The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-05-19
4 Shocking Calamity.

From the San Francisco Chronicle, April :O.l
A frightful accident occurred on Monday
afternoon, in lot on the northeast corner
of Sixth and Brannan streets, by which
three little boys, belonging to different FAM
lilies, were burned in a shocking and proba
bly, fatal manner. The accident occurred
while certain experiments were being made
with oXy-hydrogen flame. In order to con-
vey proper idea of the manner in which
the terrible affair occurred, Il somewhat
lengthy explanation is necessary.
Some time ago G. ii. Swain conceive d
the idea of applying the oXy-hydrogen
flame to lighthouses and other illuminating
purposes. This flame is produced by the
mingling of jets of supcrheated steam and
petroleum, or ether highly inlammable
gases. For the purposes of making expert
ments, Mr.. Swain recently rented the build
ing on Sixth street adjoining the lot where
the accident occurred. He put a small
boiler in the building and tank containing
about gallon of naptha or crude petrole-
UNI. An ordinary gas pipe one inch in di
ameter was attached to the boiler, and
thence was run through the wall to the out
side of the building, and about forty feet out
in the lot. From the building to its other
extremity this pipe was covered with a few
inches of sand. Inside of the inch pipe
was smaller one, less than quarter of an
inch in diameter. Through this the naptha
gas was carried, while the larger pipe con-
veyed the superheated steam. Near the
aperture at the extremity both jets mingled,
and combustion ensued, which produced Il
flame, whose intense heat and dazzling
brilliancy can scarcely be conceived by any
one who has never witnessed such expert
| ments.
On Monday afternoon about o'clock Mr..
| Swain was engaged in some experiments
with his apparatus. perpendicular point
about twelve inches long, had been attached
| to the end of the pipe, so that the flame
might be shot directly upward. A large
number of children, attracted by curiosity,
had gathered about, and although cautioned
| repeatedly to 90 away, or at least not to
| come too close, it seems the warning was
not needed. Still, as the direction of the
| fame was straight upward, no danger was
| apprehended by Mr. Swain. Everything
being at last arranged, the jets of steam
and gas were turned on, and the fierce
| flame shot upward. Suddenly there was Il
remarkable diminution both in the volume
| and brlliancy of the flame. Mr.. Swain
surmised that there was some obstruction in
the vent of the smaller pipe, and fearful
that the pipe might burst, as the gas was
constantly generating, he attempted, with a
wrench, to take oft the perpendicular sec
ton of the pipe. In doing this the horizon
tai section was raised so that the end rested
| above the surface of the ground The
children crowded closer to see what was
going on. Swain and Arlington, his assis-
tant, were both to busy or too much excited
to think of anything but clearing the pipe.
Suddenly the disconnection was made,
and simultaneously came a loud report,
and a sheet of binding fame shot forth with
the resstless fury of thunder bolt, right in
among the group of children. The effect
was appalling. Three of the little boys
were literally roasted alive by the awful
| fame. The one who was standing most di-
| rectly in line was William Shannon, a boy
not quite ten years old. He was about
eight feet from the pipe, and the tremendous
force of the explosion hurled him twenty
feet backwards. Blinded with the fire and
| frantic with pain, he rose to his feet and
rushed back directly into the flame, where
his clothes were burned almost to cinders.
The timely assistance of a gentleman pres
ent, who wrapped coat about him, and
| saved him from being instantly burned to
death. Two other children standing near
him were Frustrated by the explosion and
burned horribly about the face, hands and
| legs. The two men who were conducting
the experiment were also severely burned
about the hands and face, but not standing
so directly in the line of the explosion their
injuries are not of a serious nature.