Why a freak tidal wave of molasses drowned people in Boston in 1919

At the turn of the 20th century, Boston was a city in the throes of rapid industrial growth. Factories, warehouses, and shipping docks lined the harbor.

In particular, the North End was a densely populated neighborhood with narrow streets and brick tenements, which became a focal point for industrial expansion.

As demand for goods soared, companies raced to keep up, often cutting corners to maximize profits.

The industrial boom brought both prosperity and risk, with safety regulations often lagging behind technological advancements. 

During this period, molasses played an important role in various industries, from food production to munitions manufacturing.

It was a key ingredient in the production of industrial alcohol, which was essential for making explosives and other wartime supplies.

In fact, during World War I, the demand for molasses skyrocketed as the United States ramped up its war effort.

The Purity Distilling Company, which was a subsidiary of United States Industrial Alcohol (USIA), was capitalizing on this increased demand.

By 1915, they constructed a massive steel storage tank on Boston's Commercial Street.

It was designed to hold millions of gallons of molasses. Given its location near the harbor and rail lines, this tank was ideally positioned for efficient transport and distribution. 

Yet, the tank itself soon became a source of concern. Built hastily and without proper safety checks, it began to show signs of stress almost immediately.

Residents of the North End reported strange groaning noises from the tank and noticed molasses leaking from its seams.

Nevertheless, the company dismissed the concerns by applying quick fixes like painting the tank brown to hide the leaks.  

On the morning of January 15, 1919, the residents of Boston's North End went about their routines.

The weather had been unusually warm for a winter day, with temperatures rising to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

This sudden shift from the frigid cold of the previous days may have played a role in what was about to happen.

Workers at the Purity Distilling Company continued their tasks near the massive steel tank, which held over 2.3 million gallons of molasses.

From the tank, strange rumbling sounds began to emerge, but these noises were nothing new.

People nearby had heard these unsettling sounds many times before and, as usual, paid them little heed. 

Suddenly, around 12:30 p.m., the tank burst open with a thunderous roar. With a violent explosion, rivets shot out like bullets, and the thick, dark molasses gushed out with incredible force.

A wave of molasses, standing 25 feet high and moving at an estimated 35 miles per hour, tore through the streets.

In an instant, the flood engulfed everything in its path. Wooden houses were crushed like matchsticks, and freight cars were flung from their tracks.

Because of the molasses’s density, the wave carried a crushing weight that made escape nearly impossible for those caught in its path. 

Martin Clougherty, who lived in a boarding house on Commercial Street, recalled being jolted from his bed by the deafening roar of the tank's collapse.

In his account, he felt the entire building shake violently before the molasses smashed through the walls, sweeping him and his sister into the sticky torrent.

Struggling to breathe, they were trapped in the thick, suffocating molasses that filled the room.

Miraculously, Martin managed to grab hold of a piece of debris and pull himself to safety.

From his new vantage point, he saw his neighbors frantically trying to escape, their cries for help swallowed by the relentless wave. 

In some places, the molasses reached a depth of three feet, making rescue efforts nearly impossible.

The Boston Fire Department and police rushed to the scene, but they faced enormous challenges.

Thick molasses coated everything, turning streets into sticky quagmires and making the ground treacherous.

For days afterward, rescuers worked tirelessly to pull survivors from the viscous flood and search for bodies.

Using ropes and makeshift rafts, they worked tirelessly to pull survivors from the mire and search for those still missing.

For several days, the rescue teams continued their grim task, digging through the thick, congealed mass to recover bodies.

Many were found suffocated, trapped beneath the debris, or swept into the harbor by the relentless wave. 

Patrolman Frank McManus, who was on duty nearby, rushed into the swirling chaos without a second thought.

Hearing the desperate screams of those trapped beneath the molasses, he plunged into the mess to pull out survivors.

Alongside him, members of Engine 31 also fought their way through the mire, their progress slowed by the dense, sticky substance that clung to their boots and clothing.

Despite the overwhelming conditions, they continued to search for hours, refusing to abandon those in need.

Even as night fell, and the cold winter air hardened the molasses, the rescuers persisted. 

Twenty-one people had lost their lives, ranging in age from young children to elderly residents.

Over 150 others suffered injuries, from broken limbs to severe internal trauma caused by the force of the wave.

In addition to the loss of life, the flood caused extensive property damage.

Buildings crumbled under the weight of the molasses, and streets were left in ruin.

Several blocks in the North End required complete reconstruction. As is understandable, survivors carried the emotional scars of that day for years, haunted by the memories of friends and loved ones lost to the molasses wave. 

Local resident Maria d'Isidoro unfortunately lost her husband, Pasquale, who had been walking near the tank when it burst.

For days, she searched the wreckage, hoping to find him alive. Meanwhile, young Anthony di Stasio, a child returning home from school, found himself swept off his feet and carried along by the sticky tide.

Although he was ultimately rescued, the molasses had nearly suffocated him. 

In the aftermath, residents banded together to aid those who had lost homes and businesses.

As a result of limited resources, they relied on each other for support. Anger quickly turned toward the United States Industrial Alcohol Company, owner of the Purity Distilling Company, for their negligence in constructing the molasses tank.

The public demanded answers, and within days, government officials launched an investigation. 

On January 16, 1919, just one day after the flood, investigators arrived at the scene to examine the twisted remains of the steel tank.

They quickly noted several deficiencies in the tank's design and construction, including thin steel walls and inadequate safety measures.

Over the following weeks, experts conducted a series of tests to understand how the tank could have ruptured so violently.

To their shock, they discovered that the steel used in the tank contained too little manganese, making it brittle and prone to fracture.

Furthermore, the tank had not been properly tested before it was filled with molasses, raising serious questions about the company's practices. 

By February 1919, families of the victims and owners of damaged properties filed over 125 lawsuits against USIA.

The legal proceedings centered on the company's negligence in constructing and maintaining the molasses tank.

Additionally, USIA executives faced scrutiny for ignoring these clear warning signs and for their failure to ensure the tank's structural integrity.

For over five years, from 1919 to 1925, the court hearings continued, becoming one of the longest and most complex civil suits in Massachusetts history.

Lawyers presented more than 1,500 exhibits and called hundreds of witnesses to testify. 

In April 1925, Judge Hugh W. Ogden ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, finding that the United States Industrial Alcohol Company bore responsibility for the disaster due to their negligence.

The company was ordered to pay approximately $628,000 in damages, equivalent to around $10 million today.

It would also lead to stricter regulations regarding the construction and maintenance of large storage tanks.

As a result, the city of Boston, and eventually the broader nation, adopted new safety standards to prevent such a disaster from happening again.