Seward’s critics initially had a point. Alaska was big, but there didn’t seem to be much use for it beyond owning land for the sake of owning land. That changed with the discovery of gold in the Yukon in 1896. This was the start of a boom in the region where tens of thousands of prospectors migrated to dig for their fortunes. Most people didn’t become rich, but the rush of people and associated boom towns demonstrated the potential that the vast territory had.
Today, Alaska is a treasure trove of natural resources. For better or worse, 457,000 barrels of oil are produced there daily. Alaska has also been a major strategic point in world politics, and the U.S. currently has five military bases in Alaska. Whether Seward saw the potential of the region or if that much land for just over $7 million was too hard to pass up, the deal ultimately worked out in America’s favor.
The Great Molasses Flood
When Americans face a natural disaster, they come together to rebuild and heal. When Americans faced a molasses disaster, they collectively asked, “What?” Now, molasses may seem harmless, but on January 15, 1919, the city of Boston learned that the sugary syrup could do a lot of damage if the conditions were just right.
The Great Molasses Flood sounds like a pseudo-mythical event from the Middle Ages, but no, it was a real, horrific thing that happened. This disaster wasn’t molasses casually flowing through a commercial district of Boston. 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst from a tank, and the almost-biblical flood rushed through the streets at a disturbing 35 miles per hour. The terrifying substance tossed and swallowed everyone and everything in its path, and when the dust — or, molasses — had settled, 21 people were dead and 150 were injured.
For an explanation of how this happened, in short, lax industrial standards can be blamed. The monstrous molasses was the property of United States Industrial Alcohol, who built the molasses tank in 1915. World War I increased the demand for molasses, and USIA hastily constructed the molasses tank to meet this need. Before the tank burst, there were concerns about it being unstable, but no one did anything to fix it. The tank was a powder keg primed for disaster, and on that fateful day in January 1919, that disaster came.
The rescue effort involved police, firefighters, and even sailors from the U.S. Navy. Challenges with rescuing those trapped were just as unique as the disaster itself, with the sticky flood serving as an obstacle that was difficult to navigate. The molasses didn’t simply trap people. It destroyed buildings and carved out a path of destruction.
via Wiki Commons
For a slightly bright conclusion, after a long legal process, USIA was ordered to pay the victims of the molasses incident. To prevent future disasters, more regulations were added for massive tanks like the one that caused the molasses flood. For a stranger conclusion, Boston apparently smelled like molasses for years after the flood.
Top Image: John Steuart Curry
![Disclaimer](<a href="https://rebrand.ly/LazadaSalePh"><img src="http://getfreefollowers.net/images/lazhorizontal.jpeg" /></a>){kind=link}
0 Comments