Blast destroyed grocery store after owner received threatening letter
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100 Years Ago, 1926 transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:
"Blast rocks city. Blame black hand for $500,000 loss."
"A blast of terrific force, suspected to have been caused by blackhanders or business rivals, shattered the three-story brick wholesale grocery establishment of the Youngstown Grocery Co., 340 E. Front St., destroyed the ruins by fire which followed the explosion, will probably cause the death of at least one man, injured five others seriously and scores slightly, blew out thousands of windows in downtown buildings and East Side homes, wrecked buildings nearby and aroused the entire city at 4:10am Wednesday.
"The property loss to the Youngstown Grocery Co., owned by G. Silvestri, 355 Redondo Road, was estimated at about $175,000. Damage to other buildings and to windows may reach $350,000 additional.
"The explosive used is suspected to have been ether, nitroglycerin, trinitrotoluol, or gun-cotton.
"'Quit cutting prices. Don't send your price lists into other territory. If you don't heed this warning you will not be long in business,' was the text of a letter received, written in English and unsigned about six weeks ago. The envelope was postmarked in Sharon, Pa.
"'I paid no attention to the warning,' said Silvestri, a badly shaken man, gazing at the ruins of his establishment, still spouting flames and smoke at six a.m. 'I locked it in the safe. It is down among the ruins.'
"Silvestri denied having received other threatening letters. He said the building was erected about six years ago, of brick and steel, was supposed to be fireproof and its value was nearly $75,000. The stock carried represented an investment of $100,000. It is a total loss, with insurance of $90,000 on the building and its contents….
"Windows for four blocks around the grocery buildings were smashed. Practically every window along East Front Street, as far west as Champion Street, were broken…. Streets in the neighborhood were covered with broken glass and tire punctures were quite frequent as autoists drove up to witness the effect of the blast….
"Roofs, pieces of timber and other debris was hurled across E. Front St. into the railroad yard of the Republic Iron and Steel Co. Men were busy several hours after the explosion clearing the tracks so that they could be used.
"Four automobiles, parked near the Republic Iron & Steel gate, were damaged, two being hurled through a heavy iron guard rail and onto the tracks below. Two of the cars stopped on the edge of the retaining wall, and one, landing on the tracks, was destroyed by fire….
"Officials promised a searching inquiry into the causes of the explosion and will question Silvestri further….
"In the early morning darkness East Boardman, East Front, Watt and adjoining districts presented a weird spectacle. Dark masses of men running here and there, people treading on broken glass like crunching snow, police and firemen hurrying to the scene of the explosion, ambulance bells sounding, half-clad roomers leaving beds and running into the street. Dozens of shops and stores suffered. A poultry shop nearby had its windows blown out and escaping poultry added to the excitement. An auto accessory store had some of its good on the sidewalk. Pickets were put on duty as soon as the police arrived to prevent looting….
"Exploding tomato cans added excitement. They popped here and there like machine guns and kept the crowd from pressing too close. Flashlights glared as residents searched for articles blown out of their houses. Four half-clothed men were seen carrying a trunk into a house that had been blown out an upstairs room.
"Several merchants of East Front and East Boardman were busy boarding up their shops soon after the explosion."
-- Compiled by Dante Bernard, museum educator at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society