Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-21
TWENTY KILLED.
Continued from Page One.)

step over an area of nearly a block
The loosened earth and debris had
filled into the excavation, burying the
score of laborers who were at work
when the accident happened. Great
tongues of fame shot out of cracks in
the street, and beside them geysers Of
water leaped into the air from water
main shattered by the explosion.
Gold street was crowded with school
children when the explosion occurred
and that scores of children were not
killed or injured was remarkable. A
woman and three children were almost
opposite the excavation when the earth
crumbled under their feet and they
were swept down into the hole under
tons of wreckage. Two other children
were on the opposite side of the street
when the side walked caved in they
lost their lives.
Samuel Trout, foreman Of the gang
of laborers who were laying the water
main, was near the woman and three
children who persisted. He rushed for
ward as he felt the street tremble
from the explosion in an endeavor to
save them, but he too was drawn into
the hole. His body was the first to be
recovered. He had been roasted to
cinder.
Only four of the men working in the
excavation escaped and their escape
was remarkable They were Arthur
Strand, Frank Sohnwold John Grain
and an italian laborer known as
John" They We're digging near the
opening Of a four-foot sewer and the
force of the explosion blew them to the
entrance of it, Strand was hurled
farthest in and he pulled the other
three men after him. Water from the
broken main began to pour into the
sewer and the four men were in danger
Of being drowned. They begun to run
toward the river where there was an
outlet to the sewer. Strand described
their experience as follows:
Our only chance was in reaching
the outlet to the sewer, and we ran
toward the river 1t was all dark and
we stumbled and fell over things that
had been left behind by workmen. The
river was three blocks away. BY the
time we reached the river, the water
was up to our waists. We found
bulwark there, which had been built
to keep the water from coming in
while the sewer was being built We
climbed to the top of this and from
the top reached the pier. The water
had reached our chins before we got
out and another minute and we would
have been drowned"
The explosion shook houses for
blocks around thousands of persons
were attracted to the scene and the
police had difficulty in keeping them
from crowding too close to the smok-
ing pile of wreckage. Police lines
were formed and the work of recover
ing the men began within half an hour
Of the accident. The gas and water
supply were turned off shortly after
the explosion. A force of 100 firemen
was then put to work digging for
bodies, but the task was necessarily
slow because of the nature of the
wreckage which had to be removed.
When darkness fell tonight half doz-
en- searchlights were brought into use.
Two large suction pumps were used to
remove the water-soaked dirt and a
derrick was brought up to haul out
timber and machinery.
The police arrested seven men who
were attached to the city department
in charge of work that was being done.