The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-11-19
GAS TANKS
EXPLODE
A Blazing Mass of Ruins as
the Result.
---
EIGHT BODIES TAKEN OUT
While More Are Missing Firemen
Work With Awful
Death Impend.
ing.
EIGHT BODIES TAKEN OUT

Chicago, Nov. Is. Twenty gas
tanks in the big railroad gaa-charging
station at I'D street and South Chicago
avenue, exploded today This after
noon eight dead bodies Of employees had
been removed from the ruins and il was
said that about 10 more employees we're
missing.
The tanks we're Of the style attached
10 railroad cars for lighting purposes,
Eleven 81 the tanks exploded in rapid
succession and the others followed at
intervals. They were the property Of
the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Com
pany, and the explosions threatened 70
reach the large storage tanks Of that
company. The policeman were sent for
about mile radius, warning people to
move from their homes.
TO prevent the explosion Of the gas
n the mammoth tanks, Superintendent
Ralph Wells ordered the waste pipes
opened. These pipes ran outside Of the
plant and il short time the big tanks
were diseharging the gas into the air,
This was dangerous undertaking, but
it was CHANGED and proved successful,
preventing larger destruction Of prop
erty
Across South Chicago avenue, directly
opposite the gas storage buildings, was
large coal shed stored with coal used
in the manufacture OF the gas. The
huge pile Of coal was ignited and in q
few minutes the blaze there was beyond
control
When the danger Of the larger tanks
exploding had been reduced to min
mum, Chief Engineer Eustace, with
several assistants, entered the ground
and shut of the supply pipes from the
ruined buildings TO the large tanks
He said it was almost miraculous that
The FIRE had not entered the larger
tanks
The explosions were SO foreeful that
for radius Of half a mile windows
were broken and walls Of buildings
thrown out of plumb For fear that
the explosions might continue and
cause the explosion Of the two biz
tanks. which hold millions Of feet Of
eas. no one would venture near the ruins
Of the plant.
Calls we're sent for patrol wagons ane
anbulances to every station on the south
side and general alarm Of fire was
sent in. At the first explosions many
81 the men employed in the plant iiet
into the street. These escaped will
slight injuries Persons living IN tn
vicinity deserted their homes anC
storekeepers left their places, all flee
ING with what valuables they coult
seize
Fire lines were thrown about thu
property Of the gas company to Keel
the crowd back. For q time the ire
men threw water on the fire from thr
distance 81 block, fearing other tank
would explode. Flames were shooting
hundreds Of feet into the air, aecompa
MED BY clouds Of black smoke from th
burning gas Masses Of brick and iroI
from the bursting tanks were throw
into the air by explosions.
Buildings within q block Of the plac
we're 80 severely shaken that MANY vii
be no longer tit for occupancy. A two
story building at 73d street and Green
wood avenue was totally wrecked.
One Of the victims was blown through
wall He was fearfully crushed bu
may live. He said 4 was workin,
about one Of the gas tanks when tn
first explosion occurred believe on
Of the tanks in the row east Of us ble1
up. The ground trembled, then sudden
III there was rip and d roar and
don't remember what occurred afte
that until / came to in the street
think there were forty men IN the plac
and / don't believe many Of them e.
capped.
The explosion may have been cause
By d search for leaks in supply tank
made BY one Of the employees.
@All / can say" said Superintendent
Ralph Wells, ais that one Of the me
went into the storage rooms where th
gas tanks which are charged have bee
stored and that the man carried
lighted torch. OF course leak in on
tank would cause an explosion"
The cause of the rapid explosion
numbering up Go twenty, was the pres
ence Of twenty-five small tanks in tn
storage building These tanks WEI
charged with gas under pressure {
$3.50 pounds to the cubic inch. ~
tanks are used TO place beneath sleepin
cars and other railway cars.