The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-05-14
Terrific Explosion of Naphtha.

Pittsburg, Pa, May 12.-The Shera-
den yard of the Panhandle Railroad
was the scene this afternoon of one OF
the mcst disastrous explosions and fires
known in this section for many years.
At least % lives were lost and about
200 persons were so badly burned that,
according to the judgment of physi-
clans in attendance, Is per cent OF
them will die from the effects of their
injuries.
The cause of the catastrophe was the
explosion of train of naphtha cars,
which was being switched at the yard,
and in the switching the rear car tele-
scoped the car forward. The leaking
naphtha ignited from switch light,
causing an explosion, which threw
the flames fifty feet high. Much OF
the escaping naphtha ran through
Croks Run to Esplenborough, a dis
tance of one and one-haH miles, caus-
ing an explosion, blowing to atoms
the Seymour Hotel and the Collins
House, and badly wrecking, a frame
building nearby, in which were con-
gregated two hundred or more sports
from Pittsbnrg and vicinity, betting
on the races, base ball. etc. Few OF
the occupants 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 40 o'clock and the spectacle
soon attracted large crowd on streets
lining the hills on both sides of and
parallel to the railroad. The second
car exploded about 5 o'clock, but it
was at 6. Is O'Clock, when three more
cars of the deadly stuff went up with
roar that could be heard for miles,
that the work of destruction really
began.
A torrent of fame belched forth on
each side of the track, sweeping back
the terrified spectators like charge
of artillery, and sent a shower OF
flames over their heads, resembling
Mont Pelee on small scale.
The scene that followed beggars
description. The successive explosions
had heated the air to such an extent
that before the third explosion many
were rendered unconscious by the ex-
treme heat and the gaseous fumes, and
were being carried away when the tor
rent of fame swept over the excited
crowd.
There was an awful hush for a
moment, then followed a scene of
frenzy. Men and women, their cloth
ing ablaze; their faces scorched and
blistered and their hair burned of
their heads, ran wildly shrieking
hither and thither, only intent on
escape from that awful furnace of fire.
Some gave vent to frenzied appeals
to kill them and put them out OF their
misery, and little children, with their
curly locks and light summer clothing,
small pillars of fire, cried piteously as
they were swept along by the tide OF
burning humanity.
The townspeople did all in their
power for the stricken victims and all
the Pittsburg amJbulances were imme-
diately dispatched to the scene with
corps of physicians. Many OF those
not seriously burned were removed to
their homes in Sheraden, while others
were sent to the various Pittsburg
hospitals, and the dead removed to
undertaking establishments in Shera-
den and vicinity and to the Pittsburg
morgue.
KHThe Panhandle Railroad Company
has thirty-six tracks through Sheraden
and has succeeded in keeping commu-
nication open. The property loss will
amount to at least 5000, 600.
The list of known dead numbers