Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-20
STREET Gar CAUSES EXPLOSION.
New York Disaster Due TO Collision Of
Car With Pipe.

~0C WIN VspOs
N.v York. Dec. 20.-The explosion
which wrecked the New York Central
noyver station yesterday was felt for
north and south distance Of two miles
and east and west for mile. Founda-
lions were Jared. walls were shaken
out Of plumb, windows were blown In
nv the thousands, ceilings came crash
ing down on the heads Of those be-
meath, and the pavements were Uttered
with pulverized glass from broken win
dows that topped the shoe soles.
Traffic on the New York Centra!
railroad ceased entirely for some hours
and was disorganized for the remainder
Of the day, but the new station itself,
now In process Of construction, was not
damaged.
The police and district attorneys Of
flee are making an inquiry into the
cause Of the explosion. For some hours
it was believed that dynamite alone
could have caused such blast, but late
in the afternoon Fire Chief Croker said
he was convinced the whole explosion
was due to mixture Of air and IL
Illuminating gas, used in lighting rail-
road cars, touched off by an electric
spark.
AS nearly as can be determined, this
is how the accident occurred:
A train Of empty passenger cars.
hauled by an electric motor in charge
of Albert Seagroatt, got out Of control.
crashed into steel and concrete Duffar
post, snapped it off and rammed pile
of lumber behind 1t into a two and one
half inch gas main, connecting with the
taps from which the tanks of the pas
senger cars are charged to $50 pounds
to the square inch.
BY the testimony Of the mo+orman
and OF John ]. Quinn. bricklayer,
working on the main power house, ad-
Joining the auxiliary house. the time Of
the break in the pipe is approximated
clocks stopped by the jar hx the time Of
the explosion itself at 1922.
In the interval the broken main had
ample time to pour high pressure gas
into the lower levels Of the auxiliary
power house. When worlzmen set to
clearing away the strewed lumber, It
is assumed that one Of them dropped a
steel tool across the third rail. there
was a flash of electricity and the great
reservoir Of accumulated gas exploded
What happened then will never be
adequately told.
The roof of fire house No. 2. direct
w acros sthe street from the power
house. lifted like magic carpet. A
shower Of glass. bricks. mortar and
splintered timbers began to fall on the
pavements. and in an instant the
streets were filled with PROSTATE men,
women and children blown fiat by the
shock and rush of air. They sat dazed
where they fell. picking slivers from
their flesh A moment more and crowds
besieged the drug stores. begging for
aid and clamoring for telephones and
then the Gathering gongs of ambul-
ances began between the tall buildings.
The tenements to the east of Lexington
avenue poured thousands into the
streets.
Whole houses were emptied in a
twinkling. The tall facades Of many
fashionable hotels in the neghborhood
were spotted with the faces of half
dressed guests, shaken from their
sleep, peering from broken windows.
Black robed priests from st. Patrick's
cathedral near by and white coated
ambulance surgeons passed each other
on kindred errands Of consolation and
comfort.