Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-02
TERRIBLE GAS EXPLOSION.
Several Persons Fatally and Many Dam
serously Injured-Many Buildings
Laid in Ruins.

ms morning near 3ith street on Pennsylvania
avenue in Pittsburg. Six persons were re-
ported killed and twenty injured, and from
SIX 70 eight houses were wrecked.
The explosions occurred in three build
ings. The first explosion occurred in the
cellar of Mrs. Hsmmerdoefer about 1885 A.
Nj. Mrs Hsmmerdoefer sent her sister into
cellar for basket. When she reached the
cellar she struck match, and Immediately
there was a loud explosion and the
building was almost shaken apart. The pro-
prieiress was thrown across her shop. Plas-
tering, glass and loose articles came crashing
down from all sides, and the girl in the cellar
screened wildly.
Before the people could recover their self
possession another terrible explosion oc-
Cured. 1t came from the cellar of Morris
saloon, and wrecked the basement. Mrs
Morris, who was getting dinner ready was
thrown against the door and badly bruised
Her little baby was thrown through the win
dow and more or less cut and bruised. Nor
rls himself was in ped at the time. He was
blown out on the floor but was not seriously
injured. The bar room was crowded with
men, who were thrown about like so many
ten pins.
Mrs Hammerdoefer found her sister, and
pulled her up from the cellar. Her little
daughter Lizzie, was blown against the wall
and covered with debris and badly hurt about
the head and face. Miss Smalder, who went
to the cellar, is so badly burned that she
cannot recover.
1t the meantime a third explosion occurred
in Geo. Muellers saloon, across the street
In the saloon were Annie Mueller, daughter
of the proprietor, Lizzie Golmath a cook,
DR.. Seighler, of Allegheny and Jack Stern. a
mill worker. Miss Mueller was Just going
down cellar when the explosion occurred
She fell down stairs, and was caught by the
feet, where she hung screaming. Charles
Ruth, a bar-keeper heard her screams and
run into the room, which by this time was in
flames. He made his way through the fall
Ing ruins and debris to the cellar and rercued
her. pr Seighler was blown against a wall
and injured internally. Lizzie Golmsth was
burned about the face ard seriously hurt.
Jack Stern was so terribly burned that his
death is only a question of few hours.
When the third explosion occurred a pas
senger car was just passing. A beer-keg
blown from one of the saloons hit the driver
and knocked him senseless. The passengers
were not injured, as at first reported. Six
persons were passing along Pennsylvania
avanue when the explosion occurred. and all
all were more or less injured by flying deb
badly wrecked and every house within
square were more or less injured, No one
was killed outright but four or five will die.
Jack Stern, who was in Mullers bar-room,
is reported dead. There is intense excite
ment in the neighborhood, and gang of men
havo been formed from the citizens to tear up
the gas pipes tonight. The loss on the build
ings and stock is estimated at from Sl5 900
to 100000. Gas fire is still burning in the
sewers.
The following is a complete list of the per-
sons injured DR.. Seighler of Allegheny,
blown into the air jaw badly cut and injured
internally; William Kata. conductor of the
Citizens line, knocked off the car by beer
keg and badly hurt; Geo. Morris. bar-keeper
at Muller's saloon, badly hurt and leg broken;
Jacob Stern, severely cut about the head and
probably fatally hurt Gus Horn, cut and
burned about the head Geo Kinzier, baker,
eve cut and terribly lacerated about the face,
left eve blown out and otherwise dangerously
hurt Willie Oxenhurst, thrown into the gut.
ter and badly injured internally; Gee Ben
hare, burned about the head and badly hurt;
Willie Patten, cut on head and slightly in
jured; Mrs. Morris, blown against the door in
the cellar next to the building in which the
explosion first occurred. and badly hurt; !;
Annie Mueller, the saloon keepers daughter,
badly cut about the face and head and injured
internally; Geo. Gibson, driver of car No. A.
knocked off the car and badly hurt; Nicholas
Durfier. driver for Herhan Bros feed store,
badly cut on face, but not seriously hurt;
Geo HammersdOerfer, cnt by flving glass. on
the face Mrs. DR.. Evans, cut BY plate glass
in the face and severely wounded; Lizzie
Smalder. injured about-the head and face !;
Lizzie Hammersdoerfer, injured about the
face and head OF these Annie Mueller
Jacob Stern DR.. Sieghler, Lizzie Smolhen,
Willie Oxenshort, William Kata and Geo.
Kinz.er are so badly injured that their re-
coverv is considered very doubtful.
Mrs Mueller, mother of Annie, is missing,
and the ruins are being searched for her re
mains.
Among the MANY narrow escapes reported
was that of the passengers on Citizens
Line car, which was passing when the explo-
sions occurred. The windows of the car
were shattered and bricks and
Debris fell upon the platform.
A daughter and niece of Mr.. w. S. Bissell,
who were in the car, were covered with
shower of dirt and debris, but protected their
faces with their muffs, and thus escaped in
jury.
People were thrown down nearly square
from the scene of the explosion. and one man
lodged a brick which had been hurled nearly
two hundred feet. The citizens whe reside
near where the explosions occurred have
been very much dissatisfied for some time and
have been threatening to tear up the pipes of
the Fuel Gas Co. Last week a number of
them consulted in regards to taking legal ac-
ton against the company to compel them to
make their pipes safe beyond possible doubt.
An action of that nature would have been
taken within few days.
Indignation against the gas companies runs
very high, and threats of tearing up the pipes
are freely indulged in. State Senator Upper.
man is already engaged in drafting a bill to
compel councils to take measures for the
safety of the people. Messrs. Baumann aud
Vogel, who own buildings Nos. 304l and
3047, Pennsylvania avenue, will at once
bring suits for damages against the Pennsyl.
vania Fuel Co, and many of those injured
have already declared their intention of doing
something.
The cause of the explosion was a big break
in the huge main of the Fuel Gas Co, which
runs along Pennsylvania avenue close to the
curb.