Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-01
FRIGHTENED BY GAS.
Cneasinsss Among the Residents of the
Old Fort NeIxhborhood.

Old Fort NeixhbOrhOod.
For the past two weeks the residents in
the vicinity Of gas house mill have been
in state Of constant apprehension.
Ever since the old gas works, on Bay
street, were started up the house-holders
in that vicinity have been startled at fire.
quent intervals by loud explosions. Some
times the reports are very loud and are
heard for squares.
Those who live around there say
that the reports are like the discharge
OF cannon. They are frequently,
II not always, accompanied by flashes Of
blue and red flames, which at night ap-
pear To shoot up above the root OF the
generator building. OF late the nights
have been very dark, and tie flames are
said 20 light up the darkness IN pecu-
liarly weird manner. Very few or the
eltlzens whose homes adipin the gas works
fully appreciate Tue novel spectacle.
Sometimes they are awakened in the
middle 81 the night, they say, by sharp
loud rep0ft that frigAteRs the children
ana males older persons nervous. When
the works were first started up the people
DID not feel safe, aud as moving day drew
near, some OF them alphabetically declared
that they would not live any longer in
Furnished the folks thereabouts a subject
for gossip for a fortnight. II is rather
doubtful, too, if their fear has grown any
less. Andmber Of people have predicted
an explosion for au iLde finite date in the
near future, which wiz obliterate the
whole northeastern section Of the city,
ard necessitate an important change in
the map OF Savannah. The seers who are
volunteering this prediction base it upon
the theory that what has happened is
maple 70 occur again and with much more
serious results.
Notwithstanding the falliDility of the
theory, the thoroughly alarmed people
put considerable faith in it and continue
10 talk about moving elsewhere. Ae this
happens to be general moving day, the
fears of an explosion may not be the sole
cause OF the removal Of those whose house
hold effects are carted off from that local
Ivy within the next twelve hours. Several
are to move to-day, and some of them will
no doubt say that they moved because
they were afraid to remain.
Several residents who were questioned
yesterday by NEWS reporter about the
rumors, stated that they did not know OF
any families who had moved. or were
about to move, on account of the eXplo-
siOns. The informants admitted, how
ever, that the explosions are very loud
sometimes. one party said that the re-
ports were heard about every other night.
A cOlored citizen who was busily work
ing In yard adjOlBing the gas works de-
clared that the residents in that neighbOr-
hood ''are right smart skeered."
Inside the iron gate that admits to the
gas works the employees laughed heartily
at the rumOrs circulated 80 widely in the
neighbOrhoOd. They spoke OF the explo-
sions as very commonplace occurrences.
There is not particle OF danger, not a
particle" said one, ''it is only the burning
at little gas from the generator. The re-
port is right loud once in while, but there
is no danger. 1t is all regulated by d safety
valve, just like a steam engine. Ii the
boiler is good and has plenty OF water in
side, the engineer can make all tue steam
he chooses. When it goes over a certain
point the safety valve opens and the steam
escapes. Same way with the gas genera
tors exactly, and there's no danger.D