Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-03-06
TWELVE KILLED.
Fifty Injured Cars, Carriages
and People in Air.
E, Mass Of Flames-Buildings Badly
Shaken-Cause Unknown.

BOSTON, Mass. March Aust before
noon today at the busy corner OF fremont
and Boylston streetS-with the common. the
Masonic temple, the great new Hotel Tou-
rane and the big Hotel Pelham
forming the four corners-street cars,
horses and carriages and scores
of the passers by were thrown many feet
into the mir. A dozen people were instantly
killed. thee times as many badly-probably
some of them fatally injured ears were re-
duced to ashes, and all the glass for many
rods in every direction was shattered. Such
is in brief. the story of aterriDlo explosion
OF gas that took place today in the subway.
An electric car passing over the spot at the
time of the explosion was sent up in smoke.
When the smoke cleared away there was
debris and dead people on all sides. For
tunately there were but few passengers on
this car. hack and buggy. with their
occupants-nobody in the confusion could
seem to recollect who was in them-were
caught in the bursting of the ground, for
that it seemed.
After the first burst of smoke and the
deafening crash that accompanied it, there
came flash Of fire from the great rent in
the flooring Of the subway. A sheet of flame
burst out. There were three or four cars
one horse car smashed, beside several
other ears which were near enough to lose
the glass in their windows. IG some cases
An alarm of fire quickly summoned The
members of the department. and the flames
were quickly put ont. Then the fremen
rendered efficient help to these already at
work in the removal of the bodies and the
caring for the injured. At the time Of the
accident four cars. three electrics and
horse ear. were passing the corner of Boyls-
ton and fremont streets. One OF the elec-
tric cars was just over the spot. This car
was tossed into the air as lightly As IL it
were a soap box. 1t came down in pieces,
already aiiame.
The passengers show many there were no
one knows--had been stunned by the ex-
plosion. When the car, broken into Sec
tions. came down. they lay there helpless in
the burning wreck. Three bodies. partly
charred, were taken from the debris as soon
as the fremen came.
People who were not injured in the cars
on Boylston street were incapable of action
at rst and persons in the buildings and
stores surrounding did not know what had
occurred. but it did not take them long to
recover their senses and almost Immediate
ly there was a rush to the assistance of the
wounded.
Immediately stores and offices were con-
verted into temporary hospitals until ambu-
lances could arrive, and then a less import
ant, but not kinder deed was performed
when the faces OF the shattered dead were
tacle to see these bodies exposed on the side
walks. awful witnesses OF the horror OF some
ones mistake.
The emergency hospital ambulance was
the first regular vehicle for the transporta-
ton to arrive, and 1t did yoeman service, but
before that the firemen showed themselves
| worthy humanitarians and tender-hearted
men. District Chief John Ryan was In charge
OF the detail that responded to the alarm.
His trained eye told him Immediately that
| his business and that of his men was not
with the blazing electric car which could
easily be extinguished with one stream, but
with the wounded lying everywhere about
him.
Hose carriages we're pressed into service
as ambulances, and Immediately they were
started on their humane duty of getting the
MANNED to the hospital. Many men who
| were never supposed to have a spark of
courage showed themselves heroes. They
were not only ilremen, but citizens Of all
| classes. Recovered from the first temporary
fright they did not hesitate to plunge into
| the blazing ears and about the gaping hole
in the ground where the wounded were ly-
ing.
| Dozens OF persons who made no report OF
the fact were knocked down and slightly
hurt. and the reverberation was heard fol
more than half mile. The explosion came
with awful suddenness. Just how it was
| Drought ABOUT no one seems TO know. Ger'
haps 1t will never be known.
1t may have been Il gas main. 1t may have
been gas gathered in the open space abovs
the subway. it may have been dynamite, o.
1t may have been slight gas explosion
which caused a greater one of dynamite.
The hillei, so far identified are: william
NJ. Ninal, 59li. Essex street, Salem: Rev. W
A. Start. professor at Tufts colleges Con
ductor Guilford b. Bigelow OF the West Enc
railroad and n woman. as yet unidentified
with initials A. n. b. on her handkerchief
Among the injured are Fred W. Dewey
OF l9S Harrison avenue. Boston Mrs. s. A
Peck 233 Everett street. Allston Mrs. J. r.
Wilson. II st. Charles street. Boston Nellie
jackson, 3l5 Marlboro street. Boston Luc,
Dolan, s3 West Brookline street, Boston.
Superintendent OF Police Eldridge calle
in ali OF the emergency patrolmen and sen
them to the scene of the explosion. Ever
ambulance and patrol wagon In the city wa
also sent there.
Patrolman Michael Whalen who looks afte
the crossing. says that he smelled the odo
OF gas all the morning.
In many respects Russia Is n yer!
| fvrpunipul country A IlncSton 10 M