Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-05-22
SERIES or FATAL EXPLOSION AT
PlTTSBuRG SUBURB.
CARS OF NAPHlHA IGNITED
TWO OR THREE HUNDRED THOUGHT
TO BE INJURED.
TWENTY-FIVE KNOWN DEAD
First Expiosion Followed bv Gathering
Crowd, when Second Envelopes
Them In the Fiery Mass.

Pittsburg Pa. May 3.--Word Is
just received OF terrific explosion,
of oil cars In the Sheraden yards Of
the Pan Handle railroad. The ex-
ploding cars took fire, communicate
ing to other oil cars in the yard.
The yard is reported a veritable sea
Of burning oil, tieing up the entire
Pan Handle system.
A second explosion occurred after
large crowd had gathered, the result
being that between two hundred and
three hundred people were caught by
the explosion and flames, and all
were badly burned. Many have died
and the injuries of many others are
expected to result fatally. aw
49,. -S~I-V@.a, JSt.t=-.. -sx2A- .---ssro% ~
AT LEAST NV ENTY FIVE DEAD.
Sheraden, Pa. May ia remaIak-
able series OF explosions between 4
and o'clock this evening has caused
the death of at least twenty-five per-
sons, the burning and injuring Of
two or three hundred Others, and a
property loss that will run into
hundreds OF thousands of dollars.
The explosion occurred in the yards
lof the Pan Handle railroad and at
$3.50 O'Clock tonight the yards are a
fiery furnace of burning cars, natpha
oil and merchandise
The cause of the disaster from the
meager reports at hand, was the ex-
plosion OF a anaphtha car, brought
about by leak In the car which COM
municated to a switchlight neal by.
Il This explosion occurred about $3.50
p. IN. Thousands Of people, men, wo-
men and children, quickly gathered
to look at the fire and were lined
about the yard on the hillsides.
When all danger had apparently
passed a second explosion of naphtha'
followed, far worse than the first.
The flames from the second car
were thrown 500 feet into the air,
completely enveloping the lockers.
In an instant the scene was one be-
yond description. The air was super
heated to a degree impossible for
human life to exist In. Th"se near
est the exploded cars mc.c caught
and fell to the ground. hN
The clothing OF those farther away
was soon afire, and the victims IA
frantically about, tearing their burn
Ing garments from their bodies and
screaming for help ~
ENTIRE YARD ABLAzE.
In the meantime the fire had
spread to other cars and in an in
credibly short time the entire yard
was ablaze. Several cars were quick
ly burned and the flames rapidly
spread to scores of other cars.
The heat was so intense that fire.
men were unable to get anywhere
near the scene.
The burning oil entered what is
known as Cork Run sewer, and came
out one and one-half miles below,
where another fire started.
The burning oil was carried
through the sewers to distant parts
Of the district, one Of the results be-
ing an explosion in pool loom al
McKee's Rocks, where hundreds OF
men were gathered. -Four men were
reported killed at this point.
At the scene Of the explosion hum
dreds are lying around on tie ground
in all conditions Of injury and death.
All the ambulances from Pittsburg
and Allegheny, together with many
physicians, was quickly started for
the scene, and at the earliest possible
moment the victims were taken to
Pittsburg.
AT Pltsburg all the hospitals are
crowded with writhing patients
and the norgue is full to overflow
ing.
HORSE AND BUGGY STOLEN.
WymOre, Neb. "A horse and buggy
owned by Lafe Pearl, was stolen from