Mention "molasses" to a trivia buff and you're likely to hear a detailed account of a tragic event that occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston.Wikipedia tells us the day was unusually warm.
A massive storage tank, filled with more than 2 million gallons of the sticky sweetener, collapsed - and a powerful wave of molasses, up to 15 feet high and moving at an estimated 35 miles per hour, flooded the area near Boston's waterfront. Nearby buildings were damaged and destroyed, 21 people were killed and many more were injured.
According to local folklore, the smell of molasses still can be detected on hot summer days.
I wonder how many other old calamities are remembered now mainly for their value as trivia fodder.
Was there ever a Decatur Marshmallow Disaster? Did pork rinds figure prominently in any bonus-round catastrophes?
No comments:
Post a Comment