Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-14
Continued from page one)
crowded with injured.
Choaa In district

Continued from page onel
crowded with injured.
Choas IN District
The scene cf the disaster uss one
OF confusion. residents Of the thick
IN settled district rushed about the
streets as II mad. Women sought
their children while men went into
the debris n their homes in I'm e.
fort 70 bring out some loved one
trapped In the wrecksge.
The force ~ the blast rirred down
al telephone and light wires. knocked
over poles and caused houses to
tumble down. Streets "a the ill-tste1
region bulged, breaking sewers and
water pipes.
Every policeman ~ the city was
ordered 70 duty. They rored of an
area mile square. w keen back
the thousands who rushed 70 the
scene. Private automobiles end
trucks were 'commandeered n take
injured 70 hospitals and within q
short time every hospital in the CITY
was jammed. ard tire firemen were
forced % set UP emergency first and
stations ~ the scene.
Bodies Recovered
The first eleven bodies taken ~
the morgue were workmen.
Pieces Of the tank steel supports.
some weighing more Than 700 pounds.
were found a mile from the scene.
a street car. three blocks from
the tank when IL let 20 was wrecked
and every passenger aboard was
hurt. Many school children. IA y
nearby school yard, we're cut hv
fIrr# wHmmm 49, ~. M- AM.
structure were shattered.
The force with which the big gas
tank exploded was recounted hy
Government Weather Forecaster W.
5. Brotzman, who was seated OH
the top, 26th, floor Of the Oliver
building.
He said.
CAS- II given a mighty push. the
Oliver building swayed. something
like that caused by an earthquake.
We found that the barometer record
cd the increased air pressure REL
sulting. The air was 50 compressed
by the violent concession that it's
pressure became crester BY five
hundredths az an inch"
500 INJURED
Il vas estimated b. hospital o.
ficials that between 500 and 500
were injured. some seriously. The
hospital facilities OF the city were
taxed to capacity. Many of the In
jured staggered 70 the P~resbyteriar
and Allegheny general hospitals. and
At the latter institution 80 many or
the victims walked in that the steps
leading % the main door were spat-
tered with blood. Most of the IN
jured had been cut and hurt bv Ply
ing glass and debris.
The gas works, or Reedsdaie
street, Northside, was said To employ
more than three hundred men, but
Just how many OF these were AZ work
at the time was not known.
The Joseph Horne, department
store, warehouse, near tho tank, WIS
crushed like an ergshell BY the force
Of the blast.
With eleven bodies 1T the morrre.
the regular undertakers were forced
10 summon outside aid. "A number or.
morticians from nrivate undertaking.
houses we're put 70 work. while
others were held IN reserve ~
handle additional bodies as they
we're recovered from the ruins.
Death List Growing
The death list CONTINUED 20 grow
vixen two other victims. sucrumbed
"a their injuries IN hospitals.
A vivid description Of the evr1o-
sion was given hy Fire Chief Rfrh
ard L. Smith. who was driving his
automobile over the Manchester
bridge ~ the junction ar the Ale
cheny and Mononzahela rivers. ia
full view ~ the blast when II let co
"The great steel tank rose hun
dreds Of feet into tho air like n
great balloon" Ne said. cit remained
intact for an instant ard then burst
ike q great fireworks bomb. A. IA
let 70 with q terrific roar. the hun
dreds q tons Of steer went hrrtIinE