Construction began in early December. Jell had had to negotiate a land lease with the Boston Elevated Train Company, which took longer than he expected and he was up against his end of the year deadline. Hammond Ironworks provided the material and constructed the tank, a massive structure 50 feet - ThreadSky

mbenfinney.bsky.social • 66 days ago

Construction began in early December. Jell had had to negotiate a land lease with the Boston Elevated Train Company, which took longer than he expected and he was up against his end of the year deadline. Hammond Ironworks provided the material and constructed the tank, a massive structure 50 feet

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mbenfinney.bsky.social•66 days ago

tall and 90 feet in diameter, with a 2.5 million gallon capacity. The construction was entirely riveted mild steel, welding not being commonly used in construction (or shipbuilding) at the time.

mbenfinney.bsky.social•66 days ago

The tank was completed in time to be "leak tested" before its first delivery of molasses on December 31. Leak testing, in this case, meant "filling" the tank with 6 inches of water, noting no leaks, and declaring it ready for service.
The tank leaked molasses from day one.

mbenfinney.bsky.social•66 days ago

The tank (1) was located in a working class Irish and Italian neighborhood, 200 ft from Boston Harbor. It was next to Commercial Street, a fire station (2), and a section of elevated train tracks.

mbenfinney.bsky.social•66 days ago

From 1916 through 1918, the tank was filled frequently. Many people note the groaning and rumbling sounds after it was filled. Despite frequent caulking, the tank leaked all the time. Neighborhood children would collect and eat the molasses that gathered in puddles at the base (a 3-ft concrete pad).

mbenfinney.bsky.social•65 days ago

Isaac Gonzales, a worker at the tank and pump house, brought concerns to Hell several times. Gonzales was so concerned about the tank that he would visit it in the middle of the night to drain molasses into the harbor.

In 1918 alone, the tank was filled above the 2 million gallon mark 7 times.

mbenfinney.bsky.social•65 days ago

Jell, tired of the frequent leak complaints, ordered the tank to be painted brown in August of 1918. Upon hearing this, Gonzales quit and enlisted in the Army.

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