AN ORDINARY DAY IN BOSTON’S NORTH END January 15, 1919.
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Transcript of AN ORDINARY DAY IN BOSTON’S NORTH END January 15, 1919.
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AN ORDINARY DAY IN BOSTON’S NORTH END
January 15, 1919
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Except temperatures were higher than normal, a warm 400F. Just the day before it was a bone chilling 20 F.
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IT WAS LUNCHTIME
…little Anthony di Stasio was walking home with his sisters from the Michelangelo School for lunch.
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At about 12:30 PM, a loud explosion could be heard throughout the North End.
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A large gust of air traveled through the streets of Boston,
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followed by the tidal wave of a sticky, viscous, sweet smelling, dark brown fluid.
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The wave of molasses traveled at a rate of 35 miles per hour! How can a viscous liquid like molasses travel that fast?
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Anthony was picked up by the tidal wave and tumbled on the crest like a surfer.
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Then the surge of molasses dumped Anthony on the ground and bounced him along the cobblestones covered in a gooey mess.
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Anthony’s ten year old sister Maria
did not make it home for lunch.
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Anthony and many others want to know.
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The 4 year old, 50 foot tall, 90 foot diameter, cast-iron tank at 529 Commercial Street …….
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containing 2.3 million gallons of molasses exploded.
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The force of the tidal wave was so strong it damaged the steel girders of the adjacent Elevated Railway on Atlantic Avenue.
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It tipped a railroad car momentarily off the tracks.
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Buildings were swept off their foundations…..
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and crushed.
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The Boston Globe reported that people "were picked up by a rush of air and hurled many feet."
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Others had debris hurled at them from the rush of sweet-smelling air.
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In some areas, the molasses reached a depth of two to three feet.
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A truck was picked up and hurled into Boston Harbor.
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21 people died, including Anthony’s sister.
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Many others were trapped and injured by the sticky tsunami of molasses.
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Schools and businesses were closed due to the sticky goo.
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What caused the explosion?
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One explanation is ……
The warm January weather caused the molasses in the tank…
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to ferment creating carbon dioxide gas.
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Carbon dioxide gas production increased the internal pressure inside the tank.
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According to the Gay-Lussac’s Gas Law….
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As the temperature of a gas in a rigid container increases, its pressure increases.
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Until the tank could no longer take the pressure.
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Let me out!!
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The clean up lasted several days.
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THE REST IS HISTORY!
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Some North End residents claim that on hot summer days you can still smell the molasses.
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In memory of ………
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Create by Diane McDonoughFebruary 2012
Special Thanks to Dan Williams
Music:
The God Father Waltz, God Father Sound TrackUnder Pressure, David Bowie and Queen
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REFERENCES…..
http://www.stephenpuleo.com/dt_pictures.htm
http://foodreference.about.com/od/history_myths/a/The-Boston-Molasses-Disaster.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Molasses_Disaster
http://www.pdhengineer.com/courses/et/ET-1014.pdf
http://www.me.gatech.edu/jonathan.colton/me4210/bostondisaster.pdf