Nevertheless, it continued to be used, and after the wars conclusion USIA focused on producing grain alcohol, which was in high demand as prohibition neared passage. At least one USIA employee warned his bosses that it was structurally unsound, yet outside of re-caulking it, the company took little action. In the end, 21 people were killed, many of whom were suffocated by the syrup, and approximately 150 were injured. The bacteria would start taking up the sugar, and all of the oxygen would go away. Welders carefully began cutting up the molasses tank with torches in the search for bodies five days after the flood. [35] The plaque, titled "Boston Molasses Flood", reads: On January 15, 1919, a molasses tank at 529 Commercial Street exploded under pressure, killing 21 people. Recall that Boston discharged raw sewage into the ocean until the mid-20th century. The enormous wave of molasses left 21 people dead, 150 injured and homes and businesses were crushed. The concrete slab base for the tank remains in place approximately 20 inches (51cm) below the surface of the baseball diamond at Langone Park. All rights reserved. According to Erin McCann at The New York Times, the Distillery received a shipment of molasses from Puerto Rico two days before the rupture. The days mild conditions probably aided the spread of molasses, which flowed outward for about two blocks. The nearby Clougherty house, meanwhile, was swept away and dashed against the elevated train platform. By slingshotting itself around, the researchers proposed, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was taking advantage of shear thinning: it used the movement of its body to reduce the viscosity of surrounding fluid. Boston's Great Molasses Flood of 1919 | Mental Floss Cookie Settings, The Real History Behind the Archimedes Dial in 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny', See Inside One of Americas Last Pencil Factories, Why Fireworks Scare Some Dogs but Not Others, Why We Set Off Fireworks on the Fourth of July, An Archaeologist's Take on What Indiana Jones Gets Rightand WrongAbout the Field. The remains of one victim, a wagon driver named Cesare Nicolo, were not fished out of nearby Boston Harbor until almost four months after the flood. She became interested in the molasses flood after helping teach a class at Harvard University, in which a group of undergraduate students created a scaled model of the event. Im originally from Arkansas, where we have an old expression: Slow as molasses in January, Nicole Sharp, aerospace engineerand science communicator who led the group, tellsWilliam Kole at the Associated Press. [30], Two days before the disaster, warmer molasses had been added to the tank, reducing the viscosity of the fluid. He passed out, then opened his eyes to find three of his sisters staring at him. While most. [31] The Harvard study concluded that the molasses cooled and thickened quickly as it rushed through the streets, hampering efforts to free victims before they suffocated. It loops around the salient of Copp's Hill from the Charlestown Bridge, east and south, to link with Atlantic Avenue. There were a lot of culprits, Rossow says. The more they struggled, the deeper in the mess they were ensnared. Puleo told NBC News that the tank didnt even require a permit because it was considered a receptacle, not a building," adding, "Every building construction standard that we sort of take for granted today comes about because of the Molasses Flood.. Then he grounded and the molasses rolled him like a pebble as the wave diminished. But one thing is certain: We are incredibly lucky it didnt happen in the summertime. This was a place in which to build dreams. At the Engine 31 firehouse, a group of men were eating their lunch while playing a friendly game of cards. The density of molasses is about 1.4 metric tons per cubic meter (12 pounds per US gallon), 40 percent more dense than water, resulting in the molasses having a great deal of potential energy. That day the wave moved at an estimated 35 miles per hour. The smell of molasses remained for decades a distinctive, unmistakable atmosphere of Boston. [5][9] When filled with molasses, the tank leaked so badly that it was painted brown to hide the leakage. In 1918, in an effort to shield the leaks and avoid costly fixes, Jell even had the steel-colored tank painted brown, to camouflage the oozing molasses. If you're familiar with the phrase slow as molasses, its hard to make sense of the 1919 flood. IE 11 is not supported. Its what lava flows are, its what avalanches are, its that awful draught that comes underneath your door in the wintertime, said Sharp. It can form part of a balanced diet, but people should. Over 2 million gallons of molasses were stored in a storage tank that fell, flooding the city streets and demolishing buildings while killing 21 people. "Send all available rescue vehicles and personnel immediately," he yelled, "there's a wave of molasses coming down Commercial Street!". Copp's Hill is the same as ever, but the El is gone, and the old waterfront, once so messy with decrepit warehouses, has been largely redesigned and landscaped. (Another sister had been killed.) Instead of filling the entire tank with water after it was finished to test for leaks, he only put in six inches of water. At noon on this January day, work around the molasses tank routinely slowed as laborers took time out for their sandwiches and coffee. In 1919, Boston's Purity tank could hold about two and a half million gallons of the stuff. The stress in the tank is directly linked to the fluid inside, he said. The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 is the stuff of legends. From there, it thinned out into a coating one half to one meter deep. And as a scuba diver with Hawaii News Now documented, the scene on the harbor floor was also gruesome. Among them: flawed steel, safety oversights, fluctuating air temperatures and the principles of fluid dynamics. ", "Nearly a century later, new insight into cause of Great Molasses Flood of 1919", "Slow as molasses? A week later, with the almost-full tank weighing 26 million pounds and the gas inside putting extra pressure on the steel walls, it ruptured. The air temperature on the day of the disaster was about 40F. Surely that would have been reported in the newspapers. McManus managed to make out to the dispatcher: Send all available rescue vehicles and personnel immediately theres a wave of molasses coming down Commercial Street," according to Stephen Puleo, historian and author of Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919.. When the tank broke and the molasses exploded, there was no outrunning it. It looks across at the yardarms of the U.S.S. In a second they were gooey and bedraggled, plunging through the flood that sucked at their puttees. With the advent of hindsight, we now know that a lot of early industrial waste management plans were far more harmful and destructive than people realized at the time. The storage tank had been filled to near capacity on July 13 and the molasses had likely fermented, producing carbon dioxide that raised the pressure inside the cylinder. Ultimately, U.S. Industrial Alcohol, the company that owned the tank, was found liable, even as many questions remained about what had actually happened. [28] The tank's rivets were also apparently flawed, and cracks first formed at the rivet holes. Scollay Square was off limits to me, and no wonder. In this stage, the volume of fluid released is the most important factor determining how rapidly the front of the wave sweeps forward. (2019). Because bacteria are so tiny, the researchers explained, even a fluid we consider thinsuch as plain wateris as thick as molasses to them. Antonio di Stasio, Maria di Stasio and Pasquale Iantosca were all instantly swallowed by the torrent. The closing arguments alone took 11 weeks, but in April 1925, state auditor Hugh W. Ogden finally ruled that United States Industrial Alcohol was to blame for the disaster. Stephen Puleo, author of Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 tells Schworm that the tank was a problem from the beginning and was never properly inspected. But its steel walls, which ranged from 0.67 inches at the bottom to 0.31 inches at the top, were too thin to support the weight of a full tank of molasses, found a 2014 analysis by Ronald Mayville, a senior structural engineer in the Massachusetts consulting firm of Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger. After the wave receded, parts of the North End were submerged in pools of molasses said to be thigh-high. Molasses is the main byproduct of the manufacture of sugar from sugar cane. We strive for accuracy and fairness. It smashed houses and buildings and knocked a firehouse off its foundation. And then a wet, brown hell broke loose, flooding downtown Boston. More than two million gallons of thick liquid poured out like a tsunami wave, reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. Nearly 100 years after the massive molasses tank ruptured, scientists are finally sussing out how this tragedy occurred. Relatives of those killed reportedly received around $7,000 per victim (equivalent to $118,000 in 2022). Ominously, the tank had also been leaking, which the company responded to by painting the tank brown. He told NBC News that the manager of the project, Arthur Jell, USIAs treasurer, had no technical experience, no architectural experience, no engineering experience.. All Rights Reserved. More than 7.5 million liters of molasses surged through Boston's North End at around 55 kilometers per hour in a wave about 7.5 meters high and 50 meters wide at its peak. Grapes, sugar beets, sorghum or other plants can also be used to make a molasses-like substance. Sharp decided to look into the science behind the flood, along with a team of scientists at Harvard. At approximately 12:30 pm on January 15, 1919, the tank burst, releasing a deluge of sweet, sticky death. According to reports, the resulting wave of molasses was 15 to 40 feet (5 to 12 metres) high and some 160 feet (49 metres) wide. And instead of inspecting the tank and filling it with water first to test it for flaws, USIA ignored all warning signs, including groaning noises every time it was filled. But amid the coverage of the catastrophe, no one documented any environmental impacts, nor does it seem anyone questioned the decision to dump the molasses in the harbor, Puleo says. All that thick syrup ripped apart the cylindrical tank that once held it, throwing slivers of steel and large rivets in all directions. Scholastic News (Explorer Ed. A similar flaw, he adds, befell some of the early Liberty ships built by the U.S. during World War II. In Honolulu, this meant that within a day, dead fish were floating to the surface. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 is both tragic and fantastic. On 15 January 1919 . The weather had been mild for Bostonclose to 40 degrees Fahrenheitand the streets were bare of snow. And I forgot molasses for a number of years. The Great Molasses Flood, also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster, [1] [2] [a] was a disaster that occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . About half the victims were crushed by the wave or by debris or drowned in the molasses the day of the incident. Several blocks were flooded to a depth of 2 to 3ft (60 to 90cm). [44], The song "All Hands" from the album Palimpsest (2020) by Protest The Hero references the flood from the perspective of one of the victims. Last year, an engineer who researched the construction of the holding tank concluded that it was 50 percent too thin to hold 2.3 million gallons of molasses, reports Peter Schworm at The Boston Globe. Most of the things Ive looked at dont really have so much to do with lack of scientific knowledge so much as a lack of responsibility of the people in charge, he says. Leading up to the disaster, there had been a cold snap in Boston and temperatures were as low as -16C (3F). The "Great Molasses Flood" tore through the city's North End and deposited so much gooey residue that locals claimed they could still smell the molasses on warm days decades later. Ferris Jabr is a contributing writer for Scientific American. Damage from the Great Boston Molasses Flood in 1919. Summary Molasses is a byproduct of making sugar. Industrial Alcohol paid off between $500,000 and $1,000,000. When enough reboiling has gone on to wrench every bit of sugar out of the molasses, the resulting viscous liquid is blackstrap, the extra-thick molasses used as an additive in cattle feed. One more state was needed to ratify the 18th Amendment, and a vote was scheduled the next day. But the accident ultimately boils down to ethics, says Rossow, who has analyzed building collapses and other case studies to understand when engineering disasters are a result of negligence. Advertising Notice [15] The company claimed that the tank had been blown up by anarchists[7]:165 because some of the alcohol produced was to be used in making munitions, but a court-appointed auditor found USIA responsible after three years of hearings, and the company ultimately paid out $628,000 in damages[15] ($10.6million in 2022, adjusted for inflation[16]). Sharp said the flood could be broken down into two stages, with the first called The Tsunami., Molasses is 1.5 times heavier than water. And finally, even the smell of molasses. [9][38], One of the DUKW amphibious tourist vehicles operated by Boston Duck Tours is named 'Molly Molasses'. Their 2004 study is candidly titled "Will Humans Swim Faster or Slower in Syrup?" In colorful, and often horrifying descriptions, they documented the event and its aftermath. Bowen wonders what impact a coating of molasses on the skin or scales of some creatures might have caused. [42], A book called I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 was written by the author Lauren Tarshis as part of the I Survived children's historical fiction book series. Others had debris hurled at them from the rush of sweet-smelling air. Miriam Wasser Senior Reporter, Climate and EnvironmentMiriam Wasser is a reporter with WBUR's climate and environment team. [45], Comedy Central's Drunk History included a retelling of the story.[46]. A 2.3-million-gallon, 26-million-pound wave of the sticky stuff rolled down Commercial Street as fast as 35 miles per hour. Natural Disasters & Environment Why the Great Molasses Flood Was So Deadly Why the Great Molasses Flood Was So Deadly When a steel tank full of molasses ruptured in 1919, physics and neglect. Follow Ferris Jabr on TwitterCredit: Nick Higgins. Historical estimates said that the initial wave would have moved at 56km/h [35mph], said Sharp. ), 81(11), 4. [12] The wounded included people, horses, and dogs; coughing fits became one of the most common ailments after the initial blast. Explosion Theory Favored by Expert, reported the Boston Evening Globe. The property formerly occupied by the molasses tank and the North End Paving Company became a yard for the Boston Elevated Railway (predecessor to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority). Depending on the way it is made, molasses is between 5,000 to 10,000 times more viscous than water. The molasses would also have changed the viscosity of the water, making it thicker and harder for animals to swim. Updated on 05/19/19 /Diana Miller / Getty Images Molasses used to be the primary sweetener used in days of yore until refined white sugar pushed it to the back of the shelf. Temperatures on the afternoon of January 15, 1919, were over 40 degreesunusually mild for a Boston winterand Commercial Street hummed with the sound of laborers, clopping horses and a nearby elevated train platform. They then performed experiments in a walk-in refrigerator with corn syrup, which has a similar consistency to molasses, to understand how it flows at different temperatures and to model the molasses incident. Advertising Notice He heard his mother call his name and couldn't answer, his throat was so clogged with the smothering goo. It was one of the first class-action suits in Massachusetts and is considered a milestone in paving the way for modern corporate regulation. The tank stored molasses from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the West Indies, which was then brought to a distillery in East Cambridge and turned into industrial alcohol. Temporarily stunned, McManus turned back to the call box. Prohibition was law, and churches which had campaigned for it in their pulpits now celebrated. One morning, not long before I started looking into the story of the flood, I was drinking my early coffee, hot and delicious, with just that faint touch of molasses to give it special meaning. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [6] According to journalist Edwards Park, "The smell of molasses remained for decades a distinctive, unmistakable atmosphere of Boston. Get the latest History stories in your inbox? The barman used the makeshift boat to rescue his sister, Teresa, but his mother and younger brother were among those killed in the disaster. While victims alleged that the tank was not safe, USIA claimed that it had been sabotaged by evilly disposed persons. In 1925, however, it was ruled that the tank was unsound, and USIA was ordered to pay damages. It is now the site of a city-owned recreational complex, officially named Langone Park, featuring a Little League Baseball field, a playground, and bocce courts. There is plenty of science to explain what went wrong in the molasses flood. Antonio lived but suffered a severe head injury from being flung into a light post. You have been subscribed to WBUR Today. Before the tank blew, children would bring cups to fill with sweet molasses that dripped out of it. It contains more vitamins and minerals than other sweeteners but is still high in sugar. The first responders struggled to wade through the quicksand-like molasses, which had begun to harden in the winter chill, but they soon began plucking survivors from the wreckage. A news reporter later remembered seeing Red Cross volunteers, Boston debutantes in smart gray uniforms with spotless white shirtwaists and shiny black puttees, step determinedly into the deep brown muck. In September 2013, a faulty underwater pipe leaked 233,000 gallons of molasses into Honolulu Harbor. They told stories of people whose cellars flooded with molasses, and devoted entire columns to the deceased. A group of students at Harvard investigated the eventand presented their conclusions at recent meeting of the American Physical Society. Omissions? The researchers believe that the massive amount of molasses did not have time to completely cool down from its trip from the Caribbean and was likely seven to ninedegrees Fahrenheitwarmer than the chilly Boston air. Science explains what made the Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 - CBC.ca The Science of the Great Molasses Flood - Scientific American Other bacteria and their kin have puzzled researchers by swimming just fine without such external accoutrements. Over 1,500 exhibits were introduced and some 1,000 witnesses testified including explosives experts, flood survivors and USIA employees. She hopes the flood taught people to have some respect for the destructive power of things we usually think of as harmless.. Each repetitive stroke would only undo what was done before. You can try, Remembering Boston's Deadly Molasses Flood, 100 Years Later, Walsh Outlines Plan To Protect Boston Harbor From Flooding, You Can Explore Boston Sea Level Rise And Flooding Scenarios With This City Map. Many survivors had broken backs and fractured skulls. I called up my fellow science writer Aatish Bhatia, who had written a fascinating essay called What it feels like for a sperm, that I highly recommend. Will Humans Swim Faster or Slower in Syrup, newly discovered method of microbial locomotion, What it feels like for a sperm, that I highly recommend, Instead of Filling Cavities, Dentists May Soon Regenerate Teeth, Fowl Language: AI Decodes the Nuances of Chicken "Speech". Once the floodgates opened, the principles of fluid dynamics compounded the problem, says Nicole Sharp, an aerospace engineer in Denver, and author of FYFD, a fluid-dynamics website. Attendees of the ceremony stood in a circle marking the edge of the tank. The source of what became known as the Great Molasses Flood was a 50-foot-tall steel holding tank located on Commercial Street in Bostons North End. One steel section of the tank was hurled across Commercial Street, neatly knocking out one of the uprights supporting the El. In addition, the disaster resulted in stricter construction codes being adopted by states across the country. Even Cornhill has gone. In 2016, researchers released a study that placed the blame on cold temperatures. Dr. Nicole Sharp, a science communicator and an expert in fluid dynamics, said that when she heard the 35-mph number, she was surprised. She was particularly intrigued by reports of how fast the molasses flowed. The current first goes through a so-called slumping regime, said Huppert, outlining how the molasses would have lurched out of the tank in a giant looming mass. The flood has more recently been known as the "Boston Molassacre". I didn't happen to work there in a year that had a nine at the end of it, and so remained largely ignorant about the original disaster. A small plaque at the entrance to Puopolo Park, placed by the Bostonian Society, commemorates the disaster. But in the flood, molasseswhich is a non-Newtonian fluid like ketchup or toothpastewould have moved as a gravity current, much like a mudslide, avalanche or lava flow. When the tank gave way, the warm molasses spilled out in a huge wave, but it cooled very quickly as it hit the cold air, causing it to become thick and sticky. I looked up the transcript of Purcells original talk and old papers by pioneers in research on microbial movement, such as Howard Berg. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. January 14, 2019 4:00 PM EST T he molasses tank operated by the Purity Distilling Company in Boston's North End had been leaking from the start. A group of sailors and local firefighters descended on the area, working alongside residents to save people caught in the gluey sludge. The firehouse after the Great Boston Molasses Flood in 1919. Several factors might have contributed to the disaster. When I was a boy in Boston and had reached a sufficiently sophisticated age, I was allowed to go downtown by myself. Even Iver Johnson's. One hundred years later, analyses have pinpointed a handful of factors that combined to make the disaster so disastrous. But as I get older, early impressions express themselves suddenly and in strange ways. Two days before the disaster the tank was about 70% full, when a fresh shipment of warm molasses arrived from the Caribbean and the tank was filled to the top. Its very dense, Sharp said. Its sugary-sweet contents were the property of United States Industrial Alcohol, which took regular shipments of molasses from the Caribbean and used them to produce alcohol for liquor and munitions manufacturing. Instead of the thunder of today's diesels, there was the unmuffled blat of loaded lorries with solid rubber tires, the endless clop of work horses pulling freight wagons and, over all, the roar of the relatively new elevated railwaythe "El"that for years kept Commercial Street in shadow. One can predict how easily an object or organism will move through a particular medium by calculating the relevant Reynolds number, which in this case takes into account the viscosity and density of the fluid as well as the velocity and size of the object or organism.
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