The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-01

continuation of the COroner's Inquest
Upon the BODIES OF the Men Found I'm
the Ruins
This morning, at 10 O'Clock, Coroner Daniels
resumed his Investigation Into the causes OF
the death of Polk and Hagan, the two men
~ nose bodies were found In the debris of the
Tre at Caldwell's store. A number Of scientific
-.,.u,or were preseus ~ suvs sesst@sYuS
Esn1nIs@ towards an explanation OF tse t.s.e origin
Of tIr tne nrei ioreason afrirmed-Have not made an
oSomination of the buildings; have formed my
. oninions from the newspaper reports; as the
opnrts in many cases are not very precise,
LepoIbss oIban unable to come to any iniCe oonolu-
nton. a nrobable theory seems 10 me 70 pc ina
gas mad aecumnd,atesanr os nraiSweIpSin rn Mr. ornes
buiiding, for instance; 1t gradually worked It's
way into Caldwelps store anu coming IN o01- oI
fNsion tnOs and fire ensued; this theory receives
Pnnne countenapce from the fact tnst tne Wlno
saS from the " est on the night OF tne nre O
CTiSSnmstance which would prevent the gas
coming from the east ouor having an.
nn,oed MI, ibis theory, had explained 10 nun
eertain of the pnenomena 9l ,hnn n,odiHad II
D resented contradictions, nuu n1 al cireumstanoes
Prof James @. Booth sworno0. pUI,pa n,dps az. y!
blachened iaihng taken fpG an examination
of this piece OF lathing and came 10 the cohUIu' @
sion that the blsckened appearance SP sTs was p'0
duceu py Eins si NJ Cresson nffifmed-(The strips
from OFnes store exhibited also 10 tnis W.T. WI,
ness)-Tnink that their blacReneu aPpeua, ~ Snoe @
was nroduced by q quick, momentary hame.
Snnb as that coming from q gas explosion;
rink That the propertheory OF the nre Is gas
enP0eSn PProfessor Robert e. Rogers sworn-Have ex.
o,,inad the promises where the fire took place;
the theory that the fire might have been caused
by electricity is absolutely untenaole; ene
theory founded upon the attempts OF 1ursSrs
Of tine lathing in Orne's building is due 70
the consumption of wool and cotton ilnI
which had penetrated through tne o noor
S0%n s0S Sf55es bales Of on cotton upon n the oqr
above; my theory of the ontagraIlon ls LnaC o ~
arose from one OF those accidental, unforeseen
Causes--such as the dropping OF cigar asues
pnon waste paper-which frequently occur; D
fire once started in this accidental way, Win
out at all rendering necessary the previous
esospe OF ordinary burning gas from bne
pipes, could easily have produced py lts
progress aud Its consumption OF comouSLlole
materials an explosive gaseous mixture with
the atmospheric air, resulting IN the uull Snu
heavy explosions which were heard; when
this fre had, as might readily have been the
tions its progress would become very rapid
This theory will satisfy all the phenomona ol
the fire. ,,.-
Rogers theory of the fire.
Charles Bullock swOrn-Agree with Professor
Rogers in bis explanation of the cause OF the
charred appearance of the lathing which fe
down in Orne's building; know that not sc
used In mining-could be procured from al
the druggists in the city of Philadelphia. (ThiE
statement was made by the witness In refuta
tion OF the burglar theorym 80
Professor Henry Morton sworn-Agree VIII
Ioessor Rogers theory accounting for the
blackenIpg Of the lathing in Orne'S building
In some points, but not In all; think also that
fire originating by some ordinary aoclden
could not have spread so rapidly as this on
did without the aiding presence of some agen
such as eScaped gas