Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1915-09-30
Injured at AIdl>:2e z
Number 200. :
GREAT PROPERTY. LOSS
Terrific Explosion Causes Mil
lion Dollars Damage.

Ardmore, Okla, Sept. 29.-The off,
cial number of dead in the explosion
Of tank car containing 1900 gallons
of gasoline is given as flfty-five. OF
this number thirty-six are white and
nineteen negroes. =
The property damage is estimated
at more than $1,O00,oO0 There are at
least 200 injured, some probably
mortally.
With the expectation of uncovering
= score more bodies fescuers are con-
tinuing the search of the ruins of
business houses and public buildings
for victims.
Eye witnesses of the disaster said
the flames shot into the air 200 feet
Immediately preceding the explosion.
which scattered the flaming liquid
for blocks, thus starting scores of fires
in the buildings wrecked by the con.
cussion.
Most of the persons killed were
crushed by falling walls, some of them
more than block away from the
scene of the explosion.
: Ardmore virtually is under martial
law, while business is suspended to
permit the work of rescue to proceed
with great speed. One hundred spe-
cial deputies have been sworn In to
prevent disorder.
Car Was in'"ead Order"
.
Railroad men who were in the San,
=, ia Fe yard at the time. say that, the
car Of gasoline ssss 81 sistlesd TO asasd
ing hecauses Of Its sbe4ng, in bad
order" The car was leaking gasoline
to such an extent that pool of the
fluid hadfformed on the ground under
the car. When switchmen refused to
move the car further an inspector
was called.
Ira Woods, about forty years old,
car inspector, according to the story
Of those who saw him, mounted the
car, unscrewed the cap and peered in.
Just as he did this the gasoline be-
came ignited and Woods. the car and
every lose piece of material within
100 yards were hurled through the
air.
First reports that there were two
explosions were confirmed. A guam
tity of dynamite in the freight store
house was set of by the concussion of
the gasoline explosion. The second
explosion came within a second after
the first.
The greatest damage in the city
was done from the shock of the ex-
plosion. The fire damage did not
equal that caused by the dynamite
and gasoline Nearly score of
buildings were demolished by the dy-
namite.;
Negroes Houses Demolished.
Near the siding on which the tank
car was placed were a number OF
wooden structures, part Of which were
occupied by negroes. In this section
4 twostory frame building collapsed.
taking fifteen negroes in q pool hall;
to their death. II Is in the wrecks OF
these buildings that other bodies are
expected to be found.
The downtown business section pre-.
sents picture Of disaster. one block
of Main street, from the railroad sta.
ton to the Wilmington hotel. having
been razed by the explosion, many
buildings on the opposite side Of the;
street and plate glass fronts Of every
store in town demolished.
The greater part Of the city was in
darkness, the electric lights having
been cut off owing to the danger from
prostrate charged wires.
Many clocks about the city which
stopped at 2:35 o'clock are reminders
OF the explosion. The terrific report
was heard for distance Of twenty
two miles.