Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-18
GAS TANKS EXPLODED
Eight Bodies Taken from the
Ruins.
CHICAGO THIS MORNING
FORCE OF EXPLOSIONS FELT IN
RADIUS OF HALF MILE.
People in Neighborhood of the Plant
Fled From Homes and Places
of Business.
CHICAGO THIS MORNING

CHICAGO, November 1S.-Mauy lives are
supposed to nave been lost and numocr
of men are fatally injured in an explosion
of five purifying tanks leased by the Peo-
pies GasliSht and Coke Company, ut nth
street and South Chicago avenue. There
were from twelve TO twenty explosions. Ii
is reported that brick building contain
ing five tanks and twenty orlnen com
pletely collapsed. burying the men and
crushing them 10 death.
The explosions were so forcefui that for
a radius Of half mile windows We're
brohen and walls of buildings thrown out
Of plumb. For fear that the explosions
might continue and cause the explosions of
the two big tanks which holl millions
of ice, of gas no one would venture near
the RUNS of the plant. Calls were sent
for patrol wagons and ambulancas TO cv-
cry station on the south side. ard a gem
ordl alarm of fire was sent in. After the
FIRST explosions many of the men employed
in the plant fed into the street. These
escaped with slight injuries. Persons liv-
ing in the vicinity deserted their homes and
-oTekeepers left their stores, all fleeing
with what vduables they could seize
Believes Forty Perished.
one of the workmen after Tho disaster
expressed belief that at least forty of his
companions lost their lives.
As as possible the police complete
ly surrounded the property occupied Dy the
eas compan, hut kept at dis: 1nrH which
insured safety. The liremen for i ne Were
forced TO throw water on the fire from a
blocks distance, momeutdrily expecting to
be hurled to the earth by the EXPLOSION of
the big tanks. The flames - shooting
hundreds of feet into the air. accompanied
by clouds of black smoke from ihe burning
gas. Great masses Of bricks and iron from
the bursting tanks were thrown INTO the
air by explosions.
Buildings along Greenwood avenue within
block of the place were severely
shaken that many Will no longer be I'll for
occupancy y two-story building at I'D
street and Greenwood avenue was totally
wrecked
100 Employed in District.
The property at South Chicago avenue
and 18th street. occupied for gas manufac-
turing ard storage. is several blocks in
length. About one hundred men are en-
ployed in the district. There are a number
of brick buildings en- the grounds. which
are bounded by South Chicago avenue on
the north and the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne
and Chicago, and the Lake Shore and
Michigan Southern railroads on the south.
Beside the tanks and gas houses are rail-
road tracks, upon which scores of sleeping
ears and other cars equipped with the gas
tank apparatus are run to be charged with
gas.
Olt bI lIle NltlIillS WIS bib"H tlIlOGSH Il
wall and 100 feet away from the building
IN which he was at work. He was fearfully
crushed. but may live. He said:
Cause of Explosion.
Il was working about of the gas
tanks when the first explosion occurred 1
believe one of the tanks in the row east of
us blew up. The ground trembled and
seemed to heave upward, when suddenly
there was rip and a roar, and l don't
member what occurred after that until 1
came to in the street about 100 feet away.
1 know there were forty men in the place,
and / don't believe many of them escaped.
The explosion may have been caused by a
search for leaks in supply tanks made by
one of the employees"
IAN | can see, said Superintendent
Ralph Wells. lis that one of the men went
into the storage rooms where the gas tanks
which are charged have been stored and
that the man carried lighted torch. OF
course leak i'm one tank would cause an
explosion, and the empoye would he
killed
The cause of the rapid explosions. num-
twenty-five small tanks In the storage
building. These tanks were each stored
with 2.2Jn pounds TO the cubic inch of
TO place beneath sleeping cars and other
railway cars and Will supply one car with
light for six months. The twenty-five
tanks had been charged and We're In readi-
ness for attachment to cars.