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Show THE HISTORY BLAZER , j7~ 11' sO F LTAH'S PAST FROM THE tTtah State Historical Society 300 Rio Gra~ ide Salt Lake City. I'T 84101 ( 801) 533- 3500 FAX ( 801) 333- 3303 A Boxcar Filled with Dynamite Explodes near the City ON THE MORNING OF MAY 13, 1910, Charles Bums noticed smoke coming from a distant boxcar on the Oregon Short Line railroad near his home in the northwest section of Salt Lake City. On second glance he determined that the boxcar was filled with dynamite and would surely explode. Taking no chances, he immediately set out to notify officials. Soon trains heading for Salt Lake City on all Oregon Short Line and Salt Lake and Ogden rails were halted. The fire department quickly erected a road barricade, ensuring that no one could pass into the area where the boxcar was expected to blow up. In anticipation of the explosion some residents rushed to areas where they could see the action and still be far away from the danger. Men and women gathered on the foothills to watch the burning boxcar on the Oregon Short Line siding. At 12: 20 p. m. the boxcar exploded near Beck's Hot Springs northwest of the city. Several men running from the blast half a mile away were knocked to the ground. According to newspa-pers, pieces of the boxcar were hurled into the air for a mile. Flying wood and metal severed some telephone and electric wires, and the surrounding buildings suffered an immediate power outage. The event caused a fright in the McComick Building in downtown Salt Lake City when the elevator lost power and dropped an entire floor. The blast also caused windows to break in nearby homes and buildings. When all seemed safe and quieted, residents came down from the hills and regarded the damage. Where the boxcar had been was a gaping hole measuring 15 feet deep and 40 by 30 feet wide. Many wondered who or what had ignited the boxcar, but no one could come up with a definite answer. Some blamed the event on a spark from a passing Oregon Short Line train or on a passenger or employee of the line, while others suggested that the heat of the sun had caused the fire. In the end, the cause seemed less important than the fact that little harm had been done. Thanks to the early warnings of Charles Bums, the town had mobilized to prevent any deaths or injuries. Rather than causing tragedy and tears the event offered a few hours of excitement and a splendid fireworks show to Salt Lake City residents in the spring of 1910. THEH ISTORBLYA ZERi s produced by the Utah State Historical Society and funded in part by a grant from the Utah Statehood Centennial Commission. For more information about the Historical Society telephone 533- 3500. |
