Laurel, PA railroad car explosion, Jan 1901

EXPLOSION OF A LOAD OF POWDER

Engine Wrecked and a Dozen Cars Piled In a Heap In Pennsylvania

WILKESBARRE, Pa., Jan. 9. - The whole of this valley was shaken at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Windows rattled, loose articles fell, some panes of glass were broken and there was a great deal of excitement. It was believed for some time that the powder mills of Gen. P. A. Oliver at Laurel Run, over the brow of the mountain, had blown up, but it transpired that a car of black powder on the Central Railroad of New Jersey, near Laurel Run, had exploded. The car was so close to the dynamite mill that it is a wonder the concussion did not blow that up.

Train No. 424 was pulling up the mountain when engine 407, running empty, dashed around a curve and into her. Engine 407 is one of the heaviest engines on the road. She ploughed through the caboose, knocked over a car of beer and then struck the car loaded with black powder. She must have sent some sparks into the powder, for it exploded almost instantly after the collision, tore up the front of the engine to shreds and piled up a dozen cars in a heap.

The collision just gave the engineer and firemen on 407 time to jump. They leaped 20 feet from the point of the collision and the two men in the caboose and the rear brakeman on 424 jumped at the same time. Knowing there was a car of powder in the train they wasted no time in getting as far as possible away from the wreck, and this saved their lives. No one was injured, despite the fearful force of the explosion.

The Pawtucket Times, Pawtucket, RI 9 Jan 1901
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Transcribed by Tim Taugher. Thanks, Tim!