Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-21
Is MEET DEATH
IN TREMENDOUS
GAS EXPLOSION
DISASTER IN BROOKLYN ONE
OF WORST IN YEARS
MANY BURIED UNDER HUNDREDS
OF TONS OF DEBRIS
Illuminating pipe Springs Leak and
ignition Lifts Earth for
Block in Every Dl-
rection
IRy Assoelated Press.l

AT EW. YORK, Nov. 20.-Twenty-fve
persons, it was declared late to-
~ night, lost their lives in an ex-
plosion of gas which tore up great
section Of Gold street, Brooklyn, today.
1t is definitely known that fifteen
persons were buried under the hun
dreds of tons of earth and timber
thrown into the air, and twenty men
are reported missing.
The exact number of dead cannot be
determined until tomorrow, for those
who are working to recover the en-
tornbed bodies must dig through fifty
feet of dirt, rock and tangle or pipes
and timbers.
The explosion occurred in a 50-foot
deep excavation that had been made
in Gold street, between York and Front
streets, where a water main was being
laid. A gas pipe sprung leak recent
ly, and in manner unknown a spark
came into contact with the escaping
gas.
Immediately there was a loud explo-
sion, which lifted the earth for block
in each direction, and shot dirt, paving
stones and debris into the air.
When the smoke and dust cleared
away it was seen that the street had
been opened from doorstep to doorstep
loosened earth and debris had fallen
into the excavation, burying the score
of laborers who were at work when the
accident occurred.
Many Lives Endangered
Great tongues of flame shot out of
the crevices and beside them geysers
Of water leaped into the air from wa
ter main that had been shattered.
Two bodies were sticking out of the
wreckage. Gold street was crowded
with school children when the explo-
sion occurred, and that scores were not
killed or injured was remarkable.
A woman and three children were al
most over the excavation when the
earth crumbled under their fce5 and
they were swept down into the hole
under tons of wreckage.
Two other children were on the op-
posite side of the street when the side
walk caved in, and they lost their lives.
Samuel Trout foreman of the gang
of laborers, was near the woman and
three children who lost their lives. He
rushed forward in an endeayor to save
them, but he, too, was driven into the
death hole. His body was the first re-
covered. 1t had been roasted almost to
a cinder.
Only Four Escape
Only four of the men working in the
ditch escaped. They were Arthur
Strand, Frank Schwold, John c. Crane
and an Italian iaborer known as John
These men were digging near the
opening of a four-foot sewer and th'
force of the explosion blew them to the
entrance of it. Strand was hurled
farthest in and pulled the other three
men after him.
Water from the broken main began to
pour into the sewer and the four men
in danger of being drowned, started to
run for the river, where there was an
outlet to the sewer. By the time they
reached the river the water was up to
their waists.
The known dead are:
SAMUEL TROUT, foreman.
FREDERICK SCHEFFMIER, inspec-
tor of sewers.
CHARLES FARRELL, foreman of
concrete work.
GUsTAVE ANDERSON, foreman of
carpenters.
More than twenty persons are miss
ing says a late message from the scene
of the disaster.
The police arrested seven men who
were attached to the city departments
in charge of the work