The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1823-01-22
From a iofe English PAPER.
ACCIDENT FROM GAS.

ACCIDENT FROM Gas.
The Ope a.house, end of Pali.ns'b was
yesterday at noon thrown into tho greatest
constetnaIioD, by sudden and ueme,Jou,
subterrsneous explosion, that was nofs Ike
the discharge Of heavy ordnance undc' gound
than any thing else. al the iphao' 10
the fine new shops constituting the Opera-
house a csde, and ib the houses 90 The oppp-
site side oi tho wey, as iar as Cockspur streets,
we'e ipstantaneousiy out of their residences,
thinking that thcn own bab,ta,ions we're
umblDg about their ears. PsiiIuai! ard the
Opera house Arcade were iuimt d,aieiy sied
with people I; aud Jheit alarm and emezeTent
were noi. diminished on bcho'ding an iIrense
Volume OF Ramc, accompanied with strong
smell, issuing forth from ,he diapids,ed lroot
VI ,he house belonging TO the Wesmiois,er
Wine Company e, the corner Of the Opera
house Atcade. The shops fronts we're c.m-
piete!y blown from ih.i' stations, and oashed
on he psvemens in thousands OF pieces; and
wi,hin the premises there appeared Rothiug
but ruins. Thee individuals hu, r,ed io,,h
from the premises, presenting an exirao'di-
nsty appearance. Oae of 'hem elevated hi,
hands, fom which blood was copioosly rua.
Ding the second had still wilder and moro
ex,rso' dinary Iook, 'he ha'r on his head be-
ING siogrd nssriy 10 us roots, ond the third
person. apparently ooe Of the masters OF the
Wcstn,nister Wine Compsuy, ha,i run |. om
the premises on hearing the tetrhc explosion
and on behoid'ns ,bs shop windows and other
fixtures blown from their stations with the
most Irieh,lu cash. The immense explo-
siou, aud this sudden ruin, were the re-
suit Of az accidenth isniiion of gas that had
csesped ftow The gas pipes, wing to some
detec, IN them. OF the gas no, be'ag properly
turned ot,,' lnd had wbolly occupied he csi-
lars under the Wine Compsny's shop or
coun,iag house, ct the Conner OF the a. cads.
The clei X and rei!atmeD wee proceediO 6 20
the celer TO iu6l some orders, snd the sp-
ptoach OF . lighed candle caused The ignitioo
Of The vast body OF gas that had escaped f'om
the pipes and flied the cellars. The whole,
OF coutse, Immediately exploded, aud tor
time lett the two individuals almost seDseiess,
The isni'ed gas, IN the piog ess OF It's ex-
passion, bes, down windows, doots, partitions,
several hampers OF bottles, oil which were
spread on tbe cellar floors nearly shattered to
pieces; and IL thence made It's way UP stairs
TO the hoo, which IS eveo with the street, and
dashed oui the whole Of the shop fronts Us al.
ror. Ii could not be compared 10 nothing
but the fury snd devastation Of an earthquake
The clerk, whose hair was 80 severely
burnt, on escaping from the house, ran otf
with horrihc haste TO such a distance tba, tor
some time IL was not known what had become
OF him indeed, ill s6sne pe'soo appeared u
bear testimony to his n,gh,. h's master sod
companion feared that he had fallen a victim
to the iu'y OF the d'easliuly severe sod alarm
ins gas explosioo in the cellar. We could
not learn whether he had sustained any injp-
y more sc'ious then what has previously
been mentioned. The explosion did not FIRE
the premises. Fitemen were promptly on the
spot individuals connected with the Gas
Works In Pe,er.streei, Westminster, were
also immediately scot, cod ins,sn,ly obeyed
the sumaons; and the Arcade iron gaes
were elused, so thar tbs premises were pre-
leced from those ipicads being msde upon
them, which, ss the crowd was 50 gres, aud
Mixed would have olheiwise suLissIsa tho