The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-14
A whole Family Burned by Gasoline
The Mother and One Child Probably
Dead - Another Explosion Last
Might.

A whole Family Burned by Gasoline
The NofEler and One Child Probably
Dead - Another xpgOsi0n Last
Night.
From the Chicago Post.
Hardly day passes of late that we are
not called upon to record an accident re-
sulting from the use of impure kerosene
oil, or of gasoline, benzine, or some other
Of the numerous terribly intiammable
fluids which have come into common use
for lighting and heating purposes. The
oil icnd is sweeping away far more victims
than The cholera or the smallpox, and still
people take it into their homes and play
with It as il it were ne harmless as water.
The most terrible casualty yet recorded
from this source occurred about s o'clock
this morning at the residence of Benjamin
+. Lanternman, a machinist, No. l8l Ro-
hey street, near Van Buren. Mrs. Ian
ternman was preparing breakfast over q
small gasoline stove, and her two little
girls, two and eight years of age, were
about her.
Ii is probable that the heat was not suf-
fcicnt, and that she attempted to pour
more Of the fluid upon the stoye--at any
rate terrible explosion took place, and in
an instant the mother and her children
we're enveloped in flames. The father, who
was up stairs, heard their shrieks, ran
down, and, folding his arms about his wife,
endeavorcd to extinguish the fire, but in so
doing was himself cnveloped in the fiery
sheet; his clothing, as well as that of his
wife and children, was nearly burned off,
and all were actually roasted alive, The
mother and the youngest child were so ter
ribly burned about the head and body as
to be almost unacceptable, and have
doubtless, ere this, been released from their
agony by death. The father and eldest
child are suffering dreadfully, but it is
thought will recover.
The neighbols hurried in on hearing the
cries Of the sufferers, and rendered them
all the assistance in their power, but little
could be done. Mrs. Lanternman could
give little information as to the cause of the
accident, but the result was too evident. Is
it not time that these terrible inlammable
enc,nies to human life and happiness were
banished from our midst !?
ANOTHER EXPLOSION.
Another similar explosion Of some infer
nal compound took place last evening at
the residence Of Fred. Hornbussell, No. 335
West Randolph street, but by mere chance
it did not prove destructive of life. 1t APP
pears that can of tluid-kerosene, gaso-
lene, or something of the kind,-was stand
ing on q table near lighted lamp, and the
escaping gas caught fire, causing terrific
explosion that blew out window and
knocked down two unsuspecting passers-by
on the sidewalk.
Two young men who were playing cards
in the room and the servant girl who was
near the lamp, as good fate and not
the disposition of the oil-demon would have
it, escaped uninjured, though badly scared.
Crockery and furniture were damaged, the
plastering was knocked off, but the pecu
mary damage vas small. An alarm for
fire was sounded, but the engines did not
add to the trouble by flooding the house
with water, and the inmates will have
another opportunity to test the explosive
character of their Illuminating fluid.