Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-13

plosion Of train Of naphtha cars which
were being switched at the yard and in
the switching the rear car telescoped a
forward. The leaking naphtha ignited from
a switch light, causing an explosion. which
threw the flames fifty feet high Much of
the escaping naphtha ran through Crooks
Run to Esplen Borough, a distance Of one
and one-half miles. and caused another
explosion blowing to atoms the Seymour
Hotel and the Collins House on River road
and badly wrecking a frame building near
by. in which were congregated 200 or more
sports from Pfttsburg and vicinity, betting
on the races, base ball, &c. Few of the oc-
cupants of this building escaped injury,
many being badly hurt Mrs. Seymour and
her daughter of the Sheraden Hotel were
seriously, and, it is feared. fatally injured.
The first car of naphtha exploded about
4:40 o'clock, and the spectacle soon at
tracted a large crowd on streets lining the
hills both sides of and parallel to the
railroad. The second car exploded about
O'Clock, but it was els o'clock when three
more cars of the deadly stuff went up with
a roar that could be heard for miles. Then
the work of destruction really began.
In Torrent of Flame.
A torrent of flame swept forth on each
side of the track, sweeping back the terri
fed spectators like charge of artillery
and sending shower of flame over their
heads, resembling Mont Pelee on a small
scale.
The successive explosions had heated the
air to such an extent that before the third
explosion many were rendered unconscious
by the extreme heat and the gaseous fumes
and were being carried away when the tor
rent of fame swept over the excited crowd.
Then followed scene of frenzy. Men
and women, their clothes ablaze, their faces
scorched and blistered and their hair burned
off their heads, ran wildly shrieking, hither
and thither, only intent on escape from that
awful furnace of fire. Some made frenZled
appeals to be killed and put out of their
misery; little children with their light sum-
mer clothing abaZe, cried piteously as they
were swept along by the tide of burning
humanity.
The towns people did all in their power
for the stricken victims, and all the Pitts
burg ambulances were Immediately dls-
patched to the scene with corps of ply
sicians. Many of those not seriously burned
were removed to their homes In Sheraden,
while others were sent to the various Pitts
burg hospitals, and the dead removed to
undertaking establishments in Sheraden and
vicinity, and to the Pittsburg morgue.
Watching the Wreck in the Rain
Despite the fact that the rain came pour
ing down all morning thousands went to
Sheraden toda and the cars and trains
were crowded with curious people from all
parts. who went for the sake OF seeing
what had happened.
Sheraden yards lie between two hills. On
the north side there is a steep cut. but on
the south side 1t is not so high. All over
the hills on either side of the tracks hum
dreds were searching today for clothing
which the injured tore from them when the
burning fluid was thrown upon them. Lined
upon these hills are thousands watching
the crews of the wreck trains at work Inc
smoke from the smoldering wreck fills the
cut and the wind blows it against the spec
tators. Passenger trains are gliding by the
wreck quickly since the news OF the gas
main became known in the city. Two nat
cars lie on the siding covered with clothing
picked up during the night. The majority
of this is charred rags. 1t is a common
sight in Sheraden this morning to see peo-
pie with their head and hands bandaged on
the porcheS, in the streets and at the wreck
Many were burned whose names have not
appeared and while they are not seriously
hurt they are suffering more or less pain.
Fears for the Big Main.
Regarding the big main beneath the
burning wreckage, 1t is feared that the in
tense heat from the fire will get down to
the pipes if the fire is not soon exinguish-
ed If the conclusion has not caused any
breaks. it is feared that the intense heat
might cause them. This is the reason the
officials are Jealous in their efforts TO get
the flames subdued. The freight in the
debris is a complete loss 1t is said that
the disaster will be one of the most costly
that the road has ever had.
Superintendent Mccarthy of the Panhan-
die Railroad Company was asked this
morning regarding his theory for the cause
of the explosion. He replied that as yet ne
had not decided The people about the
place seem to think that the leaking naph-
tina caught from a switch lamp or the fire
box of one of the engines. They hold that
the naphtha need not come in direct con-
tact with a light, but that~fumes rising
from if would catch from light even if 1t
was high above where the naphtha flowed.
Instead of burning upward the ignited
fumes would follow the column down to the
base of supply or the running naphtha ana
then the combustion would be complete.
Mr.. Mccarthy said he would investigate
the matter thoroughly and would announce
his finding and decision in few days.