The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-12-20
Nine Killed, 125 Wounded
and Property Damaged
to Extent of $500, 900.
Occurred in the Auxiliary
Power House of the Grand
Central Station and Was
Caused by Illuminating
Gas-Street Car Lifted
Bodily From Tracks and
Hurled Into Automobile.
ny Associated Press.

New York, Dec. 19.-Tbe heart OF
Manhattan Ixland was shaken TINS
morning by a terrific explosion OF
Illuminating gas in the auxiliary power
house OF the Grand Central station.
Nine people were killed, i20 injured
and property damaged to tine value OF
$500, 900. Two Of the dead are women.
-Four workmen who are missing are
believed to have perishcd. OF the 12o
injured. eight will probably die. The
traffic on the New York Central ceased
entirely for hours and was disorganized
for the remainder Of the day. An IN
vcstigaton is under way by the police,
district attorney and coroner. Wneu
toe explosion occurred street car
with seven passengers was Inteo
bodily from the tracks and hurled into
q passing automobile which was along.
eide. Four passengers who we're on
the car were killed outright, but the
chauffeur of the motor car escaped
with a few bruises.
PARTIAL LIST OF DEAD.
Following Is a partial list of the
dead:
Mary d. Polk.
Thomas Stage, watchman.
E.. McMorrow.
f.. r. Livermore.
Patrick Jordan.
Frank Kelley. cenFal office detec-
tive.
James Ryan, clerk.
William Poetschke.
Edith Offner.
Charles Roberts. r.
HEARD ron MANN eiock8.
TIE explosion. which could b. heard
for many blocks, partly wrecked the
fire engine house nearby and prevent
ed the hremen from getting their ap-
paratus into the street. Monstgnors
Ia Petite and Hayes. and Fathers
OConnor. McQuade, Sinnott and
Byrnes OF st. Patrick's Cathedral, hur-
ried to the scene and administered the
last rites Of the church to the more
seriously injured.
At postoffice sub-station nearby
the explosion slightly injured several
clerks and scattered mail over the
floor. In the New York nursery and
chids' hospital, ceilings were partly
shaken down and the windows broken,
but none of the three hundred children
there were badly hurt. The house
caught fire after the explosion and the
interior was practically burned Ou-.
Just what caused the double explosion
may probably never be known.
Fortunately for thousands Of COM
muters on the New York Central lines,
the force Of the explosion was direct
cd In an opposite direction from the
tracks. otherwise the several incoming
trains, heavily loaded, might have
been wrecked.
officials of the railroad learned that
there were many workmen in the
building at the time OF the explosion
and that very few Of these had been
accounted for.
I'm the Bible teachers school on Lex.
ington avenue. directly opposite the
power house, 125 men and women who
we're on their way TO breakfast were
thrown to the floor by the blast. Many
Of them were injured and several Of
them we're taken TO hospitals. All the
windows in the building were blown
in and tho ceilings fell.
The damage to- the power house and
other buildings has not been estab-
hshed. bur it was stated that it would
exceed S500,0Oo.
The police making an investigation
In the ruins are Of the opinion that
the explosion occurred in some gas
tanks which communicated. it is re-
ported, TO some dynamite which one
OF the officials Of the New York Cen
trail Railroad said he understood was
stored near the power house.
A scaffold on the top of the power
house on which workman was stand
ing when the explosion occurred was
wrenched from under him and as he
fcll he blindiy grasped dangling
rope. He hung there until rescued by
hrcmen
Or the IL firemen in the fire house
opposite. only one man was injured.