The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-12-14

-Four Dead Bodies Were Removed While
Fire Still Burned-Many Were Injured
twenty-five Tanks In All Wore Ea-
pleded - Fire Caused by Torch In
Hand of Laborer.
Chicago, IlI.-Twenty-two acety-
lene gas tanks exploded the other
morning in the charging station of the
Pyle National Headlight Company, in
South Chicago, where forty odd men
were at work. Four bodies have been
taken from the ruins of the station;
Two were mortally hurt and twenty
others suffered injuries.
The force of the explosion wrecked
the entire building, covering a city
block, carried debris a mile and a half,
reduced to particles most Of the win
dowS in houses within half a mile anG
threw the walls of hundreds of houses
out Of plumb. The trembling Of the
ground from the explosions and the
dcafening roar resulting so frightened
people that within a few moments
every house within a radius Of half a
mile was deserted.
The streets were crowded by per-
sons fleeing, their arms heaped with
their valuables. Storekeepers left
their shops wide open, and the scene
was one as though a volcano was in
eruption. That the frightened ones
had good reason to fear is shown by
The fact that all of the buildings with
in a block of the charging station were
so badly damaged as to be unhablt-
able.
The Pyle Company IA a tenant of
the Peoples Gas Light Company, the
many huge gas tanks Of which were
nearby. The police completely sur.
rounded the property occupied by the
gas company, but kept at q distance
that assured safety. The fremen for
a time were forced to throw water on
TIC fire from a blocks distance, mo-
m@ntarily expecting to be hurled to the
earth by the explosion of the big tanks.
The flames were shooting hundreds of
feet into the air, accompanied by
clouds Of black smoke from the burn
ing gas. Great masses of bricks and
Iron from the burning tanks were
thrown into the air by explosions.
TO prevent the explosion of the gas
fn the mammoth tanks the gas com
pany officials ordered the waste pipes
cocned. These pipes run outside of
the plant, and in a short time the big
tanks were discharging gas into the
air. This was a dangerous undertak-
ing, but it was CHANGED, and proving
Successful, prevented u larger destruc-
lion Of property.
Across South Chicago avenue, direct
y opposite the gas storage buildings,
was q large coal shed filed with coal.
The huge coal pile vas ignited, and in
q few PIGMENTS the blaze there was be-
yond control.
The twenty-five tanks were each
charged with 2250 pounds to the cubic
inch of a~cetylene gas. They are the
tanks that are connected to railroad
coaches for lighting, and each gives
light to a car for six months without
"ccharging. Eleven tanks exploded in
quick succession, and were soon fol-
lowed by the blasts Of the remaining
. eleven. At the first explosion all of
the men employed in the charging sta
tion started. to escape. Some Of them
got outside with slight injuries; 9TH
ers were caught on the verge of safe
ty and were seriously hurt, while
those in the rear must have met death
instantly.
The dead were buried under tons Of
burning timber and hot brick and iron,
making it impossible to remove their
bodies for hours. Firemen poured wa
ter on that part Of the building In
which the dead were thought to be
buried until the flames were subdued
sufficiently to permit Of the four bod
ies being removed.
1t is officially reported that the ac-
cident was due to an employe enter
ing the charging room with a torch
apd meeting gas coming from a leak
IN n Of the tanks.
Those whose bodies have been re-
covered were Ralph Wells, superin-
fendent; George Muehl, engineer;
Amos Watkins, assistant superintend-
cnt, and John Jennings, laborer.
Those who will die of their hurts are
w. N. Maloney and Alfred Cox.