an ordinary day in boston’s north end january 15, 1919

AN ORDINARY DAY IN BOSTON’S NORTH END

January 15, 1919

Except temperatures were higher than normal, a warm 400F. Just the day before it was a bone chilling 20 F.

IT WAS LUNCHTIME

…little Anthony di Stasio was walking home with his sisters from the Michelangelo School for lunch.

At about 12:30 PM, a loud explosion could be heard throughout the North End.

A large gust of air traveled through the streets of Boston,

followed by the tidal wave of a sticky, viscous, sweet smelling, dark brown fluid.

The wave of molasses traveled at a rate of 35 miles per hour! How can a viscous liquid like molasses travel that fast?

Anthony was picked up by the tidal wave and tumbled on the crest like a surfer.

Then the surge of molasses dumped Anthony on the ground and bounced him along the cobblestones covered in a gooey mess.

Anthony’s ten year old sister Maria

did not make it home for lunch.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Anthony and many others want to know.

The 4 year old, 50 foot tall, 90 foot diameter, cast-iron tank at 529 Commercial Street …….

containing 2.3 million gallons of molasses exploded.

The force of the tidal wave was so strong it damaged the steel girders of the adjacent Elevated Railway on Atlantic Avenue.

It tipped a railroad car momentarily off the tracks.

Buildings were swept off their foundations…..

and crushed.

The Boston Globe reported that people "were picked up by a rush of air and hurled many feet."

Others had debris hurled at them from the rush of sweet-smelling air.

In some areas, the molasses reached a depth of two to three feet.

A truck was picked up and hurled into Boston Harbor.

21 people died, including Anthony’s sister.

Many others were trapped and injured by the sticky tsunami of molasses.

Schools and businesses were closed due to the sticky goo.

What caused the explosion?

One explanation is ……

The warm January weather caused the molasses in the tank…

to ferment creating carbon dioxide gas.

Carbon dioxide gas production increased the internal pressure inside the tank.

According to the Gay-Lussac’s Gas Law….

As the temperature of a gas in a rigid container increases, its pressure increases.

Until the tank could no longer take the pressure.

Let me out!!

The clean up lasted several days.

THE REST IS HISTORY!

Some North End residents claim that on hot summer days you can still smell the molasses.

In memory of ………

Create by Diane McDonoughFebruary 2012

Special Thanks to Dan Williams

Music:

The God Father Waltz, God Father Sound TrackUnder Pressure, David Bowie and Queen

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