The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-12-10
ArERRIBLE DIsAsrER /.

81
Explosion and Fires-TotaI Destruction
. East Gleseland-SeveraI of the Family
ShOcIingly Burned Loss $4,000 :
Caused BY the Explosion of Gasoline Gas.
The following particulars. of this
terrible disaster we gather from the
Leader of Monday:
Gone of the most direful and heart
rending calamities that has ever oc-
cnrred in this city or vicinity was
visited upon L. M.Hubby, Esq,
President of the Cleveland, Columbus
and Cincinnati Railroad Company, and
his family on Saturday evening. His
elegant new residence and all its con-
tents were totally destroyed-not a
vestige of anything remaining save the
bare and blackened ruins-by ter
rife explosion of gas in the basement,
and the confagtation, swift, sure and
terrible, which Immediately followed.
Fearful as was the deso1ation, did it
involve only q financial loss, it would
be of small moment when compared
with the actual results of the disaster
the mental anguish and acute bodily
suffering entailed upon the members
of the stricken household. Mr.. Hubbys
the honored head of the family, sus-
tained very painful injuries by burn
ing; his daughter Miss Ella, beauti-
full and accomplished yonng lady of
twenty, chosen by the Femoreseless
flames as their especial prey, was SO
badly burned that during that fearful
night and the day following her life
seemedt to chang ON theJpassing of a
breathp and now lies in critical COM
dition, suffering the most excrueiating
agony; and Frank w. Hubby and his
wife received injuries which, though
severe, are fortunately not of dan
gerous character. Few can realize the
full weight of blow SO sudden and
terrible-the utter desoIation of a
cherished home swept away and loved
ones in the very grasp of death. y d
"To Frank W. Hubby, one of the
inmates of thee house at the time of
the calamity, we are indebted for most
of the facts which enable us tolay be-
fore our readers full and correct ac-
count of this most Iamentable affair.
Fl IL : THE SCENE OF DISASTER. IT, i'a
"The residence of Mr.. Hubby was
situated nearly half a mile from the
city limits, in the oWnship of East
Cleveland, on the! south side of the
Euclid avenue road. It was of brick;
two stories high, elaborate in architec-
tural design, and was finished, both
externally and internally, in the most
elegant manner. 1t was sumptuously
furnished throughout, and was in all
respects one of the finest suburban
residences of the city.p 5ii5F ssE.a sd I
) [The city gas pipes had not been ex-
tended to this point, and Mr.. Hubby
had lighted his residence with gas
manufactured from gasoline, using for
that purpose Blerce's patent generator,
and every precaution had been used to
guard against accident
A defect had for some time existed
in the apparatus, and leakages of gas
had frequently caused no small degree
of annoyance. This is said to have
been the result of neglect to apply the
proper tests to the pipes when the ap-
paratus was put in. Repeated at
tempts had been made to repair the
defect, but they were never successful,
and the family hailed with gladness
the approach of the street pipes, Which
would relieve them from all danger
and tronble in future. This explana-
fion is somewhat lengthy, but it is me-
cessary to enable the reader to fully
understand the cause of this direful
disaster. ''-.