The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-11-07
FORTY PERSONS INJURED.
MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION IN LON.
DON.
A Passenger Train Demolished
Near Pread Street undergrown
Station and Anothe Explosion at
the Same Moment on Another un-
derground Road.

LONDON, Oct. 30.-About s o'clock
this evening terrible explosion oc-
CURED near the Praed street under
ground station on the Metropolitan
Railway. On the first alarm a
strong Gordon of police was sum-
moned to preserve order, to keep the
way clear and to convey wounded
people to the hospitals. Passengers
who were on the train at the scene
of the explosion say that there was
suddenly loud report like that of
a cannon, then sudden darkness,
the gas lights from the front to the
the rear of the train being put out
The glass was broken and splinters
of wood flew about the cars, cutting
and wounding many passengers.
Above the din were heard the
shrieks of the injured and panic
stricken people. All this occurred
in a moment and for a while confu-
sion reigned supreme.
The train, which was crowded,
contained principally country visi-
tors returning from the Fisheries
Exhibition. After leaving the sta
ton the train travelled steadily
ahead, though the conclusion
broke all the lamps in the Praed
Street Station and caused much
damage to the permanent way
When the train reached the next
station, Edgeward Road, the first
effort was made to rescue the wound
ed. Some were dreadfully burned,
but more were prostrated by fright.
All the doctors, surgeries and dis
pensaries in the neighDorhood were
called into requisition.
The first impression was that an
explosion of gas had caused the
disaster, but later inquiries tend to
show malice. The two rear carriages
were damaged the most. They are
mere skeletons. One theory is that
the explosion was caused by foul
gas accumulating in the tunnel.
This, however, is untenable, because
no premonitory symptoms were OBJ
servable. The general opinion of
the railway officials and of experts is
that the disaster was caused by
some explosive material, which had
been placed probably in the rear
carriage. A searching inquiry is pro-
I. ceeding, 1t is believed that about
forty persons we're injured, some of
them dangerously.
ANOTHER AND SIMULTANEOUS EXPLo-
Almost simultaneously with the
Praed street affair a violent explo-
sion occurred on the Underground
Railway, between Charing Cross and
Westminster stations. The windows
of the signaling stations in the tun-
mel were shattered and at Charing
Cross the glass roof of the the sta
ton partly collapsed. The report
was like that of artillery. The eff
fects were like those of the Praed
street explosion. Carriage lamps,
windows, etc, were smashed. All
traffic was suspended for a while.
Though both explosions are matters
of the greatest mystery they are gen
orally thought TO have been of Fen
ian origin.
The shocks of both explosions are
described by officials as very similar
to the shock of the explosion at the
local government office last March,
in which DIR. Gallagher was impli-
Gated. 1t was stated that four ma
chimes, similar to rockets were found
in the tunnel near the Praed Street
Station. Altogether six carriages
were shattered by the Praed street
explosions. Though about forty
persons were admitted to the hos
pitfalls, many more were injured, but
they were sent directly to their OWL,
homes.