Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-12
GASOLINE ExPLoDEs
With Deadly Effect in a PhAa-
delphla Store.
Four Bodies Recovered May b Doa,a
More in the Ruins.


Philadelphia, Sept. 11.-By tie II.
pioslon OF y Bal,0ns Of gasoline IL ths
cellar OF AsNBocery store IT lll0 south
street. tondR1k. surely four and poseibly
dozen more lives were lost. AZ 4,
Immediate consequence OF the explo-
sion. the building where II occurred
and those adjoining It ON either side
collapsed and up to II o'clock, Ave
hours after the occurrence. four bodies
had been recovered from the ruins and
three Of these identified as follows:
Samuel schattenstein. keeper Of the
grocery store.
His 19-year-old son, Abraham.
A 10-months-old child named Gold
berg.
The fourth body was that Of a girl
about 10 years old.
How the explosion occurred II yet ua-
known. The front OF 14lO was immed.-
ately blown out and this was followed
by the collapse Of that structure ana
Nos. 1442. occupied by Morris Gold
berg's furniture store. and 1896. Uouis
Salionse's shoe store. The west wall Of
1llO. occupied by L. Wagner's clothing
store, was blown out.
All the buildings were Of brick, three
stories in height. In the confusion and
excitement following the disaster it Is
az yet impossible TO secure anything
like an accurate census OF the occu-
pants. but 1t il generally stated that
the upper floors were crowded with
families. huddied together In tenement
fashion. Coming as 1t did at the sup
per hour, 1t Is feared the loss Of life
was heavy.
The list OF injured will be long. They
were taken to all the hospitals within
a radius Of a mile. After the recovery
OF the f4nr bodies. the authorities de-
cided, to postpone the search for addi-
tioBal victims. until tomorrow morn
ing. thus obviating the dangers and de- Z
lays OF working upon the mass OF de-
bris and wreckage in the darkness.
The corpses OF Schattenstein and his
son were picked up on the steps Of No
1444. The unidentified 10 year-old girl !.
was found pinned down by mass of .
timbers in the rear Of the same build
ing and the Goldberg child died while
being taken to the hospital.
The 10-months-old child was Col
berg. son Of the furniture store keep
err. Estimates OF the number OF mise
ing vary from IS to six.
The accepted theory OF the accident
is that Schattenstein went into the eel
lal with lighted lamp which ignited
the fumes OF the gasolene. From the
position of his body and that of his
son on the front steps. 1t Is thought
they were emerging from the house
when caught by the falling walls.
The collapse OF the buildings oe-
Cured within two minutes Of the ex-
paosing and ssthe occupants had little
time or chance to. escpae.. Mrs. 1cad-
berg snatched up her 10-fnontfs -old.
child in her arms and rushed for an
exit. but the child was 30 badly in
jured that 1t died while being borne
to hospital Strangely enough the
mother escaped with only trifiing in
juries.
At Ga O'clock. tonight. a sergeant or
police was talking with one Of the men
on the opposite side of the street when
without a moments Warming there
was terrific explosion. which almost
before they could turn their heads
was followed by thunderous crash
Mingled with this was the cries Of hu-
man beings.
Without loss Of time, one Of the po-
licemen struck the alarm box near BY.
Wn1ie another rang Tor ambu1anceS.
The engines and six OF the hospital
wagons were there within 20 minutes
and a large force of policemen also APP
peared on the scene. The work Of res
cue was begun forthwith but was tenn
porarily abandoned later when twi-
light had deepened into night
All of the dead and injured were In
the building at the time Of the disaster
and as the wall collapsed almost in
perpendicular direction. no passerby
We're injured by flying debris. The
force OF the explosion was SO great,
however that all the windows in the
house across the street was broken by
the conclusion. N
The search for more dead will be re-
sumed at daybreak. None Of the in
jured are expected to die.
Someone has computed that the or