Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-25
wElLsBURe.
The Verdict Of the CoroncT's jury Inves-
tiEatfAg the Gas Explosion.
Special 10 tAe Regtsf1.

Eke Voro1ct Of tAS COrOnoTe Jury Ansoo-
tigattaE the Gas Explosion.
| Special b fAe Registr.
WELLsBURG, February 24.-The Coroners s
jury summoned to view the bodies of the
victims of the explosion were in session the
greater part Of to day, taking testimony.
Nineteen witnesses were examined. The
tendency Of the testimony was towards the
fact that natural gas was the cause Of the
explosion, but no blame wasattached to any
person or to show negligence on the part Of
the gas company. Witnesses testified as to
the premises and cellars Of both buildings
being examined by means OF lights Is late
as nine o'clock on the night Of the explo-
sion, and no gas was discovered in them.
Several witnesses, however, testified as TO
gas esesSigc IN the yieiCi.- o. the pre;e: pres.ssss
for period Of severalmOnths
The Jurors after an exhaustive examine
ton of al the witnesses rendered their ver-
dict that "Apelonia Helsley, aged about 66
years; Conrad ,Helsley, aged about q years;
|, Ellen V. Helsley, aged about 25 years;
Pearl Helley, aged about 6 years; Charles
Helsley, aged about Is months; and John
Walters, az ed about years; came to their
death on the morning OF February 2lst,
| 1885, ut the house known as the Helsley
house, on the northwest corner of Charles
and Green streets; in the town of Wellsburg,
Brooke county, West Virginia, by an exr
plosion in the bpilding which said parties
were occupying said building, being entirely
destroyed. The explosion IN our opinion
was caused by an accumulation. Of natural
gas, in the cellar Of the Helsley house, which
ignited in q manner unknown to this jury.
GSigred. S. S. Quest, J. p, John G.
Palmer, G. W. McCleary, Benz, Harvey
VIM. Faris, William 0akes, J. Z. Mont
gomery, J. R. Windsor, j. N Lloyd, 7. W.
Cox, j. S. Beall and J. W. NJ. Carmichael,
The Jefferson Insurance Company gave
notice to their agent T. II. Buchanan, to
cancel all policies held by them on Wells
burg property.
An exhibition was given. on the whaah to-
day of the hand Grenade fire eXtinguisher.
News reached us of the death on yester-
day of Mary Miller, aged S., former resi-
dent of WelIsburg, but lately a resident Of
Pittsburg. The deceased was the mother
ofGeorge Hammond, o6;he Pittsbarg Dis
patch.
The Gas company asked for a meeting
Of the town council to day 10 make state.
ment with reference to the ordinance passed
IN Monday: and clam their inability TO
comply with some Of its provisions; that il
is sSaght to be enforced they would be
comnslled To shut cI the gas rom the en-.
ire town Immediately. If this is done,
great loss of properly and suffering Of the
oeople will be caused. The glass and other
actories would be obliged to shut down,
resulting in great damage, besides many
families, who cannot procure coal, would
be left without fire ior cooking and
other purposes. A petition was
circulated and signed by citizens asking q
repeal of portion Of the provisions of the
ordinance, and to so amend 1t that the gas
company shall not bS required to place the
number Of escape valves provided tor in the
former ordinance.
A meeting of the Council was called for
seven O'Clock p. m, to take further action
in the premises.
The Cause Ascertained.
The cause Of the recent gas explosion
here has Just been discovered to be the
breaking Of a pipe connecting the gas main
and an escape valve, allowing gas to
escape underground to the cellar of the
building wrecked. The excitement is much
abated