The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1922-01-18
THOUSANDS NEAR PANIC
AS MANHO[E BLOWS UP At
BROADWAY AND RECTOR ST
Thoroughfares Congested With
Traffic and Pedestrians as
Explosion Occurs.
TWO MEN INJURED.
One Struck With Iron Frag-
ment and Another Thrown
From Truck.

There was an explosion at Broad
way and Rector Street this afternoon
when q manhole cover blew into the
air In fragments. which caused a
panic In the neighborbood.
The two tborouEhfares were
crowded at the time. 1.45 O'Clock. and
with the laundering report 80, che
shattered iron cover broke. remern-
brance Of the Wall Street bomb ex-
pIosion flashed into the minds OF all
who heard IL.
Instantly there was a rush for
cover. Men and women almost fell
over one another to get to places Of
safety.
Traffic, which chancd To be partcu-
larly dense at that moment, was in a
turmoil of stopping and turning. The
people lodging about the street. in
and out Of the wagons. cars ana au-
tomobiles. added to the confusion.
Save for the tanEle Of vehicles and
trafice policeman who was at the
corner vainly trying to get order out
of the tumble. there was a flight from
the crossing by every one who had
been near II. People crowded into
doorways. wondering whether there
might not be another explosion.
The explosion was followed by a
flash of flame that leaped several
yards above the manhole. and 1t was
eventually necessary toE. t3n, Grenien
to play ext Sdlshers upon it to put
1t out.
1t was half a minute, perhaps. be-
fore the excitement subsidized SUM-
clently to disclose that there had been
one direct victim OF the explosion.
He was Lee w. Twombley, employed
in the banking and brokerage Office OF
Jules s. Bache. at No. AZ Broadway.
He was passing No. so Broadway,
acorss the street from the manhole.
when 1t blew into fragments. One of
these bits. weighing several pounds,
struck him in the head and face.
He was found lying on the sidewalk.
bleeding profusely. Several persons
went to him and carried him into the
building at No. 80. and there he re-
celved first aid from a surgeon on one
of the three ambulances summoned
Immediately after the explosion from
Hudson street Hospital. It was found
that his wounds were so serious that
they might indicate a fractured skull,
so he WIS taken TO the hospital as
soon as possible.
Mr.. Twombley lives at No. 439
North 18th Street, East Orange.
There was another man injured az
result OF the explosion. He was
Samuel Nussbaum, chauffeur OF a
truck of the American Express Com
pany, which had been directed into
Rector Street by the policeman at
the crossing in an effort to disen-
rangle the clutter OF vehicles. In
turning westward Nussbaum dropped
a front wheel OF his truck into the
now open manhole and was nung
violently to the street. He was at
tended by Il surgeon and stayed By
his truck.
Though the manhole cover was
broken into numerous fragments by
the explosion. large piece OF stone
cut from the steps OF the office OF
Shearson & Hammll. brokers. at No.
II Broadway. whose office is within
few yards of the manhole, was tho
only mark made upon any OF the
neighboring buildings.
III. Z. t. u
Shearson 4 Hammil offices when the
mRnhole blew up. and they were
startled by the sudden blowing IN OF
a window screen. No damage WAA
done In this ofaos,