The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-26
QhrGntell1qetrrer


about IL O'Clock, by tremendous ex>
plosion that shook the city like an
earthquake. In few minutes the
news of an explosion at the Gas works
spread over the city. Apprehensions
were felt that the city would be depriv-
ed of gas but the managers by stremu-
lous efforts kept up the supply. a life
was lost in the following manner. We
give the Commercials account:
All the forenoon, yesterday, sixtesn
men had been working on one of the
upper stories, on the top of the holder
and one of the columns, tarrlng and
painting the vast surface of iron. Be-
low them, on the ground, within about
twenty feet of the holder, a big fire was
burning, and in cRuldron, over that,
the tar was boiling. AT IL NJ the big
bell rang, and fifteen men started and
descended to go to dinner. Since ear
ly morning the holder had risen con-
siderable distance, and it had become
so difficult to reach the top ofthe ladder
that one of the men, Patrick McktnZ!e,
of large and heavy frame, fearing to
swing himself down TO 1t, concluded to
send for his dinner, AMI remain
to the top of the ladder. That
decision cost him his life. He
was sitting in the shade of an angle
of one of the pillars on the south, wait
ing to pull his dinner Aps when sud
denly he was deafened, blinded ana
overwhelmed, as the immense holder
rushed up several feet above his head.
He had seated himself there big,
strong. healthy man, comfortably
clothed, and thinking only of his din.
ner. In an instant, In the midst OF
fire, and smoke, and thunder, be re-
Clined there, q naked man. stripped OF
every patch OF clothing save some rags
that cluDg to his ankles. From his
chin to his toes he was nothing but
painting mass of burned and bleeding
flesh, when the ruins OF the holder
thundered back down into the deep
water of the tank.
We find it impossible to state the
cause of the explosion, and difficult TO
convey any idea ofthe appearance of 1t.
1t appeared as though the roof OF the
holder was rent in twain from north to
south, that as it rose and fell back the
overwhelming sound was heard, and
then the great bursts of flame and
smoke arose, In awful splendor.
For an instant, for a square around,
the breath of mighty heat played. The
wood work of doors and windows was
blistered and blackened. Men hum
dred feet away found their faces arms
and hands scortched to the flesh, and
for many squares around the close, stl1-
ling-he was felt, and then 1t was all
over.
The explosion is not accounted for
by even the best informed gas manu-
tacturers. We were informed, last
night, that when it occurred there was
no fire in the cauldron and that no gas
had been let into the holder fer elk
hours. One theory is that of great cx-
pansion of the gas by solar heat on the
holder, the consequent bursting OF the
roof, and flames communicated to tue
escaping contents from the stack OF the
Globe Rolling Mill. The idea has
quite generally prevailed that there is
no danger of an explosion to holder.
Several instances refute this. In Oc-
tober, 1865, a gasometer of the London
Gas.light Company's works. at Nine
Elms, Battersea road, exploeed, killing
ten men. 1t was twice the size OF
this. Not long since, we are informed,
there was similar explosion at Chica.
60. Both these explosions, however,
were accounted for, the fire commnni-
eating from the governor in the first in:
stance. The officers and employees OF
the works are puzzled, and can not
solve the mystery. The theory above
given seems plausible. The explosion
could not occur until the gas had be.
come mixed with atmospheric air, and
it does not seem likely that that could
have occurred, save in the way men
toned. The loss is estimated at S70. .OOO.
Under the existing circumstances 1t
seems wonderful that the damage TO
life and property was not much greater