The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-10

OLEAN, y. y, March "a score
or more people were killed and large
number were injured by an explosion
of oil near here tonight. A freight
train on the Erie, made up principally
of oil tank cars filed with oil, broke
in two near this city. The two Sec
tions of the train came together and
one of the oil tanks was demolished.
Fire started almost instantly and the
sky was lighted up for miles. A large
crowd left this city for the scene of
the fire.
While they were lined up along the
tracks a terrific explosion occurred.
The flames communicated quickly with
the other tank cars, and a second and
third explosion followed in rapid sue
cession. Scores of persons were en-
Veloped in the flames. Men and boys
ran screaming down the tracks with
their clothing a mass of flames. 9th
ers fell where they stood, overcome by
the heat. Just how many We're killed
is not known, many of the bodies be-
ing incinerated.
Told by a Witness.
Sydney Fish, a prominent business
man, returned from the scene of the
fire at midnight. He said:
Il was attracted to the scene of the
fire between $3.50 and 10 o'clock. When
l was within a quarter of a mile of
the wrecked train there was a terrific
explosion. Flames shot outward and
upward for a great distance. 1 saw
several persons who started to run
away drop on the railway tracks, and
they never moved again. Others who
had been standing close to the wreck
age were hurled through the air for
hundreds of feet. The scene was aW-
full. Half dozen young boys ran down
the tracks with their clothing on fire
They resembled human torches. 1
could hear their agoniZed screams dis
tinctly from where l stood. They ran
some distance down the track and then
threw themselves on the ground, grow
cling in the bitches in their frantic
efforts TO eXtinguish the flames. Then
they lay still, some of them uncon-
sclous, others dead. l counted twen-
ty bodies before l came away"
Word was sent at once to Olean po-
lice headquarters by telephone. Every
doctor and ambulance in the city was
summoned. Everything possible was
done to bring the injured without de-
lay to the hospitals for treatment.
Bodies Burned to Ashes.
AT midnight the first of the injured
arrived at the hospital. They were
four young boys. Their injuries were
frlghtful. Great patches of flesh We're
burned off and hung in shreds from
their bodies.
1t will be difficult to ascertain the
names of great many of the dead to-
night, 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
those missing. There is great excite
ment in the city, and the streets are
thronged with people.
Large crowds gathered at the hos
pital, and the faces of the injured were
anXiously scanned as they were borne
into the building on stretchers. Heart
rendlng scenes were witnessed when
one of the blistered bodies was recog-
nlZed by father or mother or brother.
and 1t was with difficulty that persons
were restrained from invading the op-
Grating room.
The latest estimate of the casual
ties places the number of dead at
twenty-five and the injured at forty-
five. Some of the injured will die.
Some of the bodies are burned beyond
recognition, only the trunks and skulls
remaining.
The number of dead is known To he
at least eighteen, and some estimates
place 1t as high as tSventy- five. Some
of those seriously burned will die. 1t
Is out of the question to identify any
of the bodies recovered.