, 1873-01-13

C1sc1SxAr1. O., J.n. 12-At 1o:40 this evening
M explosion Of g$s which had leaked and tillcd
the space between the ground floor and platter
pg beoT Of the deTs e J9om q q g tho = We7ts:
Third street, look place with terrific report. All
the lights we're put out Tho effects wcro con-
fined to that part OF the ground loo- between
the receiving desks aud the front doors. This
twenty twenty feet wides, vas literally ION
up. and tossed nearly to tho ceiling:
Tho street wintowa Of tho ground door AID
Of tho basement below wese broken to pieces.
The pencllinsa OF tho door fsstenings r:cro torn
of, and portion Of tho cast iron noulas form
ing the base Of column inside Of The stree.
door was hurled on to the Sidewalk, striki::::
Vim. Co1bett, messenger boy, on tho teg- III
f1cting only slight injury. Twenty operators
ruehed thraugh tie darkness from tho fouit1
story to the street. Manager Frank Armstrong
and Henry Barnard, with three messenger Logs,
were ia tho room at the timo Of tho explosion.
but fortunately escaped.
CNc1ESAT1, O., JAN 12.-At tho Western Cniou
office the gas has been turnoaoH and candies n.e
used. The examination OF the ground floor, on
which the explosion occurred, and the ba:eInent
rooms used Us the day delivery rooms, show tLat
the damage Ees greater than ct fist supposed
Thetoor-fzaneaa are torn loose all tl1e piats-glses
in the front windows OF the first floor is broken,
aud the most Of it thrown out. In the rear Of
the room on the fret floor, as wall as Of tho
basement window-sash, were crushed out, ex-
cept in the two doo1s OIL the first Goor, th-
plate glass Of which was not disturbed.
Not pane Of. glass in tho two
rooms betmeen .which tho explosion occurred
1emaineu whole. Many OF the windows chat
tered were si1ty feet distant from the point OF
explosion. window in the rear OF the Pacific
l. Atlantic Telegraph office adjoining was ahat~
tered. In KINNEY bunk, on the opposite asao
Of the street, the windows are fract117t1
The sound OF the explosion ras heard great
distance. a policeman On tho opposite SIDE OF
the street described it as resembling fai4inE
building. Others further away say it sounde1
like the report Of artillery.
was observed to burn inegu1arly, and a smell
was perceived On the first 1oor in the
night delivery Office. Tho employees Of
tho gus company came and worked with
the meter in the basement, and lett
about 8 o'clock. The smell grew much wo1Be,
and tho doors were opened When Manage.
Frank Armstrong arrived ho went behind Ito
door, candle in hand, when tho explosion nme-
diately followed
Henry Ba1usrd, clerk, Was at his side. For
tunately, the main force Of the explosion reached
only within four feet OF where theT wero atand-
ing. rat-hole in the corner is supposed to
have afforded tho means Of igniting tho gas
Armstrong kept his. feot, but was oaly
emoug tho fractured glass and timber, but es-
capped bruise OF burn At the time OF the e1-
plosion it was supposed that tho
smell Was merely Of gas that Lad es-
capped before the repair Of the meter
Whether the leak had occurred before tho meter
question. The damage to the building will not
exceed 81 600. Tie rubbish has been cleared
out already, and business wil 80 on in the build
ing tomorrow.