Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Domestic News
July 21, 1843
The Liberator
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
What is this article about?
A spark from a locomotive ignited whiskey and bacon in rail cars stored overnight in the Allegheny Portage railroad tunnel, causing a massive explosion that destroyed the cars and blocked the tunnel with rocks for days. Reported from Hollidaysburg, Pa.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Great Explosion.—On Friday night last, a great explosion took place in the Tunnel of the Allegheny Portage railroad. Some cars laden with whiskey and bacon had been run into the tunnel in the evening, where they were left for the night; but in coming along, a spark from the locomotive had got into one of them, and remained unobserved. Toward morning it had increased to a flame, and, reaching the contents of the barrels, an explosion of tremendous violence occurred, rending the cars into a thousand atoms, and disengaging huge masses of rock above, filled the tunnel to such an extent as to render it impassible for a day or two.—Hollidaysburg, (Pa.) Inq.
What sub-type of article is it?
Accident
Disaster
Transportation
What keywords are associated?
Explosion
Railroad Tunnel
Allegheny Portage
Whiskey Fire
Locomotive Spark
Where did it happen?
Tunnel Of The Allegheny Portage Railroad
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Tunnel Of The Allegheny Portage Railroad
Event Date
On Friday Night Last
Outcome
cars destroyed into atoms, huge masses of rock disengaged, tunnel impassible for a day or two
Event Details
A spark from the locomotive ignited contents of cars laden with whiskey and bacon left in the tunnel overnight, leading to a tremendous explosion.