The Mena weekly star., 1906-10-11
SUBWAY WRECKED BY GAS
Sir Men Killed aad Dozen In- jured in an Explosion at
 Philadelphia.
SURROUNDING PROPERTY IS DAMAGED
The Accident Occurred at One of the Bus lest Corners of the City-Smaiiness of Death List Accounted for by the Early Hour at Which the Explosion Occurred Fire Distinguished With Dirt


 Philadelphia, Oct 6.--A terrific ex- plosfon of Illuminating gas in the subway of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit company under construction at Sixth and Market streets Friday resulted in the death of six men, the injuring of about dozen others and caused property damage that will run into thousands of dollars. Besides the six men that are known to be dead, 1t is said that at least three others are buried under tons of earth in the wrecked subway. Extraordinary ef- forts are being made to clear the ex- cavation but it will be late in the day before this can be accomplished.
 The explosion occurred shortly be- fore o'clock and in consequence of the early hour but few workmen had gathered The explosion was caused by leak in city gas main that had been improperly repaired Thursday night. The escaping gas formed in a pocket in the subway and it is be- lieved that workman carrying lamp into the great hole ignited the gas. The corner of Sixth and Market streets Is one of the busy sections of the city but there was fortunately, little traf- fc there when the explosion occurred About a dozen workmen were gathered near large derrick and five men are believed to have been in the subway
 The force of the explosion wrecked the subway for half block and all the heavy timbering and other struc- tural 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 double team dirt cart was being driven direct ly across the covered subway by a driver of the Willard construction Co, which is building the subway. The vehicle, horses and man were blown high in the afr 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 either killed or injured and a number of pedestrians were hurt by falling glass and signs from the tall business houses on both sides of Market and Sixth streets.
 Those portions of the subway that were not covered with dirt burst into flames and for time no person dared venture near the place for fear of further explosions. Bremen were quickly on the spot but water was of little use owing to the fact that the flames were shooting from dozens of gas pipes and a large gas main. Dirt was then resorted to and in the course of a couple of hours all the flames had been extinguished except was not put out until nearly ten o'clock and only after a hole had been dug in the street near the sub way and the main plugged up.
 As soon as the fire had been extin- guished and all danger of further explosion had passed. hundreds of men were put to work clearing out the wrecked subway.
 While the damage done to the suD- way, to the city's gas and water mains, and the electric light and tele- phone conduits Is considerable, it will not compare with the destruction wrought to surrounding property. From Fifth street to Seventh street on Market street and for half square on Sixth street both north and south of Market street, not whole pane of glass is left. All the large plate glass windows were broken and thousands of dollars worth of goods in the show windows were damaged. Dozens of signs were torn from the roofs and walls of buildings and 1t is considered remarkable that not more persons were killed. The vicinity of the ex- plosion is roped of and business with in the affected area was temporarily suspended.