This is an accepted version of this page
86-533: The Great Molasses Flood , also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster , was a disaster that occurred on Wednesday, January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston , Massachusetts . A large storage tank filled with 2.3 million U.S. gallons (8,700 cubic meters) of molasses , weighing approximately 13,000 short tons (12,000 metric tons) burst, and the resultant wave of molasses rushed through
172-566: A Guatemalan port. Rather than place a guard on the SS Acapulco for General Barrundia or offer him political asylum, Reiter delayed the General's asylum request several hours in order to gain the permission of the Guatemalan government, which never came. The SS Acapulco was later boarded by Guatemalan officers, and Barrundia killed while resisting arrest in a gunfight aboard the SS Acapulco . During
258-595: A constituency approaching or within the privileges of citizenship. In 1918, the Spanish Influenza Pandemic hit the crowded North End severely; so many children were orphaned as a result of the pandemic that the city created the Home for Italian Children to care for them. The following year, in 1919, the Purity Distilling Company's 2.3 million gallon molasses storage tank explosively burst open, causing
344-446: A depth of 2 to 3 ft (60 to 90 cm). Puleo quotes a Boston Post report: Molasses, waist deep, covered the street and swirled and bubbled about the wreckage [...] Here and there struggled a form—whether it was animal or human being was impossible to tell. Only an upheaval, a thrashing about in the sticky mass, showed where any life was [...] Horses died like so many flies on sticky fly-paper. The more they struggled,
430-596: A family pushcart in the North End in 1848. Beginning in 1912, Prince pasta was manufactured in the North End and sold at 92 Prince Street. (The brand is now owned by New World Pasta .) St. Johns School is a private Roman Catholic school that is located in North Square. It opened in 1873 and has served the neighborhood continuously since then. The North End is also home to the North Bennet Street School ,
516-412: A fireboat to wash away the molasses and sand to absorb it, and the harbor was brown with molasses until summer. The cleanup in the immediate area took weeks, with several hundred people contributing to the effort, and it took longer to clean the rest of Greater Boston and its suburbs. Rescue workers, cleanup crews, and sight-seers had tracked molasses through the streets and spread it to subway platforms, to
602-556: A great deal of potential energy . The collapse translated this energy into a wave of molasses 25 ft (8 m) high at its peak, moving at 35 mph (56 km/h). The wave was of sufficient force to drive steel panels of the burst tank against the girders of the adjacent Boston Elevated Railway's Atlantic Avenue structure and tip a streetcar momentarily off the El's tracks. Stephen Puleo describes how nearby buildings were swept off their foundations and crushed. Several blocks were flooded to
688-427: A massive wave of Irish immigrants settled in the North End; the neighborhood became predominantly Irish (the city's overall population was also affected, going from a predominantly Yankee-Protestant city to being one-third Irish in just a few years). Between 1865 and 1880, the North End was almost exclusively Irish (or Irish-American) and Catholic. In the late 19th century, a stable Jewish community began to develop in
774-414: A result of, the flood were read aloud. Many laws and regulations governing construction were changed as a direct result of the disaster, including requirements for oversight by a licensed architect and civil engineer . North End, Boston The North End is a neighborhood of Boston , Massachusetts , United States. It is the city's oldest residential community, having been inhabited since it
860-402: A roar as it collapsed, a long rumble similar to the passing of an elevated train ; others reported a tremendous crashing, a deep growling, "a thunderclap-like bang! ", and a sound like a machine gun as the rivets shot out of the tank. 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
946-663: A series of breaking and enterings to residential apartments. Members of the Patriarca crime family have historically lived in or operated out of the North End, including Gennaro Angiulo , Gaspare Messina , and the Dinunzio brothers (Anthony & Carmen). The North End is served by the Boston Fire Department . The area has been impacted by a number of significant fires—the Boston Fire Historical Society notes
SECTION 10
#17328475909521032-498: A trade and craftmanship school that was founded in 1885. The North End is home to six of Boston's publicly accessible artworks. The Boston Art Commission has care and custody of all public art located on city property. Every summer, the remaining Italian residents of the North End hold festivals (feasts) to honor the patron saints of different regions in Italy from where their families immigrated. Statues of these saints are paraded down
1118-416: A training ship. She was retired in 1944 and subsequently served as a museum ship until being scrapped in 1958. Though the ship itself was scrapped, the engine—the only back-acting type known to be still in existence—was saved from destruction by the efforts of Admiral Richard R. McNulty. The engine, which weighs 61 tons and has dimensions of 20 × 10 ft × 6 ft high, now features as the centerpiece of
1204-550: A whole was prosperous, however, and the wealthy residents of the North End moved to newer, more fashionable neighborhoods such as Beacon Hill . In 1849, a cholera epidemic swept through Boston, hitting the North End most harshly; most of the seven hundred victims were North Enders. In 1859, tensions between the Catholic Irish immigrants and the existing Protestant community led to the Eliot School Rebellion . By 1880,
1290-574: Is Boston's oldest continuously run school. In 2007, the Eliot school was considered for closure due to poor performance. Between 2007 and 2011, school administrators instituted a successful improvement program, and, by 2012 the Eliot school was classified as an innovation school which was recognized for excellence by Governor Deval Patrick . The Boston Public Library operates the North End Branch Library, located at 25 Parmenter Street. The branch
1376-635: Is available within the neighborhood at Lewis Wharf, Sargents Wharf, and the Cooper Street lot. Nearby public parking garages include Government Center, Dock Square, and the Boston Harbor Garage. At night, many restaurants offer valet parking. USS Nantucket (IX-18) USS Ranger , later USS Rockport and USS Nantucket (PG-23/IX-18) , was a gunboat of the United States Navy . A screw steamer with full-rig auxiliary sail, Ranger
1462-494: Is the larger Puopolo Park, with additional recreational facilities. A small plaque at the entrance to Puopolo Park, placed by the Bostonian Society, commemorates the disaster. The plaque, titled "Boston Molasses Flood", reads: On January 15, 1919, a molasses tank at 529 Commercial Street exploded under pressure, killing 21 people. A 40-foot wave of molasses buckled the elevated railroad tracks, crushed buildings and inundated
1548-505: The Big Dig project. Throughout the construction process, access to the North End was difficult for both residents and visitors; as a result, many North End businesses closed. The Rose Kennedy Greenway is now located on the former site of the Central Artery. The North End describes its location in the historic Shawmut Peninsula , which centuries of infill have obscured. Copp's Hill is
1634-661: The Forest Hills Cemetery began in the North End. In 1934, the Sumner Tunnel was constructed to connect the North End to Italian East Boston , the location of the then-new Boston Airport (now Logan International Airport ). In the 1950s the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway (locally known as the Central Artery) was built to relieve Boston's traffic congestion. Hundreds of North End buildings were demolished below Cross Street, and
1720-542: The Great Molasses Flood . A 25 ft wave of molasses flowed down Commercial Street towards the waterfront, sweeping away everything in its path. The wave killed 21 people, injured 150, and caused damage worth $ 100 million in today's money. In 1927, the Sacco and Vanzetti wake was held in undertaker Joseph A. Langone, Jr. 's Hanover Street premises. The funeral procession that conveyed Sacco and Vanzetti's bodies to
1806-516: The Improv Asylum Theater are located on Hanover Street. All Saints Way, a private art project located on Battery Street, is occasionally open to the public. It consists of framed portraits of Roman Catholic saints hung on a brick wall, some of which are visible from the street. At the end of the 19th century the North End was filled with small restaurants that served inexpensive meals. In 1909, there were 12 active Italian restaurants, and by
SECTION 20
#17328475909521892-620: The National Register of Historic Places . Other notable sites include: The North End is located within the Boston Police Department 's A-1 district (Downtown, Beacon Hill, and Chinatown are also included in this district). Residents complain of repeated noise and litter problems stemming from loud partying in the neighborhood. In 2012, Boston police officers increased patrols in the North End to deal with noise complaints. Other areas of concern have included attacks on women and
1978-635: The Pierce-Hichborn House and the Ebenezer Clough House on Unity Street. The Old North Church was constructed during this time as well, now known as Christ Church. It is the oldest surviving church building in Boston. The Hutchinson Mansion in North Square was attacked by anti- Stamp Act rioters on the evening of August 26, 1765, forcing Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson to flee through his garden. In 1770, 11 year-old Christopher Seider
2064-853: The Purity Distilling Company facility at 529 Commercial Street near Keany Square. A considerable amount of molasses had been stored there by the company, which used the harborside Commercial Street tank to offload molasses from ships and store it for later transfer by pipeline to the Purity ethanol plant situated between Willow Street and Evereteze Way in Cambridge, Massachusetts . The molasses tank stood 50 feet (15 meters) tall and 90 ft (27 m) in diameter, and contained as much as 2.3 million US gal (8,700 m). On January 15, 1919, temperatures in Boston had risen above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), climbing rapidly from
2150-507: The 10 crewmen aboard jumped overboard and one drowned. While off Ensenada , Mexico, on 18 January 1886, Landsman John Enright rescued two shipmates from drowning, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor . In 1890, Ranger , now commanded by Commander George Cook Reiter, became nationally known as the result of the Barrundia Affair . Reiter was the senior U.S. naval officer present at
2236-425: The 100th anniversary of the event, a ceremony was held in remembrance. Ground-penetrating radar was used to identify the exact location of the tank from 1919. The concrete slab base for the tank remains in place approximately 20 inches (51 cm) below the surface of the baseball diamond at Langone Park . Attendees of the ceremony stood in a circle marking the edge of the tank. The 21 names of those who died in, or as
2322-409: The 1930s a few of these restaurants were renowned. Today, the North End's streets are lined with cafes, small grocery stores, and Italian restaurants. These restaurants are a popular destination for both locals and tourists. Sicilian immigrants also started food companies specializing in their native cuisine, which after successful expansion moved out of the neighborhood. The Pastene company began as
2408-460: The 2010 Census data, the neighborhood's population is 10,131, a 5.13% rise from 2000. The majority of the North End's residents are White (90.88%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.69%), Asian (2.83%), Black/African Americans (1.13%), two or more races/ethnicities (1.01%) other race/ethnicity (0.29%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.15%), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.03%). A small community of free African Americans lived at
2494-538: The 560 ihp engine drove the ship at a speed of 10 knots. Four coal-burning Scotch boilers supplied steam at a pressure of 80 psi . Ranger was commissioned at League Island Naval Shipyard , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, 27 November 1876. After completion of fitting out, Ranger was assigned to the Atlantic Station, but remained in the Gosport (Portsmouth) Navy Yard and Hampton Roads until 8 March 1877, when she
2580-669: The Artery walled off the North End from downtown, isolating the neighborhood. The increased traffic led to the construction of a second tunnel between the North End and East Boston; this second tunnel (the Callahan Tunnel ) opened in 1961. Although the construction of the Central Artery created years' worth of disorder, in the 1950s the North End had low disease rates, low mortality rates, and little street crime. As described by Jane Jacobs in The Death and Life of Great American Cities , in 1959
2666-669: The Christopher Columbus School (now a condominium building), a public bathhouse, and a branch of the Boston Public Library were built. These investments, as well as the creation of the Paul Revere Mall (also known as the Prado), contributed to the North End's modernization. The Civic Service House 's Night School, established in 1901, set out to do specialized settlement work along civic lines, and purposed to reach
Great Molasses Flood - Misplaced Pages Continue
2752-708: The Clough House (1712). However, the bulk of the architecture seen in the area today dates from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, when tenement architecture replaced mansions and other buildings to accommodate the influx of immigrants. By the time of the Great Depression , the North End's reputation as a city slum resulted in lending discrimination ; the area's residents could not obtain mortgages for construction or rehabilitation. Instead, residents, many of whom were carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and masons, lent their labor to each other and succeeded at rehabilitating
2838-717: The Greenway occupy the site of the former elevated Central Artery (demolished in 2003). Other notable green spaces include Cutillo Park, Polcari Park, Langone Park, DeFilippo Playground, the Paul Revere Mall (The Prado), and the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park . No MBTA subway station is within the neighborhood, but stations serving the Blue, Orange, and Green Lines are within 5-10 minute walks, including Aquarium , Haymarket , and North Station . According to
2924-467: The Michelangelo School, was picked up by the wave and carried, tumbling on its crest, almost as though he were surfing. Then he grounded and the molasses rolled him like a pebble as the wave diminished. He heard his mother call his name and couldn't answer, his throat was so clogged with the smothering goo. He passed out, then opened his eyes to find three of his four sisters staring at him. First to
3010-588: The North End Park and Beach, Copp's Hill Terrace , and the North End Playground. In the early 20th century, the North End was dominated by Jewish and Italian immigrants. Three Italian immigrants founded the Prince Macaroni Company, one example of the successful businesses created in this community. Also during this time, the city of Boston upgraded many public facilities in the neighborhood:
3096-554: The North End experienced population loss. During this time, many shops in the neighborhood closed, the St. Mary's Catholic School and the St. Mary's Catholic Church closed, and the waterfront industries either relocated or went defunct. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved high-rise, high-density housing projects in the neighborhood while North End residents worked to build affordable housing for
3182-404: The North End's "streets were alive with children playing, people shopping, people strolling, people talking. Had it not been a cold January day, there would surely have been people sitting. The general street atmosphere of buoyancy, friendliness, and good health was so infectious that I began asking directions of people just for the fun of getting in on some talk." Throughout the 1960s and 1970s,
3268-442: The North End's buildings at low cost. Starting in the mid-1970s, the abandoned industrial area along the North End's waterfront was rebuilt and converted into a luxury housing and business district. After the 1970s and continuing to present day, developers converted tenements into larger apartments and condominiums. New development is regulated in this historic district under city zoning regulations. North End has twelve sites on
3354-451: The North End. Much of the community settled along Salem Street. The community founded places of worship, a Hebrew School, and social programs. In 1903, the first and only new synagogue to be built in the North End was constructed. Carroll Place was renamed "Jerusalem Place" in honor of the new building. By 1922, however, the majority of Jewish residents had moved out of the North End, preferring other neighborhoods such as Roxbury . By 1890,
3440-409: The North Square area was known as Little Italy. The population of Italian immigrants in the North End grew steadily until reaching its peak, in 1930, of 44,000 (99.9% of the neighborhood's total population). Although many businesses, social clubs, and religious institutions celebrate the neighborhood's Italian heritage, the North End is now increasingly diverse. Both the population of the North End and
3526-561: The Protestant churches had left the neighborhood. The Boston Draft Riot of July 14, 1863, began on Prince Street in the North End. In the latter half of the 19th century, several charitable groups were formed in the North End to provide aid to its impoverished residents. These groups included The Home for Little Wanderers and the North End Mission. The North Bennet Street Industrial School (now known as North Bennet Street School)
Great Molasses Flood - Misplaced Pages Continue
3612-625: The base of Copp's Hill from the 17th to the 19th century. Members of this community were buried in the Copp's Hill Burying Ground, where a few remaining headstones can still be seen today. The community was served by the First Baptist Church . By the late 19th century, the African American community of the North End was known as New Guinea. By that time, however, much of the community had actually moved to Beacon Hill . Between 1845 and 1853,
3698-618: The building also led to the development of the North Square , which was the center of community life. Increase Mather was the minister of the North Meeting House, an influential and powerful figure who attracted residents to the North End. On November 27, 1676, Mather's home, the meeting house, and a total of 45 buildings were destroyed by a fire—Boston organized the first paid fire department in America two years later. The meeting house
3784-515: The community to address these issues. Today, the "old world" Italian atmosphere of the North End helps to drive tourism, and many of the small neighborhood shops have been replaced by restaurants. Italian feasts, such as the Feast of St. Anthony and the Fisherman's Feast, are still celebrated in the streets of the North End, and draw large crowds. The North End Music and Performing Arts Center (NEMPAC) and
3870-511: The construction trades, and by 1920 the neighborhood was served by Italian physicians, dentists, funeral homes, and barbers. Residents founded businesses, some of which still exist today, including Prince Pasta , the Pastene Corporation, and Pizzeria Regina . The Italian American community faced anti-Italian sentiment, prejudice, and neglect. After World War II, however, Italian Americans began to gain political power which then helped
3956-428: The deeper in the mess they were ensnared. Human beings—men and women—suffered likewise. 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. A truck was picked up and hurled into Boston Harbor . After the initial wave, the molasses became viscous, exacerbated by the cold temperatures, trapping those caught in
4042-409: The disaster, gathering data from many sources, including 1919 newspaper articles, old maps, and weather reports. The student researchers also studied the behavior of cold corn syrup flooding a scale model of the affected neighborhood. The researchers concluded that the reports of the high speed of the flood were credible. Two days before the disaster, warmer molasses had been added to the tank, reducing
4128-545: The elderly. One of these projects, the Casa Maria Apartments, stands on the site of the St. Mary's Catholic Church. In 1976, the neighborhood welcomed President Ford and Queen Elizabeth II , who each visited the North End as part of the United States Bicentennial Celebrations. During the late 20th century through the early 21st century, the Central Artery was dismantled and replaced by
4214-655: The following five-alarm fires in the North End since 1860: Two fires are known to have resulted in at least 10 fatalities, both involving crowded housing conditions: The Boston Public School system operates the John Eliot Elementary School in the North End. The school opened as the North Writing School in 1713 and merged with the North Latin School in 1790 to form the John Eliot School; it
4300-400: The frigid temperatures of the preceding days, and the previous day, a ship had delivered a fresh load of molasses, which had been warmed to decrease its viscosity for transfer. Possibly due to the thermal expansion of the older, colder molasses already inside the tank, the tank burst open and collapsed at approximately 12:30 p.m. Witnesses reported that they felt the ground shake and heard
4386-426: The internal pressure due to fermentation in the tank. Warmer weather the previous day would have assisted in building this pressure, as the air temperature rose from 2 to 41 °F (−17 to 5.0 °C) over that period. The failure occurred from a manhole cover near the base of the tank, and a fatigue crack there possibly grew to the point of criticality. The tank had been filled to capacity only eight times since it
SECTION 50
#17328475909524472-689: The largest geographic feature and is close to the center of the neighborhood. The North End's modern boundaries are to the northeast of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway , with the outlet of the Charles and Mystic Rivers to the North, and Boston Harbor to the East. Government Center , Quincy Market , and the Bulfinch Triangle neighborhoods lie across Greenway. The Charlestown Bridge crosses
4558-509: The mouth of the Charles River to connect the North End to Charlestown , while the Callahan Tunnel , Sumner Tunnel , and MBTA Blue Line tunnel connect it to East Boston . Commercial Street and Atlantic Avenue border the neighborhood on the harbor side, while Hanover Street bisects the neighborhood and is the main north–south street. Cross Street and North Washington Street runs along the community's western edge. The North End Parks of
4644-495: The neighborhood, and virtually all trips made within the neighborhood are by walking. Still, many sidewalks are not ADA accessible because they are narrow or obstructed. Resolving this accessibility issue would require removing some on-street parking spaces. Free and unlimited resident parking passes mean that 4,000 permits are available for only 1,500 on-street resident parking spaces. The few visitor parking spaces do not have meters, but do have two-hour limits. Paid public parking
4730-470: The neighborhood. Structural defects in the tank combined with unseasonably warm temperatures contributed to the disaster. The accident has since become a staple of local culture, not only for the damage the flood brought, but also for the sweet smell that filled the North End for decades after the disaster. According to journalist Edwards Park, "The smell of molasses remained for decades a distinctive, unmistakable atmosphere of Boston." On January 15, 2019, for
4816-624: The occupation of the ship, the U.S. flag was taken down, arms and supplies were seized, and the Guatemalan flag was raised in its place. The Secretary of the Navy, at the personal direction of President Benjamin Harrison , ordered Lt. Commander Reiter's conduct to be investigated; the Secretary later censured Reiter and relieved him of command. Ranger was decommissioned from 14 September 1891 to 26 August 1892 at Mare Island Navy Yard . Upon reactivation, she
4902-509: The percent of that population who are Italian have decreased over the years; as of 2014 the population of the North End was 7,360, of whom 824 (11%) had been born in Italy and an additional 2,772 (38%) were of Italian heritage. In 1923, the Michael Angelo (later renamed "Michelangelo") School was built in the North End and named in honor of the Italian residents. The street on which the building
4988-470: The port of San José de Guatemala during the attempted arrest of General J. Martín Barrundia, a rebel Guatemalan general who had unsuccessfully attempted to take over the government during a military insurrection, and was forced into exile by the Guatemalan government. Barrundia had boarded the SS Acapulco , an American-flag ship, and requested political asylum in the United States, when the ship stopped at
5074-588: The scene were 116 cadets under the direction of Lieutenant Commander H. J. Copeland from USS Nantucket , a training ship of the Massachusetts Nautical School (now the Massachusetts Maritime Academy ) that was docked nearby at the playground pier. The cadets ran several blocks toward the accident and entered into the knee-deep flood of molasses to pull out the survivors, while others worked to keep curious onlookers from getting in
5160-452: The seats inside trains and streetcars, to pay telephone handsets, into homes, and to countless other places. It was reported that "Everything that a Bostonian touched was sticky." Several factors might have contributed to the disaster. The first factor is that the tank may have leaked from the very first day that it was filled in 1915. The tank was also constructed poorly and tested insufficiently, and carbon dioxide production might have raised
5246-409: The steel was half as thick as it should have been for a tank of its size even with the lower standards they had at the time. Another issue was that the steel lacked manganese and was made more brittle as a result. The tank's rivets were also apparently flawed, and cracks first formed at the rivet holes. In 2016, a team of scientists and students at Harvard University conducted extensive studies of
SECTION 60
#17328475909525332-400: The streets at an estimated 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour), killing 21 people and injuring 150. The event entered local folklore and residents reported for decades afterwards that the area still smelled of molasses on hot summer days. Molasses can be fermented to produce ethanol , the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages and a key component in munitions. The disaster occurred at
5418-541: The streets of the neighborhood while well-wishers attach dollar bills to the statues as a donation and show of support. The feasts also include marching bands, food and other vendors, and live music. The North End has a mixture of architecture from all periods of American history, including early structures such as the Old North Church (1723), the Paul Revere House (1680), the Pierce-Hichborn House (1711), and
5504-536: The syrup to help the victims, and four days elapsed before they stopped searching; many of the dead were so glazed over in molasses that they were hard to recognize. Other victims were swept into Boston Harbor and were found three to four months after the disaster. In the wake of the accident, 119 residents brought a class-action lawsuit against the United States Industrial Alcohol Company (USIA), which had bought Purity Distilling in 1917. It
5590-434: The tank, such as filling it with water insufficient to check for leaks, and ignored warning signs such as groaning noises each time the tank was filled. He had no architectural or engineering experience. When filled with molasses, the tank leaked so badly that it was painted brown to hide the leakage. Local residents collected leaked molasses for their homes. A 2014 investigation applied modern engineering analysis and found that
5676-616: The tank. 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 ). 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. Immediately to the east
5762-405: The viscosity of the fluid. When the tank collapsed, the fluid cooled quickly as it spread, until it reached Boston's winter evening temperatures and the viscosity increased dramatically. 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. United States Industrial Alcohol did not rebuild
5848-489: The wave and making it even more difficult to rescue them. About 150 people were injured, and 21 people and several horses were killed. Some were crushed and drowned by the molasses or by the debris that it carried within. The wounded included people, horses, and dogs; coughing fits became one of the most common ailments after the initial blast. Edwards Park wrote of one child's experience in a 1983 article for Smithsonian : Anthony di Stasio, walking homeward with his sisters from
5934-447: The way of the rescuers. The Boston Police, Red Cross, Army, and Navy personnel soon arrived. Some nurses from the Red Cross dove into the molasses, while others tended to the injured, keeping them warm and feeding the exhausted workers. Many of these people worked through the night, and the injured were so numerous that doctors and surgeons set up a makeshift hospital in a nearby building. Rescuers found it difficult to make their way through
6020-460: Was again decommissioned from 11 June 1903 to 30 March 1905 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard . She departed Puget Sound 16 April 1905, for the Asiatic Station, arriving Cavite 30 May. Due to recurring maintenance problems, she was decommissioned again at Cavite from 21 June 1905 to 10 August 1908. Departing Cavite 16 August, she arrived Boston 12 December via the Suez Canal , and was decommissioned immediately on 10 November 1908. On 26 April 1909, she
6106-399: Was also founded at around this time to provide North End residents with the opportunity to gain skills that would help them find employment. Beginning in the 1880s, North End residents began to replace the dilapidated wooden housing with four- and five-story brick apartment buildings, most of which still stand today. The city contributed to the revitalization of the neighborhood by constructing
6192-748: Was assigned to protect American seal fisheries with the Bering Sea Squadron in 1891. On 31 January 1894, she relieved Alliance in protecting American interests in Central America, where she remained until placed out of commission 26 November 1895, except for temporary duty in the Bering Sea in May 1894. Recommissioned 1 November 1899, she was a survey ship for two years off Mexico and Baja California, then operated with USS Wisconsin (BB-9) off Central America, protecting American national interests. She
6278-574: Was assigned to the Asiatic Fleet. Following a special fitting out for her new duty, Ranger left New York City 21 May 1877, arriving Hong Kong 24 August 1877, via Gibraltar , Suez Canal , and Malacca Straits . The ship served on the Asiatic Station until the fall of 1879, protecting American interests and national policy in the Far East . Arriving at Mare Island Navy Yard 24 February 1880, she
6364-418: Was built a few years previously, putting the walls under an intermittent, cyclical load. Several authors say that the Purity Distilling Company was trying to out-race prohibition, as the 18th amendment was ratified the next day (January 16, 1919) and took effect one year later. An inquiry after the disaster revealed that Arthur Jell, USIA's treasurer, neglected basic safety tests while overseeing construction of
6450-513: Was built by Harlan and Hollingsworth of Wilmington, Delaware . She was laid down in 1873, and launched in 1876. Ranger ' s engine was designed by the Bureau of Steam Engineering and built by John Roach & Sons of Chester, Pennsylvania . The engine is of the compound back-acting type, with cylinders of 28½ and 42½ inches respectively, and a 42-inch stroke. The pistons, cylinder liners and bearings are constructed of bronze . At 64 rpm ,
6536-503: Was colonized in the 1630s. It is only 0.36 square miles (0.93 km ), yet the neighborhood has nearly one hundred establishments and a variety of tourist attractions. It is known for its Italian American population and Italian restaurants. The North End as a distinct community of Boston was evident as early as 1646. Three years later, the area had a large enough population to support the North Meeting House . The construction of
6622-527: Was concentrated on Commercial, Fulton, and Lewis Streets . During this time the neighborhood also developed a red-light district, known as the Black Sea . By the late 1840s, living conditions in the crowded North End were among the worst in the city. Successive waves of immigrants came to Boston and settled in the neighborhood, beginning with the Irish and continuing with Eastern European Jews and Italians. Boston as
6708-440: Was constructed was renamed Michelangelo Street, and remains the only street in the North End with an Italian name. The Michelangelo School closed in 1989, and the building was converted into housing. Italian bakeries, restaurants, small shops, and groceries opened in the first half of the 20th century. The first immigrants found work selling fruit, vegetables, wine, cheese and olive oil. Later immigrants found more opportunities in
6794-427: Was converted into a survey vessel. From 1881 to 1889, she was engaged in hydrographic survey work off Mexico , Baja California , Central America , and the northern Pacific; except when protecting American national interests in the politically turbulent Central American nations. On 12 October 1885 one of her boats was almost run over by steamer Modoc ( [REDACTED] United States ) off Mare Island , some of
6880-497: Was destined for a very long 65-year career, serving first as a U.S. Navy gunboat from 1876 to 1920, and later as a training ship with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy from 1909 to 1941. The ship was finally scrapped in 1958, but her engine, which is the only one of its type known to be still in existence, was preserved and is on display at the American Merchant Marine Museum of Kings Point, New York . Ranger
6966-431: Was established in 1913 and moved to its present location, a building designed by Carl Koch , in 1963. This branch maintains an Italian-language collection as well as a local history collection in addition to its regular holdings. The North End is accessible via mass transit provided by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) including: The North End has narrow, dense streets. No major streets run through
7052-620: Was loaned to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a school ship to replace Enterprise at the Massachusetts Nautical Training School . Her name was changed to Rockport 30 October 1917 and then to Nantucket 20 February 1918. As Nantucket , she operated as a gunboat in the First Naval District during World War I , as well as a training ship for Navy midshipmen. Designated PG-23 in 1920, Nantucket
7138-666: Was one of the first class-action suits in Massachusetts and is considered a milestone in paving the way for modern corporate regulation. The company claimed that the tank had been blown up by anarchists 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 ($ 11 million in 2023, adjusted for inflation). Relatives of those killed reportedly received around $ 7,000 per victim (equivalent to $ 123,000 in 2023). Cleanup crews used salt water from
7224-524: Was part of an angry crowd that attacked the home of Ebenezer Richardson which was located on Hanover Street . Richardson fired a gun into the crowd, hitting and fatally wounding the boy. During the Siege of Boston , the North Meeting House was dismantled by the British for use as firewood. In the first half of the 19th century, the North End experienced a significant amount of commercial development. This activity
7310-630: Was rebuilt soon afterwards, and the Paul Revere House was later constructed on the site of the Mather House. Part of Copp's Hill was converted to a cemetery, called the North Burying Ground (now known as Copp's Hill Burying Ground ); the earliest grave markers in the cemetery date to 1661. The North End became a fashionable place to live in the 18th century. Wealthy families shared the neighborhood with artisans, journeymen, and laborers. Two brick townhouses are still standing from this period:
7396-644: Was redesignated IX-18 on 1 July 1921. On 11 November 1940, she was transferred to the Maritime Commission for final disposition, to be used as a school ship for the Merchant Marine Academy , Kings Point, N.Y. On 30 November 1940, she was struck from the Navy list and was returned to the state of Massachusetts as a school ship. In 1942, she was returned to the US Merchant Marine Academy, renamed TV Emery Rice , and used once more as
#951048