The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-05
EXPLOSION OF GASOLINE
SEVEN KILLED AND THIRTY-FIVE
INJURED TIE RESULT.

PARKERSBURG, w. Va. July by
the explosion early today of several
tank cars filled with gasoline seven per-
sons lost their lives and thirty-five We're
seriously injured.
A yard engine on the Ohio River road
while running at a good rate of speed
struck an open switch near the railroad
shops, and before it could be stopped
crashed into large train of gasoline.
One of the tanks Immediately took fire.
A cannon ball was fired through the re-
naming tanks to let the oil escape. In
stantly after the shot had hit the tank it
exploded. When the smoke cleared away
most horrible sight met the gaze of
those present. Dead and injured were
scattered here and there, in the railroad
yards.
The dead are: ]. H. hamilton. general
superintendent; Bradley Reeves, engi-
neer; Edward Shannon, telegrapher;
Yardmaster Carr, Master Mechanic La
limo; Bradford, conductor.
J. H. Hamilton, who was killed, was su-
perintendent of the Ohio River railroad.
Among the seriously injured are: john
Chalk, head crushed and terribly burned,
will die; George HUFF, burned by oil, can
not recover; Doc Moore, burned by oil,
cannot recover; Mrs. John Ansberry,
back, head and breast hurt by falling
house rimbers; A. E. Isenhour burned
by oil and blown forty feet; Mrs. Jack
Mcfarland burned by oil; Frank ard
Lee Mcfarland, backs hurt by fall; Mrs.
E. P. Nelson, arms burned by flying oil,
her baby's arms and face burned; John
and Lewis Safdrex badly burned
Missing: Charles Cooper.
Before the cannon was fred hundreds
Of spectators had been attracted to the
scene, and the injured were mostly OBJ
servers who were taken to their homes
so that nc list of injured is available.
1t Is reported that thirty-seven were in
iured in the explosion.
John Chalk died late this afternoon
making the seventh victim, and two 9TH
ers are dying, 50 that the death list will
not be less than nine.
About $3.50 this morning Engine No. &C.
with VIII Carr as engineer and George
Haup as fireman, was pulling a freight
train into the yards. Carr looked and saw
that the main train was apparently clear
and came out slowly. The switch was
open, however, and the train ran into a
side track, eolliding with an oil tank scar
A hole was burst in the tank and the
oil soon ignited. Master Mechanic Lalime
and General Superintendent J. H Hamil-
ton were called upon to devise some
means CT Kidding the track of the burning
tank and extinguishing the blaze An at
tempt was made to tip the car over, but
the neat was so intense that this plan
had to be given up. Water was next tried,
but 1t had no effect. At least 100 persons,
several of whom were spectators, were
grouped near the tank when the explosion
occurred. 1t was caused by the fire ignit-
ing with the gas that had formed from
the burning oil.
1t all came so suddenly that before any
one could realize what had happened
bodies of men were flying in the air and
others were knocked to the ground or
covered by the burning oil. The tank
parted and went in two directions.
Those who We're killed We're struck by
the flying end of the tank, which went in
a southerly direction. The pieces which
went in the other direction killed no one.
The oil car was blown to pieces and the