Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-09
THE PLUMBERS ASSISTANT.
The Old. bid story Of Finding q Gas
Leak Retoid Once More.

From the New York Sun.
While blowing the froth from his glass Of beer
in public house in Marion street last evening,
a Yeather-beaten man who had entered alone
caught sight of some splintered boards lying on
the floor. He shifted the atmosphere of the
room as though sampling it, and then looking
at Mr.. Bopp over the brim of his glass; observed:
Had a gas explosion here, hadn't your"
eyes; it was this forenoon" said Mr.. Bopp
"Jesso." returned the stranger, resting his
glass, still untasted on the bar You noticed
the smell Of gas several days ago, especially in
the front part of the cellar. and spoke to some.
body about it: am right?'
Il spoke to the old gentleman about i'm,
uncle, George Bopp."
Eyes; and the smell grew stronger, so that
your customers said. 'Wh ew. are you trying ia
strange us3' and you began to suspect that
there was gas leak somewhere around?'
81 sent for a plumber to find out"
$50 infer; and he promised to be here at
half-past this morning sharp. Now. when he
arrived at IL o'clock, was he attended BY one as
sistant or by two?"
II think he was assisted by only one attend
ant" said Mr.. BOpp.
'OnIy one? Now. when the old gentleman
Am l right in inferring that your aged uncle
showed the way down stairs to the plumber and
his assistant"
You are"
"Wel when the old gentleman was leading
the way down cellar, did you observe that the
plumbers assistant walked behind with his
lighted candle?"
al believe he did"
"And there was no immediate explosiOn?"
..No."
"Af," said the stranger. thoughtfully strokno
his beard. sometimes there is not. Well, when
there was no immediate explosion did the
plumber say he would go home to dinner and
return at 20 minutes to 2o'clock?"
mo. He kept right along
"Um! That is strange, but slight variations
sometimes appear" the stranger observed med.
tatively. and as though speaking to himself
did the plumber at this stage of his investiga-
ton express any opinion as to whether gas was
or had been caking?"
81 can't say"
1--WE will presume that he did not for that
would have been unprOfessional. Let's see
We have the old gentleman leading the plumber
and the plumbers assistant toward the front
part of the cellar. The plumbers assistant
found place where a gaspipe came through
the stone wall and was able to get close to this
place and to apply lighted candle to the open
Ing around the gasppe. Was it then that the
explos-"
NO; he blew out the flame that started
then"
"Ah The next time he tried did he get an
Mr.. Bopp pointed to the wreckage around the
front OF the store, and said that the cellar went
of like a cannon, finding vent both through
the sidewalk and on the inside of the room,
shaking up the neighborhood, and making the
beer foam anew i'm the glasses of the customers
who sat at his tables.
(Which fire engine got here first7" the
stranger inquired.
ut was No. 90 l believe" said Mr. Bopp.
II congratulate you on the saving of the
building. Was anybody killed or badly hurt?"
"No. strange to say
"And the plumbers assistant, notwithstand-
Ing the virtual failure of the explosion, did he
seem to be in good sprits?'
Pretty fair"
"They are not easily cast down. as rule, ~
observed the stranger, draining his glass. at
looks as though We might have rainy night
Good evening"
"G6od evening"