The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-05
Caused Death of Six Hen and
Injury of Others.
DAMAGE 10 PROPERTY
Will Run Into Thousands Of
Dollars It Is Estimated.
Underground Structure Wreck
ed for Half a Block.

Philadelphia. Pa, Oct. 6.-A ter
rife explosion of Illuminating gas in
the subway of the Philadelphia and
Rapid Transit company under con-
struction under Sixth and Market
streets today resulted in the death Of
six men and injuring of about doz-
en- others and caused property dam
age that Will run into thousands OF
dollars.
Besides the six men that are known
to be dead. it is said that at least
three Oilers are buried under tons OF
earth in the wrecked subway Extra
ordinary efforts are being made to
clear the excavation but it will be
late in the day before this can be ac-
complished.
The explosion occurred shortly he
fore z 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 last night.
The escaping gas formed in a pocket
in the subway and it is believed that
workman carrying a 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 traffic
there when the explosion occurred.
About a dozen workmen were gath
cred near a large derrick and five men
are believed to have been in the sub
way The force of the explosion
wrecked the subway for half a block
and all the heavy timbering and other
structural work, including tons of
earth, fell into the excavation. A
I heavy rain during the night had slight
| ly weakened the walls Of the excava-
/ tion and added to the damage
Just as the gas blew up a double
team dirt cart was being driven direct
4 " across the covered subway by a
driver of the Millard Construction com
| pany which is building the subway. The
VEHICLE horses and man were blown
nigh 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 Workmen whe were
standing near the derrick were blown
across the street and either killed or
l injured and a mum Der OF pedestrians
were hurt by falling glass and signs
from the tall business houses on both
sides of Market and Sixth streets
/ Those portions Cl the subway that
1 were not covered with dirt BURT into
| flames and for q time no person dared
venture near the place for fear of fur
1 ther explosions. Firemen were quickly
| on the spot but water was of little use
owing to the fact that the flames were
u
a large gas main.
Dirt was then resorted to and IN the
| course of a couple of hours all the
/ flames had been extinguiSh ed except
| those from the large main. This was
not put out until nearly 0 o'clock and
only after hole had been dug in the
street near the subway and the main
! plugged up.
AS soon as the fire had been extingush-
] ed and all danger Of a further explos-
ion had passed. hundreds of men were
put to work clearing out the wrecked
subway.
While the damage done to the sub
way, to the citys gas ard water mains
and to the electric light and telephone
! conduits is considerable it will not COM
pare with the destruction wrought to
surrounding property. From FRS
/ street to Seventh street to Market street
i and for half square on Sixth street
both north and south of Market street.
not a whole pane of glass is left.
/ All the large plate glass windows We're
+ broken and thousands Of dollars worth
/ of goods in the show windows Were
/ damaged. Dozens OF signs were torn
I from the roofs and walls of buildings and
/ it is considered remarkable that no.
more persons were killed. The vicinity
/ Of the explosion is roped off and busi-
ness within the affected area was tenn
/ porarily suspended