The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-28
AN AWFUL ACCIDENT.
Demolition Of the Brooklyn Gas
Works.
Destruction o, Over $500. 900 Worth Of Property
and Loss Of Life-Miraculous Escape Of
Number Of Worlmen-Panic Of the
People in the Neighborhood.

singular and quite unlooked-for accidenS oc-
Cured shortly before twelve O'Clock yesterday at
the works OF the BROOKLYN City Gas Company, at the
corner OF Gold and Plymouth streets. The loss OF
life made the calamity more fearful and tended to
heignten the excitement in the vicinity the people
In the neighborhood became panicstricken before
they understood the nature Of the accident, There
was q sudden
CRASH or FALLING IRON
columns upon the immense gas tanks, or holders,
which caused rumbng noise and shook the tene-
ment houses in the Vicinity and caused the people to
think that there had been terrible explosion. They
fed from their houses In every direction, fearing
that they would be blown up There was
no explosion, the accident being caused by
the disarrangement OF tho working gear Of ono
OF the tanks, which was undergoing repairs, and
which had not been used since last summer. Tho
iron columns which surrounded the tank are about
fifty feet in height and some OF these according to
the statement OF the engineer Of the works, had got
out OF plumb by
AN INUNDATIoN
which was caused by leak In the brick WORK hold
ing the water in which this gas tank sets.
They were operating upon the tank yestel.
day when the chains got caught and the
tank careened over on one side This threw all the
weight one two OF the iron columns which held
1t up, and over they went. One of these columns
fell across one of the other tanks which was filed
with gas making large aperture In 1t and also
knocking down the iron columns winch surrounded
IT. The gas escaping from the aperture became
lgniied from the fire in the furnace In the engineers
room, aud dame such as Is seldom Witnessed shot
heavenward aud caused the
MOST INTENSE EXCITEMENT
for a short time. Everybody about the premises
fed as last as po sipl from the scene, as they
not wnat 10 expect. 1t must have been at this time
that the assistant engineer was killed. for when The
police anO nremen arrived at the fire his
MANGLED REMAINS
were found beneath portions OF one or the immense
"a thew Presented sckennw SIGHT 10 an1 cou
scarcely be recognized. The unfortunate man had
evidently started OUT at the rst intmation OF dam
when lie was caught Dy the falling Column and
CRUSHED TO DEATH.
| His name was Frederick Anderson, and he was
acting in the place OF the engineer at the time OF the
accident. He was a swede and leaves wife and
two children In Sweden. His body was taken to the
Second precinct staion-house and the Coroner notl
fed. !! was thought that there were other lives
lost, but the missing persons put Ill an appearance
after they thought the danger was over.
THE LOSS
will, 1t is believed be upwards OF 100000 It was
fortunate thing that tie third tank not struck
with the 1an2 columns or one portion OF Brooklyn
would have been in darkness last night. BY an
economical use OF the gas by the citizens the COM
pany Will be able to keep up the supply
Fire Marshal Ready was at the scene Of the acct
ceeded to investigate the cause. He took the state
menls of the foreman and engineer. which are as
fOilOwS:-
STATEMENT OF MALCOLM ALEXANDER.
live at l4l York street, and am one OF the FORE
men In the Brooklyn gas WORKS; was In the yard
when the accident happened-abo twelve O'Clock
to-day; it was caused by OF the gas holders
loosng the sill III the cup and careening over
against the columns, carrying one away and throw.
ing it over against the other tank, when was filled
with gas: the first one was filled with air ard the
other with gas and the one flied with gas took fire.
but did not explode
ALoNzo +. HAvEN,s STATEMENT
live at 262 Cumberland street, and am chief en-
g1neer IN the Brooklyn gas house, at the corner OF
Geld and Plymouth Streets an acciaent occurred at
the works about harpast eleven O'Clock to-day;
I'm pff
the breaking OF the column caused by the
guides OF the holder-an immensee iron tank
wheels to catch, which threw all the weight on the
c0umns; tins holder was under repair for four
months 1t had not been IN use for that time and
WAS FILLED WITH AIR
In order to test 1t and If 1t was tight; the col
botca together, and are over fifty feet high; the
holder or tank was afOat In twenty-siX feet OF
my a TO see 5 ne oaer was IN
the wheels were not running smoothly as they
ought to run for months past we were getting IL in
order;
DID NOT CONSIDER IT DANGEROUS
at all, because there was no gas IN It; think the
frost affected the cast iron SO that it not capa
BILE of resisting the pressure the explosions before
were caused by u leak from a break in tie street
main; that IS repaired now and had nothing
to do with the accident to-day; there was one man
Killed by the accident; his name was Frederick An
derson; no other person injured the real cause
OF the accident was That when the brick tank was
built 1t was lmperfecty DONE SO that the water kept
continually leaking out OF u, and on two occa-
hour or two; this constant leakage had undermined
the foundation OF the wall and the tank and the
pipes. and thus threw the columns out OF plumb;
the prick work OF the whole tank was made per-
fectly tight last summer and since then have
been repairing the iron part and getting 1t into shape;
the fire in the second holder tank was caused by
one OF the columns OF the first holder falling on to
the sheet iron ana tearing 1t open;
THE GAS ESCAPED AND CAUGHT FIRE
from the furnace; we can still supply customers
with gas unlll the works are repaired.
THIS Is THE THIRD ACCIDENT
which has occurred at these works within short
time, and those who reside In close proximity are
now becoming thoroughly alarmed and wish they
were located IN some other section OF the city.
Fortunately. on the otner occasions no lives were
lost. The company had men at work last nigh:
clearing up the ruins, and the tanks will be rebuilt
as soon as possible