The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-03-05
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CAUSED NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
rhSt Was Attsndsd ~ snei, Ffightfnl Less
Of Life and Property a Gas Man says
twas pynamitsand Gives Reasonstor
His Bsiist-B Brady Tunnel At,air.
whileat the Baltimore q Ohio depot
evening watching the departure
Of The unterriiled for. Washington, where
they might glory to their hearts con-
tent in the pomp and glitter Of yes
terday's inaugural ceremonies, the re-
porter met Mr.. A. B. Caldwell, one Of the
most prominent business men Of WASH
ington, Pa, and q Democrat Of the rankest
kind. Mr.. Caldwell was on his way to
thu National Capital forthe first time in
his life, and he was happy to think that
at last the opportunity had arrived before
IA sands Of life had run out, when he
could make this trip and see the glorious
place in charge OF brother Democrats.
III. Caldwell Is a man Of large wealth and
has travelled extensively, but never before
has he cared to visit Washington.
Mr.. Caldwell In addition TO his large
merchantile business in Washington has
been interested TO q considerable extent
Unnatural gas, ever since 1t was first struck
at Met uigan's. He was leading spirit
in the organization Of the Peoples Light
and Heat Company, oil Warrington, which
has three gas wells down and Is boring Q
fourth, and which. struck the Gantz oil
we'll ID boring for gas. The company has
its gas run all over the town, and It is used
IN houses, storesa nd churches forlighting,
heating and domestic purposes. Mr..
Caldwell has been president OF the COM
pany and has made natural gas q study.
knowing this, the reporter yentured to
ask him his opinion Of the recent explos-
| ion in Wellsburg by which four houses
we're demolished, over score damaged,
six lives lost and the place for miles
around badly shook up. 4
nThat explosion" said Mr.. Caldwell,
twas never caused entirely by.natqral gas.
| It's my belief that dynamite was the agen-
| cy that brought about that sad calamity,
though it may have been powder. Natu-
raj gas, when il. explodes, does not make
the terrific noise that accompanied the
lNyellsburg explosions. When the gas ex-
plodes It Is more like puff and there Is
very little shock or noise. We have had
several explosions in Washington and l
speak from experience and observation.
About three months ago We had an explo.
sion OF gas that demolished house and
resulted in 8 loss Of life. That explosion
was likeagiganticp utf-and thenthe house
sank into ruins, but the glass in the win
dows OF adjoining houses nor the china in
| the cupboards were not. broken, and ex-
ceptiug those nearby. at the time no one
felt a shock.
tN,lut at NNellsburg people living
four miles away felt the shock and
were awakened. A man walking on the
railroad track quite distance from the
place was thrown down by the force Of
the explosion. There was loud report ;
glass was broken all over the place and
there was awful destruction wrought in
tho near vicinity. The effects oil that ex-
plosion were identical with those that We
experienced about two months ago, when
small quantity O.. dynamitein q burning
hut exploded at Brady's tunnel, over two
miles from Washington. The shock was
plainly felt in Washington; windows rat
tlet, and people rushed ont into the streets
| in highly nervous state. shall never
believe that natural gas was the sole cause
Of the Wellsburg explosion. It is possible
| that some leaking gas may have exploded
and thus set of the dynamite or powder.
believe natural gas 10 be as good q fuel
as can be obtained and that there is no
more danger in using 1t then in using
coal.r At this juncture the conductor
yelled "all aboard" and there was scram-
BE for the cars.
Mr.. Caldwell Is not the only one who
believes that dynamite played an import:
ant part in the explosion atWellsburg ten
days since. Areporter had a talk yester.
day with Wellsburg gentleman, who
said that a number OF the members OF the
gas company were firmly Of the belief
that dynamite was used, but whether 1t
was discharged with design or through
carelessness no one knows. The stranger
that was at the Helesly place is supposed
to have had the dangerous stuff. The re.
porters informant also said, thatit only
needed a word at the citizens meeting,
held the Monday afternoon alter the ex-
plosion, to have started mob and
a riot that would have stopped
at nothing until all the gas company's
property had been destroyed. Fortunately
that word was not uttered. None Of those
prominently identified with natural gas
were present at that meeting; 1t was not
deemed advisable for them to be there.
The circumstances were such that the re-
porter only had few seconds talk with
this person, but he is one whose yeracity
is unquestioned.
From what appears above It would
seem that had the coroncrs Jury inquired
little further into the cause Of the six
who lost their lives In the explosion, they
might have found out something inter
esting.