Elena

Because in the early decades of the 20th century, anarchists around the United States did use bombings or the threat of bombings to take a stand against anti-immigration politicians and corporations they believed were exploiting workers. So, like... So it's silly to, like, think about, like, somebody climbing a molasses tank and throwing a pipe bomb.

Because in the early decades of the 20th century, anarchists around the United States did use bombings or the threat of bombings to take a stand against anti-immigration politicians and corporations they believed were exploiting workers. So, like... So it's silly to, like, think about, like, somebody climbing a molasses tank and throwing a pipe bomb.

But you can see why they at least threw the theory out there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because also they just don't understand how this is all working. Well, you got to start somewhere. Exactly. So USIA attorney Henry Dolan said, we know beyond question that the tank was not weak. And you have to remember, they're saving their own ass. Yeah, because that's a whole ass lie. Maybe it just broke and burst.

But you can see why they at least threw the theory out there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because also they just don't understand how this is all working. Well, you got to start somewhere. Exactly. So USIA attorney Henry Dolan said, we know beyond question that the tank was not weak. And you have to remember, they're saving their own ass. Yeah, because that's a whole ass lie. Maybe it just broke and burst.

They have to blame it on something like an anarchist climbing the thing. He said, we know that an examination was made of the outside of the base of the structure a few minutes before its collapse. And he insisted that whatever happened, it was not the company's fault.

They have to blame it on something like an anarchist climbing the thing. He said, we know that an examination was made of the outside of the base of the structure a few minutes before its collapse. And he insisted that whatever happened, it was not the company's fault.

Despite USIA's certainty that they were not to blame, District Attorney Joseph Pelletier took the case to the grand jury seeking an indictment against USIA for 19 counts of manslaughter, clearly believing they were to blame for the disaster.

Despite USIA's certainty that they were not to blame, District Attorney Joseph Pelletier took the case to the grand jury seeking an indictment against USIA for 19 counts of manslaughter, clearly believing they were to blame for the disaster.

On February 13th, the grand jury reviewed the case and found that while the tank did not completely comply with the law fixing a minimum factor of safety, there was insufficient evidence to justify the indictment. Um, yeah. Okay.

On February 13th, the grand jury reviewed the case and found that while the tank did not completely comply with the law fixing a minimum factor of safety, there was insufficient evidence to justify the indictment. Um, yeah. Okay.

Simply put, the court and the state's investigators rejected USIA's bomb theory and believed that shoddy craftsmanship was at least partially to blame for the tank collapse, but that there wasn't enough evidence to prove it. So they said, no, we don't think somebody threw a bomb into the thing. We do think there was some structural issues, but we don't think there was enough evidence.

Simply put, the court and the state's investigators rejected USIA's bomb theory and believed that shoddy craftsmanship was at least partially to blame for the tank collapse, but that there wasn't enough evidence to prove it. So they said, no, we don't think somebody threw a bomb into the thing. We do think there was some structural issues, but we don't think there was enough evidence.

To prove that? I would feel – I feel like the entire molasses flood should be enough evidence to prove that some of those – I think that's pretty good evidence. Some of those faulty bits there had – like that's all you really need. Well, and in the months, then years that followed, the courts would rule against the company in civil cases. Yeah. Ordering them to pay millions in damages. Yeah.

To prove that? I would feel – I feel like the entire molasses flood should be enough evidence to prove that some of those – I think that's pretty good evidence. Some of those faulty bits there had – like that's all you really need. Well, and in the months, then years that followed, the courts would rule against the company in civil cases. Yeah. Ordering them to pay millions in damages. Yeah.

So they basically said – So they did get there. Yeah. Right. Right. and the one that investigators had considered in their early investigation, is that the dramatic increase in warm weather triggered the fermentation process, causing a buildup of carbon dioxide inside the small headspace of the tank.

So they basically said – So they did get there. Yeah. Right. Right. and the one that investigators had considered in their early investigation, is that the dramatic increase in warm weather triggered the fermentation process, causing a buildup of carbon dioxide inside the small headspace of the tank.

And if the tank had been properly constructed and held to high standards of safety, it likely could have withstood that buildup of gases. But in Jell's race to beat Prohibition, he had allowed the tank to build pretty quickly and kind of poorly. And under the circumstances, the tank walls were unable to withstand that pressure build. And when it became too much, the entire structure just exploded.

And if the tank had been properly constructed and held to high standards of safety, it likely could have withstood that buildup of gases. But in Jell's race to beat Prohibition, he had allowed the tank to build pretty quickly and kind of poorly. And under the circumstances, the tank walls were unable to withstand that pressure build. And when it became too much, the entire structure just exploded.

I mean, that's what pressure does. That makes the most sense. Think about a pressure cooker. Yeah. There's 2 million, 2 million, right? 2.3 million. 2.3 million. Gallons. Gallons of fucking molasses in there. So it's not like it just exploded and like some molasses oozed out. No, it makes sense that that much chaos. Exactly. That that much like tragedy fell.

I mean, that's what pressure does. That makes the most sense. Think about a pressure cooker. Yeah. There's 2 million, 2 million, right? 2.3 million. 2.3 million. Gallons. Gallons of fucking molasses in there. So it's not like it just exploded and like some molasses oozed out. No, it makes sense that that much chaos. Exactly. That that much like tragedy fell.