New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-04

FATAL EXPLOSION or GAS.
rwo MEN KILLED IN A METRE HOUSE.

TWO MEN KILLED IN A METRE HOUSE.
ACCIDENT on TIE PROPERTY OF THE MUNICIPAL
GAS CoMPANY-AN OLD METRE ExPLODyS-Bow
TWO wogKMEN WERE KILLED.
A gas metre exploded Yesterday afternoon in
building in Forty-6rst-st., between Tenth and
Eleveuth-sves. 1t was being put in order for some
experiments IN making gas, about to be tried by
the Municipal Gas Company. Two men, John
Ford, of Forty -frst-st and Charles Burns, OF
Greeupoint. were killed. and the room in which
the metre stood was badly damaged. The expo-
sion was loud and caused much excitement among
the residents OF the West Side.
The Municipal Gas Company moved Its
works from Fcrty-Arst-st. to Forty -fourth-st.
and the North River four years ago. Since
then the abandoned buildings in Forty
fIst-st have not been used until last summer, when
IL was decided to try new plan for making gas.
Then one of the houses was fitted up for this pur-
nose. The Continental Iron Company. of Green
no,nt. contracted to put IN the machinery and the
necessary preparations were nearly completed yes
ferday In the metre house, one-story brick
structure standing back from the street. was
huge station metre of the size and shape Of hogs
head. connected by large pipes through the cellar
with the tanks. and by a smaller pipe with the main
in the street.
This was shut off securely by means of stop
cock that could not easily be turned. Burns aud
Ford were into the merehouse yesterday after
noon at o'clock TO sweep and clean it ont. They
had not been there long before Burns ont. and
entering the main building obtained a burning
lamp. He returned shading the fame with his
hand as he went prevent the wind from blowing
il ont. He bad hardly closed the door of the metre
house behind him when loud explosion was heard.
One OF the heavy cast-iron heads OF the metre shot
through window into the yard, and the other
struck the brick wall of the building with such
force 10 break large hole in il IRON which num-
erous cracks extended from roof 10 foundation
The wolkmen, who rushed III from the yard found
Ford and Burns bleeding and unconscious covered
VITA the wreck OF the exploded metre. The ceiling
also had fallen down. Ford crushed between
the and the wall and his head was gaShed IN
q dozen places Bnrns had been blown into a corner
and piece of the ying iron had crushed his skull.
The lamp lay near him. Neither Of the men lived
until medical aid came.
The sIop-cOck III the service pipe was found 10 be
shut aud thus no gas could have entered the mel
from the street. As THIS seemed certain,
the officials of the company accepted rs
plausible explanation of the accident
the suppositlOn that the metre. which had been in
use bel ore il put in its present position. con-
tanned some old gas and that draft of fresh air In
passing through II had caused the explosion. 1t
could hardly he accounted for any other theory.
they SAID pit perhaps the vague one that leak
existed sOnew here near which the lamp had been
placed. No leak was 10 be found, though strong
smell of gas prevailed in tho house.
Burns was twenty eight Years old, and leaves n
young wife and a child. lie was a resident Of
GreenpOint. Ford thlrty-tve years Old and lived
in Forty -iiith-St., pear Ienth-ave. wife, three
support. Both men had long been III the companys
emDiOV.