water TO clear his eyes
from the blood. The whole-souled Teuton
refused, saying that he "dad no time TO gil
away any water"
there were two clerks in the druggists store,
attending as usual to the duties of the trade.
Two of the assistants were on their
way to dinner when the alarm
struck, and knowing that the fire was
near by their place of business they returned
to the store. Before their arrival the street
was crowded with startled residents OF the
neighbOrhoOd, who, however, were no more
at loss TO understand the cause OF the eX-
plosion than the clerks themselves. For
tunately their two fellow workers came out
alive from the sudden terrible ordeal of fire
and smoke 10 which they had been sub
iected One of these, indeed, was badly
bruised and cut, and will need long respite
from duty to fully recover his wontsd
strength. The other, Mr.. Park, was in at
tendance at the soda fountain at the
very instant of the exnlOsion.
He describes the event as follows: Il
was by the soda fountain, when suddenly
a bright flash of light danced before my eyes.
The next instant there was tremendous
upheaval of everything, followed by the
downfall of the building and all it contained.
1 was twisted around by the door, with a
mass of debris, which bruizsd and lamed
me somewhat, but still managed TO come
out without serious harm" The escape was
certainly most fortunate, since the women
whom he was serving, and who stood not
more than a few feet away, were swept un-
der the falling ruins into the very depths
of the funeral pile. That the
other clerk, who was attending
to his duty in another part OF the store, was
not killed is a matter for congratulation.
Doubtless, in the rigid investigation which
il sure to follow the disaster, the testimony
of these clerks will help TO clear up the mys-
terry. The building at the corner OF LaGrange
aud Washington streets was substantial
structure: built in those ante bellum day
when shoddy architecture was unknown.
For great many years, the apothecary
ore at the corner hsd been a popular place
of resort for thirsty souls during the 'heatee
term;" and the soda furnished by that IL
starred fountain ranked very high among
FRIENDS OF THAT HARMLESS BEVERAGE
Mr.. G. d. Dows, the proprietor, was one o
the inventors of the modern soda fountain
and, so extensive has the business come tC
be, that a mandatory established on Snd
hnrv street has eniOved, for several years,