The New York herald., 1876-12-26
DANGERS OF GAS.
EXPLOSION IN BROADWAY BUII.DING-oSE
MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED-A SHOWER OF
BROKEN WINDOW GLASS.

NAN SERIOUSLY 1NJURED-A SHOWER OF
BROKEN WINDOW GLASS.
At about fifteen minutes past six last evening tho
buildings the ncighborhood OF Broadway and Cedar
street shaken by the explosion OF meter IN
the sub basement OF the American Exchange Bank
building ut No. I2s Broadway, which resulted IN
seriously injuring and damaging considerable
property. Many q nervous passer by, when he
heard the terrible noise imagined that The dire
threat contained in the loter from the Ohio
wouldbc destroyer of Trinity church to His
Honor Mayor Wckham In reality being
carried out and thai Trinity celebrating Christmas
Day IN an unlocked for manner The noise made was
Of dull rumbing and smothered nature, just as II the
Akron gentleman hand win powdet. slow
match and all his blowing up apparatus and had gone
TO work in a very determined and business like way
crowd soon gathered and there was great consterna
tion. The explosion was so severe that II was very
easy to imagine that there at least deaths
There a mystery about the affair, and
tho faces OF the bysianders alive with
pcctancy which could be easily changed into sincere
sympathy Tor the expected MANNED. But when 1t
found that the accidents were confined TO the
messenger and 10 the property the people moved
away.
now 1T HAPPENED
HERALD reporter was promptly at the scene OF the
disaster aud gathered the iacts stated below
Yesterday morning It seems SC me plumbers were Mt
work fixing the pipes IN the Exchange Bank building,
away leaving the Iipes in unfinished state
In the evening Edward w. Condor. messenger for
the bank, imagined he smet gas escaping, and. de-
sirous discovering the truth OF his surmise,
down to the cellar, whore the meter located Ac-
cording to statement he carried lighted candle.
but the more correct theory that he waited till he
reached the gas fixture when he struck match. The
smell from The cellar and as he opened he door
OF that part vi the building the gas came rushing out
nearly ovcrpowerIng bin with its oppressive
Instead oi opening any means OF exit for
the gus 10 escape he struck hight, and In on
one blaze fire aud the large structure shook. The
ground all around was fell TO carry the shock and for
even q block and away tho houses trembled ms II
they themselves had been the chief sufferers Condor
found in the cellar covered with bricks, plaster
glass and wood and &ith the burning gas playing
about his clothes aud body. His face, hair and hands
were badly burned. He was removed to the Chambers
Street Hospital IN an ambulance.
BUILDINGS DAMAGED.
The principal damage done was to the building
corner Cedar and Broadway, in the cellar which
the explosion place. The floor right above
the oil the accident, the desks
covered with glass and rubbish. The cellar, which
was reached by narrow ladder placed there by the
hremen. entirely blocked up with plaster bricks
and debris On Cedar street the glass from the broken
windows halt inch deep. OF the thirty-lve
windows OF tho bank building that side
one it IS thought was lett with
unbroken panes Tho Equitable Building opposite
had but one of forty-vo windows in Cedar street
lett untouched. The shock had blown the glass
outward into tho from the bank building while |
Of the Equitable had sent the glass in that
it covered the dor Wiih the exception Of the cellar
great damage done TO any OF the buildings The In
tcrnal Revenue building, No S3 Cedar street. had the
windows the first and second stories blown out, and
that OF the British American Assurance Company suf
icrcd the same way The loss Is roughly estimated
to be about SIS, 600 or $4,000
CoNDoN's INJUMES
The injured man Is aged forty live and Is by birth
Irshman He Is widower and lives In the upper |
part OF the Exchange Bank building His greatest In
jury is from scalp wound caused by some one of the
heavy things falling his head but which at present
Is not supposed TO be fatal
CAPTAIN PErTy's STORY
Captain Petty Of the First precinct being asked for
within his Knowledge, said that he
aware OF the disaster about fifteen past SIX
He Immediately started out and with squad OF police
under his command arrived promptly the scene. |
He thought the damages might reach the sum Of !
$40 00O and that they could hardly be less the diff
Cedar fully two-thirds OF inch deep Tho
explosion had immense force, bending tho iron bars Of
the windows outward
ACTION
Engine No. g. Of Cedar street, within block and
halt Of the place. the 1rst to there. The
shock distinctly clt in the engine house. When
they arrived the bank they sent out word the
other engines fearing the hre might spread rapidly.
The flames from two meters werc pouring out into the
street, and they were both OF great volume. II
impossible for time to get the pipes and
played on the fire TO prevent its spreading
After time the hremen were enabled TO approach
closer and by the means Of wet towels and other
things at hand the flames we're temporarily prevented
from bursting forth, the then turned oil and
further danger avcrtcd The bank building was sup
ported by a number OF arches In tho cellar anl many
these broken down. One of the nremcn stated
that when he approached Condor the latter all
covered with debris To the inquiry, Arc any people
hurt 7" he answered, 'I am the only one." 1t Is
thought that he had wonderful escape received
slight injuries considering the danger he was
posed to-