The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-03-13
SCORES BURNED
IN AN EXPLOSION
Number of Dead Is Estimated
at Twenty Two
Injured.
CATASTROPHE
Train OF Tank Cars Breaks in Two,
Then Comes Together With Crash
and Tank After Tank
Explodes.

Clean, N. Y, March ia score or
more people were killed and q large
NUMBER injured by an explosion of oil
here last night. A freight train on the
tank cars filled with oil, broke in two
near this city at 9 o'clock. The two
sections of the train came together with
q crash. and n Of the oil tanks was
demolished. Fire broke out almost in
stantly, and the sky was lighted up for
miles.
Ia large crowd of people left this city
For the scene of the fire. While they
were UP along the track a terrific ex-
ploslon occurred. The flames communi-
Gated quickly with the other tank cars,
and a second I'd third explosion fol-
lowed each other in rapid succession.
sheets of Names shot out in all direc-
tons. Scores of persons were caught
within the zone of the fire and envel-
oped In flames. Men and BOYS ran
screaming down the tracks with their
clothing a mass of flames. Others fell
where they stood. overcome by the aw-
full heat.
Just how many We're killed is not
Known, as many of the bodies We're in
cinerated.
twenty-five Probably Dead.
n latest estimate of the casualties
places the number Of dead at twenty
two and the injured at forty-fve. Some
Oh the lnJured viii die.
Word was sent at once to the clean
police headquarters by telephone.
Every doctor and ambulance in the city
was summoned.
Grocery wagons ard carriages Of all
kinds were pressed into service and ev-
erythkng possible was done to send the
injured without delay to the hospital.
At midnight the first of the injured
arrived at the hospital. They were
four young boys. Their injuries were
frightful. Great patches of flesh were
burned off and hung in shreds from
their bodies.
The following We're treated at the city
hospital:
James Mcdonald, condition serious.
Richard Mcdonald, condition serious.
James McCready, legs and face badly
burned.
Walter Jackson, head, back and arms
burned; Inhaled flames; will die.
Agonizins Scenes.
1t will be difficult to ascertain the
names Of a great many of the dead,
as their bodies were burned to ashes in
The intense heat. A canvass Is being
made of the city as rapidly as possible
to find out the names of the missing.
There is great excitement in the city,
and the streets are thronged with peo-
pie.
Large crowds gathered at the hos
2ital, and the faces of the injured were
scanned as they We're borne
INTO the building on stretchers. Heart
cending scenes were witnessed when
one of the poor, blistered bodies was
recognized by a father or a mother or
brother, and 1t was with difficulty that
persons We're restrained from invad-
ing the operating room.
Eye Witness Tells Story.
Sidney Fish, a prominent business
a returned from the scene Of the
tire at midnight. He said:
l was attracted to the scene of the
ire between $3.50 and 10 o'clock. When
| was within a quarter Of a mile of the
EreckeS train there was a terrific ex-
%plosion. Flames hot outwards ar d up |
wards for a great distance. I saw sew
eral persons who started to run away
drop on the railroad tracks, and they
never moved again. Others who had
been standing close to the wreckage
were hurled through the air for hun
dreds Of feet. The scene was awful.
Half a dozen boys ran down the tracks |
with their clothing on fire. They re-
human torches. I could hear
their agonized screams distinctly from
where l stood. They ran some distance
down the track n then threw them
selves to the ground, groveling in the
bitches in their frantic efforts to extin- |
suish the flames. Then they lay still,
OF them unconscious, others dead.
| do not know how nan were killed,
but 1 ounte twenty bodies before I
came aWay." |