The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-20

 worth about $250O.
 Albert Seagrotte, the engineer of the motor car which broke the pipe line, was released on parole tonight at the instance of District Attorney Whitman, who says there is no evidence to warrant his being held It was the coroners office which ordered his arrest and had planned to hold him in $5O,OOO bail.
 How Accident Occurred
 As nearly as can be determined this is how the accident occurred:
 trainload of empty passenger cars, hauled by an electric motor, in charge of Albert Seagrotte, got out of control of the brakes, crashed into a steel and con crete buffer post, snapped the post off ana rammed a pile of lumber behind the post into two and half-inch gas main connecting with the taps from which the tanks of the passenger cars are charged at 250 pounds pressure to the square inch The testimony of the motorman and that of John J. Quinn, bricklayer, working on the main powerhouse adjoining the auxiliary house, the time of the break in the pipe was approximately at a few minutes after o'clock. Two clocks stopped by the jar, fixed the time of the explosion itself at S:22. In the interval the broken main had ample time to pour h1gn pressure gas l0tO tHe lOWeT icNclS of the auxiliary power house.
 When workmen set to clearing away the scattered lumber it Is assumed that one of them dropped steel tool across the third rail, there was flash of cleo tricity and the great reservoir of accu- mulated gas exploded.
 What happened then will never be ade- quately told.
 Roof Lifted Like Magic
 The roof of Firehouse No. 2, directly across the street from the power house, lifted like a magic carpet shower of glass, bricks, mortar and splintered tim bers began to rain on the pavements and in an instant streets were filled with prostrate men and women blown flat by the shock of the detonation and the rush of air. They sat dazed where they fell. evidently picking slivers from their fiesh A moment more and crowds be- sieged the drug stores begging for aid and clamoring for medicines and the clat- tering gongs of ambulances began to clamor between the tall buildings. The tenements to the east of Lexington ave- nue poured thousands into the streets. Whole houses were empued in twink ling. The tall facades of the many fash ionable hotels in the neighborhood were spotted with the faces of half-dressed
  from broken windows.
 Black-robed priests from St. Patrick cathedral nearby and white-coated ann bulance assistants passed each other on kindred errands of consolation and com fort.
 Story of Chauffeur
 Frank Smith, the chauffeur of the wrecked automobile, cut, bruised and shaken, told from the cot where he lay in the hospital what he remembered of his first impressions.
 Almost before I realized that there had been an explosion he said "a rain of bricks and mortar began to fall on me- Then six-foot timber shot down out of the sky like an arrow. I had one foot on the brake and the other on the accelerator, with my knees wide apart. That great arrow passed clear between them and smashed down through the floor of the car Then the trolley car toppled over on me and pinned me be- heath the mass of wreckage. Two priests were pulling me out for dead when I re- gained my wits.
 The worst focus of death was the spot where the trolley car and the automo- bile were hurled together. The seven passengers were dumped to the under side of the car in tangle of ironwork, sharp fragments of glass and broken panels. Miss Mary Pope was caught by the head between a stanchion and the overturned automobile beneath and crushed to death. Three other passengers, all men, were overwhelmed with wreck age and died before help could reach them.
 Young Woman Killed
 Twenty feet away Miss Edith Offner, 2S years of age, stenographer in mag