Norwich bulletin., 1910-12-20

New York Dec. 1s,-Tbe very heart lnd backbone of Manhattan island were shaken this morning by a ter fife explosion of Illuminating gas in the auxiliary powerbouss of the Grand Central station. Ten persons, two of them women, were killed. 12s were in- jursd. and property was dssnagSd to the extent of from s2.0Vo.909 10 s. GOO, ,00O.
 Four yorkn1en. who ere missing, are believed to have per1shed, and of the 12s injured sS were removed to hos pitala Of these, eight may die. An investigation by ths police. the district attorneys offics and the coronsrs of fee is under way. Traffic on inc New York Central railroad ceased entirely for some hours and was disorganizeo for the remainder of the day, but the new citation itself, now in process of construction was not damaged
 The Dead.
 NicboJo GsIncci, laborsy.
 Patrick Jordan. iaborsT.
 F. E. Lvermors, Pullman car 1u epectOT.
 c. BeMarrow, 1sborer
 Edith OIner, stsnographer.
 Mary F. Pope.
 Charles Roberts. ezpressnan.
 Frank esTagg. wAtchman.
 John Ryan, labc-er.
 The Injured.
 The injured include taborers and other employees of the railroad psdss- tr1sns. bystanders and others in the vicinity of the accident. A passing surface car carrying seven passengers was lifted from its trucks and hurled into an automobile running alongside. Your Of the seven passengers were killed outright but the chauffeur of the motor car was only cut and bruis- cd. Of the nearly 100 iR hospitals, the following arc most seriously injured: Unidentified woman, fractured skull Michael Ryan. fractured skull and internal injuries.
 Tstta Abrahannson, fractured skull end intsrnal injuries.
 ThsresA Lottman. fractured skull and sbouldU,
 John snith, injuries to head
 rase5s Kelly. policeman, burned aud bru1ssd
 John CunufnghAn, burned.
 Cntdsnrnsd man. internal infuries 6reksa Pipe Cause of Explosion. For sors hours # was believed that Dynamite alone could have wrought such tn0&antanecua and pulverizing havoc. but late tn the afternoon Fire Chief 9CSofer said he was convinced That the whole explosion was due 1o . mixture of air and illuminating gas, used in lighting railroad cars, touched or by an electric spark The gas had accumulated in the a1IiGary power house from . broken pipe snapped off by . runawAy passenger ear.
 The force of the explosion ran north and south for two miles along the rocky ridge that is the backbone of the island. and east and west latera1ly for q mia Foundations were jared, walls were shaken out Of plumb, win dows were blown in by the thousand, ceilings came crashing down on the beads of those beneath, and the pave sneuts were filtered with pulverized glass that topped the shoe soles. Christmas Displays Destroyed.
 The full amount of the property damage is as yet unavailable, and may exceed the rough and conservative es- innate of 35oo, 900. The loss to the New York Central RRilroad company in- cludes the physical damage done to ths pcwexhouss. which was utterly wrecked: the delay to construction work and Che damage done to cars standing near -ths powerhouse- The loss 10 shopkeepers and proper1y-own CTS in the vicinity will spread over wide range of items Christmas dis plays were blown backward into the Eaops sucked into fhe street, or cut to tisoons by flying glass Whole blocks of buildings were left without win Cow. Ike s1ghtless rnaHks
 How the Accident Occurred.
 AS nearly as can be determined. this
 
 load of empty passenger cars. hauled by er electric motor, in charge of Al bert ScaErosrt, got out of control of Sae brakes, crashed into a steel and IDocrets buffer post, snapped the post eH and TamEned s pile of lumber be- hind the post into tow and Ons-haE inch gas main. connecting with the taps from which the tanks of the pas senSer cars are charged at 25o pounds tc the square inch By the testimony of ths natornan and that of John ]. Quinn a bricklsyer working on the main powerhousa. adjoining the aux iiXsry house, the time of fhe break in Che pipe is spproGusated al q few mo- ments after eight o'clock Two clocks stopped by the jar set the time Of ahe explosion itself at S,Z2. In The inter val the broken main had ample time 70 rSur hsh-pressurs gas into the lower levels of the auxiliary power house When ~orknlcn set 10 clearing .~sy the strewed lumber, it Is suned that one of them dropped a steel tool across Inc third rail. there uss A flash of electricity and the great reservoir of accumulated gas exploded. What happened then piA never be adequately told The roof Of fire house NO. .. directly across the street from the Porerhouse, lifted like a magic carpet. A shower of slass bricks mortar and splintered timbers began to rain down on the pavements. In sn instant the sTreets were filled with srostrars men and women blown fiat by the shock of the dstona tion and the rush of air. They sat dazed where they fell picking slivers from their flesh
 Drvs Stores Sesieaed.
 4 naomsnt nlS4e and crowds bssieeea the arus stores begging for aid and slamortng Tor tale lrDhon~s Then Inc clstsarins sousS St anbulaltcrS began ts racket between the rall buildings
 The tenrmeugs to the esst of l4eNlnE Ion avenue poured thousands iato ghe streets Whole houses were egnptlea 1n a t~ inklinE The 8si fa-a tes of Inc many fashions ole hotels tp the ueishbSfhSod ere spotted With the !ac-e Of hslf-dressSd eussts shaken from their sleep peerinG From broken windows slsck-Tohed priests from st pstrIcks cathedral nearby and ~htte--ostcs4 ambulance surgeons rssse6 csc hother an krndred erranaS CT csHs0lztiou and comfort
 F~Are Spith. the riSSuNrur ef ihs