The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-10-06
SUBWAY EXPLOSION
FAULTY GAS MAIN WRECKS PHIL
ADELPHIA STREET.
Six Men Were Killed and Several
Others are Believed to be En-
tombed Under Tons Of
Wreckage.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct Slight men were
killed and nearly two-score persons
were injured today by the explosion
of Illuminating gas In the MarketsStreet
ings were shaken by the force of the
explosion and for a block on either
side of the scene of the explosion near
ly every window was shattered.
The street caved. hating traffic and
resulting in q suspension of business
followed the explosion. but 1t did no
damage to neighboring buildings. The
loss. it is believed. will exceed $500. 900
The dead:
John Lawless, timber foreman; Frank
Leans, Cato Benigno, Pittsburg; John
Scott. Frank Beidelman. Frank Croller
r. Capero. John Pacy Beidelman was
passing when the explosion occurred and
was killed by flying debris Leans and
Benigno died In hospital. Crollers
body was recovered from the excava
ton by searchers late this afternoon
The exact cause of the explosion has
not yet been determined
Yesterday workmen in the excava
ton discerned the odor Of gas and
the United Gas Company. whose con-
Quits run through the tunnel, were no.
tilted. Leans was sent by the company
to find the leak and repair It, II
was while he was making his inyestipa
ton at 6:35 o'clock this morning The
explosion occurred
Philadelphia. Oct 5-A terrific ex-
plosion of Illuminating gas in the
subway Of the Philadelphia RAND
Transit Company under construction at
Sixth and Market Streets today re-
suited in the death of six men, the
injury of about a dozen others and
caused property damage that will run
into thousands Of dollars
Besides the six men known to be
dead. 1t is said that at least three
others are buried under tons of the
wrecks of the subway. The identi-
fled dead are John Lawless. foreman
for a construction company; Frank
Leans. an employ of the gas company.
and r. Capero. timber man.
The explosion occurred shortly be-
fore Z o'clock and in consequence OF
the early hour but a few workmen
had gained entrance.
1t was caused by a leak in a gas
main that had been improperly repair
ed last night. The escaping gas
formed in a pocket in the subway and
it is believed that the workmen car
rying the lamp into the great hole
ignited the gas. The corner of South
and .uarket Streets Is one of the busy
sections of the city but there was
fortunately little tratfic when the ez-
plosion occurred.
The force of the explosion wrecked
the subway for half a block and the
heavy timbering and other structural
work including tons OF earth fell into
the excavation. A heavy rain during
the night had slightly weakened the
walls of the excavation and added to
the damage.
Just as the gas blew up a double
tram dirt cart was being driven
directly across the covered subway by
n driver of the Willard Construction
Company, which is building the sub
way.
The vehicle. horses, and man were
blown high in the air and the horses
and cart fell into the hole. The
driver landed in the streets and was
only slightly hurt. Several of the
workmen who were standing near the
derrick were blown across the street
and a number of pedestrians were hurt
by falling glass and signs from the
tall business houses on both sides of
Market and Sixth Street,
While the damage done to the sub
way, to'the citys gas and water main
and the electric light and telephone
conduits is considerable, 1t will not
compare with destruction wrought to
surrounding property. From Fifth
Street to Seventh Street on Market
Street and for half a square on Sixth
street both north and south of Mar
ket. not a whole pane of glass is left.
An the large plate glass windows were
hroken and thousands of dollars worth
of goods in the show window were
danagpl