The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-10-06
EIGHT KILLED.,
MANY INJURED
Explosion of Illuminating Gas
Brings Death and DeStruc-
ton in Philadelphia.
ACCIDENT AT. EARLY HOUR
LUCKILY FEW PEOPLE WERE IN
THE VICINITY.
ACCIDENT AT. EARLY HOUR

Philadelphia, Oct. Eight men were
Killed and nearly two score persons in
jured today by the explosion of il
Illuminating gas in the Market street
subway at Sixth street
High buildings were shaken and for
a block on either side nearly every
window was shattered The street
caved in, hating traffic. Fire followed
the explosion, but did not damage to
nelghboring buildings. The loss, it is
believed, will exceed 100000.
The Dead.
John LAWYERS. aged 50: timber fore
man.
Frank Leans. aged As; employed by
the United Gas Improvement company.
Cato Benigno, aged IS, Pittsburg; Ia
borer
John Scott, laborer.
Frank Beidleman. aged 40; a tailor.
Frank Croller, laborer.
X. Capero, laborer.
John Pacy, carpenter.
Beidleman was killed by flying de-
bris. Leans and Benigno died in the
hospital. Croller's body was recovered
from the excavation late this after
noon.
Leak in Gas Main.
The explosion occurred shortly be-
fore o'clock, and in consequence of
the early hour but a few workmen
had gathered. The explosion was
caused by leak in the city gas main
that had been improperly repaired last
night. The escaping gas formed in a
pocket in the subway, and it is be-
lleVed that workman carrying a Ian
tern into the great hole ignited the gas.
Tho nf
is one of the busy sections of the city
but there was fortunately little traffic
there when the explosion occurred.
About dozen workmen were gathered
near large derrick and five are be-
lieved 10 have been in the subway.
The force of the explosion wrecked
the subway for half a block, and all
the heavy timbering and other struc-
tural work, including tons of earth, fell
into the excavation. A heavy rain dur
ing the night had slightly weakened
the walls Of the excavation and added
to the damage.
Team and Driver Blown Up.
Just as the gas blew up a double
team and dirt cart was being driven
directly across the covered subway by
driver of the Willard Construction
company, which IS building the sub
"oS- hC NOIllO4C- nOISGS anu man
were blown high in the air, and the
horses and cart fell into the hole The
driver landed in the street and was
only slightly hurt. Several of the work
men who were standing near the der
rick were blown across the street and
injured, and a number of pedestria rs
were hurt by falling glass and signs
from the tall business houses on both
sides of Market and Sixth streets
were not covered with dirt burst into
flames, and for a time no person dared
venture near the place for fear of fur
Their explosions. Firemen were soon Oh
the spot, but it was of little use, ow-
ing to the fact that the flames were
shooting from the gaspipe and large
gas main. Dirt was then resorted to,
and in the course of a coupled of hours
all the flames had. been extinguished
except those from the large main
This was not put out until nearly 10
O'Clock, and only after a large pit had
been dug in the street near the sub
way and the main plugged mp. AS soon
as the fire had been eXtinguished and
all danger of further explosion had
passed, hundreds of men were put 20
work clearing out the wrecked subway.
Much Glass Smashed.
w ulle the udlldSS uOlle 10 the SUD
way, to the citys gas and water mains
and the electric light and telephone
conduits is considerable, it will not
compare with the destruction wrought
to surrounding property. From First
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.
All the large plate glass windows were
broken, ana thousands of dollars
worth of goods in the show windows
were damaged. Dozens of signs were
torn from the roofs and walls OF build
ingS, and it is considered remarkable
that not more persons we're killed. The
vicinity of the explosion is roped off
and business within the affected area
was temporarily suspended.