Mole butts. Or should I say “molasses”?
Either way, it is a sticky subject.
It sounds like something from a Road Runner cartoon. But it is so true.
It happened on January 15, 1919, in the great city of Boston. It was then and there that they experienced one of the strangest disasters in American history.
A massive storage tank containing more than two million gallons of molasses suddenly burst. Imagine. It sent a huge, sticky wave of molasses pouring through the streets at speeds estimated at around 35 miles per hour. I should add here that most humans can only run 6 to 8 miles per hour.
That was some fast molasses.
As a result, buildings were crushed, railroad tracks were twisted, and horses, wagons, and people were swept away.
Twenty-one people lost their lives, and more than 150 were injured. Sad but incredible.
Investigators later concluded that the tank had been poorly designed and inadequately tested. Flawed. Human error.
The tragedy also helped establish “stronger engineering standards and corporate accountability” in the United States. At least something good came from this. Sadly.
Some locals still joke that on especially warm days, the North End still smells faintly of molasses. I doubt it. But you never know.
This story is just another reminder about life here on Earth. The unexpected happens. All the time. In ways unimaginable. Sometimes it is hard. Other times it is easy and good. Sometimes it is sticky.
I hope your day is filled with moments of sweet goodness.
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“Out of difficulties grow miracles.” — Jean de La Bruyère
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“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein
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“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Nelson Mandela
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