The literary digest . ber of the firemen. Wreck-age was scattered in all directions, while a deluge of molassesspread over the ruins and into the street, suffocating many of theinjured and increasing the difficulty of rescue. The only plausi-ble explanation of this unique disaster is based on the assump-tion that there was an accumulation of alcohol in the tank. Inorder to have the molasses fluid enough to flow readily throughpipes, steam-heating coils were placed in the tank, and it isquite possible that there was some fermentation, g(>nerating acertain amount of alcoliol. It may be that t
The literary digest . ber of the firemen. Wreck-age was scattered in all directions, while a deluge of molassesspread over the ruins and into the street, suffocating many of theinjured and increasing the difficulty of rescue. The only plausi-ble explanation of this unique disaster is based on the assump-tion that there was an accumulation of alcohol in the tank. Inorder to have the molasses fluid enough to flow readily throughpipes, steam-heating coils were placed in the tank, and it isquite possible that there was some fermentation, g(>nerating acertain amount of alcoliol. It may be that the steam was left on too long, warmingthe molasses sufficiently to vaporize the alcohol, and this,mixing with the air at the top of the tank, resulted in theaccumulation of an explosive mixture which needed but aspark to touch it off. Possibly an attendant lowered a lanterninto the tank or dropt a lighted match into it to determine howmuch molasses it c-ontained and then — the accompanyingphotograi)h tells the THE TANK OP MOLASSES BLEW UP. would seem to be the one who is not only without knowledgeof his task, but is unable to communicate freely with those whodirect him. When one large company began to study carefullytheir working conditions they found it not infrequently the casethat a foreman was in charge of a gang with no member ofwhich could he communicate either directly or bj^ an more common was it to find individual men who were thusbarred from communication with their immediate was at once recognized as a dangerous condition, and the rulewas issued that gangs should be formed in such a manner thateach man should be able to communicate with his foremandirectly or by interpreter. The following table contrasts acci-dent rates of (1) American-born wonkers, (2) EngUsh-speakingforeign-born workers, and (3) non-English-speaking foreign-born workers, over a period of eight years, 1906 to 1913, in theonly plant for which full data could b
Size: 1871px × 1335px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidliterarydige, bookyear1890
