The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-08-07


Collapsed Like Cardboard and There
Was No Chance For Escape-what Ex-
ploded Is Not Known.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. Ga terrific
explosion in block Of six buildings on
Locust street, above Tenth last night.
completely wrecked five OF the structures
aud caused the death Of from 10 to 20
or more persons. Over two score Of
others were more or less seriously in
jured. Some Of those taken TO the hos
ptals will die.
1t is estimated that at least 30 persons
were in the five buildings when the ex-
plosion occurred, and the exact number
OF dead will probably not be known in
- hours.
The buildings were occupied as fol-
lows: Locust street No. zoos, House
mans pool and billiard rooms
No. 1910. Morris Roscnthars second
hand clothing store. occupied by Rosen-
thai. his wife and five children.
No. 1912, William Jones, colored res
taurant, occupied by Jones and about
IL boardcrs.
No. 1Ol4, George McClemmy's grocery
store, occupied by McClemmy, clerk.
and servant girl,
No. l0lG Patrick Quigley's grocery
store. occupied by Quigley, his wife, three
children and his uncle.
No. 10lS. Albert Mountains grocery
and meat store, occupied by Mountain,
mother, sister and clerk.
The explosion occurred about o:30
o'clock. What exploded and how II hap
pcned is not known at this time but it is
believed To have been barrel Of gaso-
line in one Of the three grocery stores.
With the exception Of 1905, the front
walls of the buildings were blown out
ward into the street while the floors and
roofs were blown upward and fell
straight to the ground.
Almost every building in a radius Of
two blocks about the scene Of the explo-
sion had windows shattered and were
otherwise damaged. Every building on
the opposite side Of Locust street was
more or less wrecked, but none Of them
fell
A terrible cry went up from the ruins
the moment the explosion occurred. Wo-
mel. children and men could be seen
crawling from the debris, while the agon-
izing cries Of others were heard in the
wreckagc. From all the surrounding
buildings injured people came running
and fell into the street unconscious.
10 add to the horror fire broke out in
tho debris the moment II settled TO the
ground. aud in less than five minutes the
grea. pile was burning hercely from cnd
to end \ general alarm was turned in
for hce apparatus and nmbulances, and
I'm the mtnbtime the work Of resuce was
voluntarily begun by those in the neigh
bCrhoOd that were not injured.
When the firemen reached the scene
the fam's had gained great headway
and were ieniting the buildings across
thu stree The fire. however, was soon
under control and with the exception
Of smal. blaze here and there was ex-
tiuruished in a few minutes. The work
nf digging away the ruins was then be-
guu In earnest. Near the edge Of the
DEBRIS several colorcd men were taken
ont ard sent to the hospitals.
While the fremen and policemen We're
| dil ging into the debris and hauling away
heavy t'mLcrs in several sections of the
wrr,kaga cries were heard coming fem
the cellar OF Mountains grocery store.
| Fifty men with rope and tackle were
INN cdintely put to work at that point
and pulled away the roofing and iioorlns
which had fallen into massed heap.
| From the bottom Of the pile, doubled up,
were taken man and woman. The
man was able to speak, but the woman
was apparently dead.
While the work of rescue was going on
In the exploded block hospital attendants
aud others made search OF all the dam
aecd houses on the opposite side and al
most n score Of persons were taken to
various hospitals from these places.
The jefferson and the PENNSYLVANIA
ha,pitalS were soon crowded with the
injured Two hundred men are now at
work clearing away the wreckage.
Ia, Building containing the p"clrooms,
clut,iing store and the restaurant were
threr-story brick structures, while the
9th. three buildings were two and half
| stOrirs