The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-09-30
FIFTY LOSE LIVES
IN GASOLINE BLAST
At ARDMORE, OKLA.
flames Follow ExpIosion-Many
Buildings Burned.
200 PERSONS ARE INJURED
Tank Car Explodes and Burning
Liquid Is Hurled on Town-Scores
Burned in Wreckaee-Bus-
ness Section Hit.

Ardmore, Okla, Sept 2S.-Fifty per-
sons are believed to have been killed
and at least 200 injured, most of them
dangerously, when a 250-barrel tank
car of gasoline, standing near the
Santa Fe freight office in the business
district exploded.
The tremendous force Of the explo-
sion RACED many buildings and threw
burning gasoline in every direction.
A few minutes later the whole town
was at the mercy of score of fires
Ten blocks of business buildings were
imperiled by the flames.
City Under Martial Law.
The fires are all under control and
the city is under martial law.
The death list cannot be completed
until the bodies are dug from the
buildings near the scene which were
wrecked by the explosion or burned.
A spark ignited gas fumes through
a small leak in the tank and caused
the explosion, it was stated. Two
worlmen were busy on the tank at the
time. Both were Killed.
Glass Fronts Blown In.
Immediately after the explosion ex-
cited persons were running in every
direction Glass fronts were blown
from stores and scores of people were
severely cut.
Private homes were Immediately
thrown open to the injured and
score Of men began working in the
trict for victims.
Charles r. Smith, former member
OF the police force, who was stand
ing on Main street, near the explo-
sion, was killed by falling stones. M.
Il. Atkins. who was standing almost
three blocks from the explosion, was
killed. A. G. Gould was driving across
the Santa Fe tracks near the scene
when the blast occurred. He was
hurled to death, his horse was killed
and his wagon blown to pieces. A man
sitting in his wagon east of the Love
hotel was crushed when the east side
of the building fell, burying his team.
Several bodies have been dragged
from the ruins.
Ladd & Davidson's wholesale house,
east of the railroad, was badly
wrecked. Mrs. Clara Davidson was
found to be severely injured when
dug from the debris. A bookkeeper,
Raymond Mccoy, also was badly in
jured.
Scores of Buildings Wrecked.
TIL Santa Fee freight station was
wrecked and was burned to the
ground. The Union passenger sta.
ton is almost a total wreck. The
express office was partially wrecked.
From the Santa Fe freight station
to the Wilmington hotel every build
ing. including the Pennington whole
sale grocery house, is wrecked
The east side of the Wilmington
hotel was wrecked from the top story
to the first floor. On the opposite side
Of the street the wreckage was al
most as bad. Swifts house was
wrecked and burned A two-story room
ing house and a restaurant at the cor
ner of Main and Caddo was splntered.
Girls Escape Death.
Dewtt's cigar store was wrecked
Forty. girls were employed here,
but so far none was killed. The aged
Santa Fee fagman was bowled over
and his clothing torn from his body,
Thomas Gilkey was blown down and
almost every shred of his clothing
torn from him.
A twostory building occupied by
negroes as a pool hall and rooming
house was wrecked. A negro stated
that 20 negroes were pinioned in the
place. The Hardyman hotel was de-
molished and it was reported that SOW
eral persons were in the building. A
crew of rescuers are at work there.
Automobiles hurried here and there
at great speed hauling the injured
to their homes
J. l. Wilson saw the explosion. The
car OF gasoline belonged to the Ard.
more refinery and some men from
the refinery were trying to stop
leak that had been reported from the
Santa Fee Office.
The absence OF the loss of life in
the Santa Fe freight and in Penning.
tons and many other places is re-
g0rded as little short Of miraculous.
Evans, Santa Fee agent, was removed
TO tho hospital but is seriously hurt.
The telegrapher suffered broken leg,
In the Ardmoreite building the
glass was blown from the front. doors
were wrecked. linotypes we're put out
of commission and one member OF the
force was slightly cut with glass.
Ardmore "Model City"
Ardmore is the county seat of Car.
ter county and one of the largest
cities in southern oklahoma II has a
population OF more than 10000. With
an altitude Of 916 feet, 1t is called the
Summit City" of the southern part
of the state.
II often has been referred to as the
Model City OF Southern Oklahoma"
The city's chief resource is agricul.
ture. cotton being the principal prod,
vet OF the surrounding territory.