Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-12-19
NINE KILLED BY EXPLOSION.
Mysterious Explosion i'll Milk Depot
and Carpenters Shop of New York
Central Depot.

Mysterious Explosion i'll Milk Depot
and Carpenters Shop of New York
Central Depot.
New York, Dec. 19.-Nine persons
are dead, eight are missing and sup
posed to be dead and more than 4
score were injured as the result of a
mysterious explosion which wrecked
the milk depot and carpenter shop Of
the New York Central railway at 49tl
street and Lexington avenue today.
So terrific was the force OF the ex.
plosion that the big new power house
of the New Haven Railroad, which is
Immediately behind the demolished
structure, was almost completely de.
stroyed, while all adiacant property
was badly battered and windows in all
buildings for radius OF dozen blocks
were blown out.
It was at first reported that the ex.
plosion was in the boilor house. Later
this was proved o mistake and then
the officials OF the railroad and the
police heard that it was due either tc
the explosion OF quantity of acety.
lene gas or dynamite. One report
was that switchmen running car
loaded with dynamite to be used fol
the excavation OF the New York Cen.
trail terminal into the depot lost con.
troll of it, and it smashed against a
track hummer and exploded. :.
That the disaster was not far greater
is due to the fact that it took place nj
S:15 in the morning. Three-quarterS
OF an hour later there would have been
many additional victims because Of the
fact that the conclusion wrecked the
big parochial school Of st. Patrick 5
Cathedral at 51st street and Lexington
avenue. This school has an attendance
of more than l, 500 scholars and the
largest class room in it was demolished.
On account of the early hour, however,
there were only half q dozen scholars
in the building. They we're not badly
hurt. Two boys standing in front oil
the building, however, were knocked
down and terribly cut by flying glass.
With the noise OF the explosion came
the crash of shattered glass, and this
was quickly followed by the cries Of
the injured. Hurry calls for all Of the
available ambulances in Manhattan
we're sent out and two fire alarms called
fire apparatus TO the scene. AS soon
rs the report of the explosion reached
police headquarters, the entire police
reserves OF the city were hurried to the
city, They had their work cut out fol
them, as a crowd OF some twenty-five
thousand people were soon surging &c
the spot. Police lines were hastily es-
tablshed and only those having bust
ness there were permitted within them.
As soon as order had been partially
established it was possible to get a
comprehensive line on the extent Of
the disaster.
The mild depot and carpenter shop
was completely wrecked and nearly
everybody in it had been killed. The
big steel boiler shop was we'll nigh
wrecked, rs was all Of the small railway
buildings in the immediate vicinity.
A street car Of the Lexington avenue
line passing at the time was thrown
clear from the tracks on its side, crash
ing into an automobile which was pass.
ing. Two persons in the street car
and one in the auto were killed, while
while number OF others were badly
hurt.
The police think, the explosion was
caused by the ignition OF tank OF
acetyline gas which was in car in the
milk department. 1t was set off, they
said, by the spark Of the third rail.
The explosion caused the blowing up
OF the car laden with dynamite.