The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-24
SUDDEN DEATH.
Reaps Awful Harvest in a Brock.
lyn Street Friday. @
TWENTY Y-FIVE DEAD.

ting Flame, neSpouSioiS 1oi si'S
Disaster-Fire and Geysers Of Wa.
ter Squirt in Air Through Debris
New York, Nov. 20.-Twenty-fve
persons are believed to have los'
their lives and an explosion Of gas
which tore up a great section Of Gold
street, Brooklyn, today. 1t is de
finitely known that Is persons were
buried under the hundreds Of tons
IF earlh and timber that were thrown
into the air by the explosion, and
10 more persons are reported rs
missing. The exact number Of dead
can not be determined until tomor.
row, for those working to recover the
entonbed bottles must dig through
so feet of dirt, rock and a tangle
of pipes and timbers.
The explosion occurred IN an ex'
cavation so feet deep that hid heeu
made in Gold street between York
and Front streets, where a watel
main was being laid. The gas main
recently sprrng leak ard in
manner unknown a spark came IN
contact with escaping gas today
Immediately there was terrific ex
plosicn ttat lifted the surfcce OF
the street for half block In both
directions and hurled 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 tc
doorstep over an area of nearly a
block. The loosened earth and de-
bris had fallen int the excavation
burying the score of laborers who
wer.. a. work wnen 'he acciden! h'h-
nencd. Great tongues of flames shot
out of crevices in the street and be-
tween them geysers of water spurt-
ed into the air frnm warer main
that had been shattered by the -
plosion. Two bodies were sticking
out Of the wreckage.
Gold street was crowded with
scshool children when the explosion
occurred, and that scores of children
were not killed or injured was re-
markable. 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 street caved in and
they lost their lives.
Samuel Trout, foreman Of the
gang of laborers who were laying tha
water main, was near the women and
three children who lost their lives.
AS he felt the street tremble he rush
ed forward in an endeavor to save
them, but he lost his lie in the at
tempt. Trout's body was roasted to
a cinder.
Only four of the men working ~
the excavation escaped and their
escape was remarkable. They were
digging near the opening Of four
foot sewer and the force Of the en-
plosion blew them to the entrance OF
it. Arthur Strand was hurled far
therest and he pulled the other three
men after him.
Water from the broken main be-
gan to pour into the sewer and the
four men, in danger Of being drown
ed, started to run toward the river
where there was an outlet to the
sewer.
The explosion shook houses fcl
blocks around. Thousands Of per
sons were attracted to the scene.
Women living in the neighborhooG
whose children had been on the
street when the gas main blew up
rushed to the scene and ran about
the excavation wringing their hands
and calling for their little ones. In
many Instances they found theiI
children after a brief search, but q
number Of boys and girls had been
taken into a school nearby and thei'
parents were frantic by the time tney
were found.
The gas and water supplies wer>
turned off shortly after the e1plo
sion. A force Of 100 fremen was
then put to work digging for bodiea
but the task was necessarily slow be.
cause Of the nature of the wreckagG
which had to be removed.
Those known to be dead are.
Samuel Trout. foreman: Fred ScheH.
meyer, inspector Of sewers; Charles
Farrell, foreman Of concrete works
Gustava Anderson foreman of car
penters.
Missing: Unknown woman wht
was with children; unknown girl
about 5 years OF age: John O'Grady
G years old; William Dalton, 6 years
old; Vincent Doherty. Z years old
Clarice Brady. 8 years old; Alex
ander Johnson, laborer; Chris Cos
lingo, laborer; Emil Bachman, labor
er; Francisco Armando, laborer;
John Armando, laborer; Charles Mel
son, laborer; Gus Wallo, laborer:
Felix Green, laborer, Gus Kane, lab
nrcr. SamueI Abrams labOrer: .JOhr