New-York tribune., 1876-12-26
sTARTIING GAS EXPLOSION.
A HUNDRED PLATE-GLAss WINDOWS SHAT.

A HUNDRED PLATE-GLAsS WINDOWS SHAT
ACCIDENT AT THE AMERICAN EXCHANGE BAsK-ru,
wATcHMAN SLIGHTLY INJURED AND WINDOW
IN THE BANK AND ADJOINING BUILDINGS BloKrx
DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT $4,000.
An explosion occurred about 9 o'clock Isst
eyeuur n the basement OF the American Exehaus,
Bank at Broadway and Cedarst, which resulted ia ia
jilries to Edward W. Condor, messenger belonging "a
the bank, who was night duty as ystchmaR al Ia
time of the occurrence. Plumbers had been at wori
throughout the day In the basement of the building mak
ing some 90 neral repairs to the fixtures At oot
they concluded their work and departed subsequent,
when thoj anitor who hvespn the top foorof the bua
ing wanted to light The gas he found that he could "a,
no fame ana immediately went to the basement m order
60 turn on the gas at the meter. II IA
thought that the plumbers left some Of tia
gas fixtures open when they had finished their
work. and when the gas was turned on 1T begsn to
escape The night watchnan smelling an offensive odOr
from the basement found searching that the gas was
escaping He procured matches for the purpose Of
lighting the gas to see where the leak and when In
the act OF lighting the match the explosion took place
portion OF the ceiling of the basement FILLING upca him.
lie was taken the First Precinct Station house and
then to the Chambers Street Hospital where his wounds
were dressed By Dr. BlauyeIt The doctor stsed that
Condons hands and face were burned and be had To
but that these injuries in way serious Condcn
stated that he was 45 years old. and a widOwer
The noise OF the explosion. followed by tue crash OF
broken glass startled all persons who were in the neigh
borbood The exact Of this explosion IL was diM
cult at first ascertain, because the Waterman, who
was he only person in the lower portion Of the building
at the time was very much frightened Capt Petty Of
the First Precinct Police hastened To- the scene He
found that cedart was covered with pieces OF heavy
plate glass That had been blown from the building
large stream of lighted poured fr0Bl OF the lower
windows, but the building and furniture we're OF such
substantial construction that though the walls and wood
work were scorched serious damage done by tho
fire. An alarm had been sent out Immediately after the
explosion ana the section OF the re department in that
district promptly responded. The fumes were exta
gaished without much being used and the hook and
ladder men were work TO clear away the geatcrpo
ton of the broken glass and debris that scattered
through tho lower portion Of the building As o.
could be ascertained from actual examination the
stream OF gas that caused the explosion and damage
came from the meter This meter very large one
aud Supplied from IT'S to zoo burners. The lower floor
of the main building the corner Of Broadway and
Cedar-st is occupied by the bank In small be-
meath the banking room, al the rear. was the An
iron door separated this from the adjoining apart
ment This door bent and twisted out Of shape snd
partly torn from its fastenng II was also stated at
there was connected with this meter patent apparatus
been opernted by means of rabber cap which rose
when greater demand made upon tho service Pipe,
and fell again, narrowing the orcc, when less gas was
required. II Is believed that In way this apparatus
became disordcred and did not close the aperture IL
should have done.
An examination made after the slight fire caused BY
the explosion had been oxtiugushed showed that cond
erable damage had been dOne chiefly IN the breaking Of
plate glass windows In the surrounding buildings. In
the bank itself 3S windows shattered the fragments
of glass being blown outward into the street; IN the
Equitable Life Insurance building 40 windows the
Cedarst SIDE were broken, the glass being blown inward
upon the floors of the Offices The windows in both build
ngs were all OF heavy plate glass nearly ouetGird Of an
inch thick In the British America Assurance building
and the Internal Revenue Office at Nos 81 and 20 Cedar
ST. the buildings nearest 20 tho bank, number Of win
iows were also destroyed. The woodwork IL the bank
was Of the NEST substantial character and received only
slight damage. OF eOursehe glass blown upon thehoO
and furniture Of the Equitable bu ding somewhat dis
figured them b. scratches but IL was not asccrtaned that
any more serious damage was caused on the alley
way the OF the bank were windows, the shutte
before which somewhat shattered aud the iron bars
o rpnt that they We're unserycabir The ceilings Of The
bank and the Equitable building contrary % what mshi
have bsen cxDccted were net injured. The walls
so thick as to suffer damage On the opposite side OF
Hroadwaya number Of window panes were broken, bat
tho los On that side Of the street was very small
mpossibc 20 determine last evening tue exact amount
ot loss by the explosion Tho plate glass was unusually
thick and perfect and nearly LOO windows were De-
sIroved was houaht by several persons n at $4,000
would not than repair the damage Aside ron me
general insurance the buildings, clcer Of the eJak
stated that there special insurance upon the
pla;c-glass. he's knew II was felt Dy all Who
visited tie scene OF tie accident last evening that slch
an explosion could scarcey occragaiu without causing
loss OI lite further bodily injuries and FAR greater &
stctOn Of properly. IL Cedarst. had been fCiuented
as in business hours the flying fragments Of glass lI
have at oast seriously wounded many OF those passns
In structures less substantially built, even If the outer
walls had not been weakened, the damage Within heA
must have been niicn more serious. Tie Eqdita0s
badug Is owned by the Equitable Insurance CUlsng
and the bank building rs stated by those who claaed
know by the American Exchange Bank.