The Portland daily press., 1869-05-17
Terrible Gas Explosion.

The most terrible gas explosion that ever oc-
CURED in this city took place about half past
II o'clock Saturday evening in the Chadwick
mansion, on Congress street, adjoining the LIST
Parish Church, now occupied by Capt. Isaac
Bsrnum. The following are the particulars:
Saturday afternoon workman took off one
of the gas brackets in chamber in the third
story, but neglected to plug up the pipe. About
half past IL o'clock at night Mr.. B. noticed
that the upper part of the house was filled with
gas, and proceeded TO ascertain the cause. He
lighted gas jet at the head of the stairs in
the second story and then went up to the room
In which the gas was escaping. No sooner had
he opened the door than terrific explosion
took place, throwing out the whole of the up
per story of the building next to the Clapp
mansion and also a portion of the front on
Congress street, starting the stairs, smashing
the glass, destroying the furniture and setting
fire to the house. Capt Barnum was pros
trated by the shock and was terribly burned,
his clothing being almost reduced to cinders.
The explosion was SO loud that it was heard
great distance, and hundreds of people were
soon ON the spot The alarm of FIRE was sound
ed which quickly brought the firemen to the
scene, but the flames were extinguished with
using the machines.
Capt. Barnum was rescued from his perilous
situation by his wife, who had one of her hands
badly burned Several of our most eminent
medical men were quickly there, and all was
done that was possible to relieve his sufferings.
1t was thought he could not survive so badly
was he burned The skin Is literally stripped
from his whole body. Yesterday there were
more hopes of him though his pains were in
tense, and he was unconscious most of the
day. In the evening he recovered conscious
ness and was comparatively comfortable.
The house was visited by thousands yester
day who were astonished to witness the effect
of the explosion of gas. Gunpowder could not
have made greater havoc.
In removing the furniture from the house
Saturday night some scoundrels, who always
make il point to attend fire in order to
steal everything they can lay their hands ON,
attempted to carry off some of it but were
stopped by the police.
This case is q peculiarly hard one for Capt.
Barnum. He had just been fixing up the man
sion for boarding house, and was getting mat
tiers in trim to make it place Of resort in the
summer season. 1t is o case where the SYM
patty OF the public should be exercised, and
we glad to perceive by the card of Mayor Put
nam, which we publish this morning, that an
appeal is made to the humane.
The children of Capt. Barnum were prompt
ly and kindly taken care of by his neighbors
Saturday night, and yesterday the Mayor re-
quested Mrs. B. to call upon the police for
anything she needed. So great was the crowd
around the house yesterday, oil of whom wish
ed to gain admission, it was necessary to have
police officers stationed at the gate and at the
door.
The honse was insured against fire, but the
policy does not cover damage from explosion.
The amount of damage to the house and fur
niture cannot yet be ascertained.