The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-02-12
SHOCKING ACCIDENT.
Gasoline Explodes at the Beaver
Saloon.
The Proprietor, Five Employees, and
Two Customers Injured.
EUGENE ZoETL DEAD.

Shortly before o'clock yesterday
afternoon the report of an explosion that
sounded like blast going off was heard
for some distance from the Campbell
block on Fort street. A policeman
rushed up that street and into Merchant
street, shouting Fire house" as he ran
toward the Station. In a few seconds
Fort street was thrOnged with people,
one dense crowd being at the Beaver
lunch saloon and another at Mr.. McKib-
| bins drugstore. Sounds of distress
were heard from the latter place, and
the intelligence rapidly went round that
an explosion of gasoline had occurred at
! the Beaver, severely burning Mr.. II. j.
| Nolte, the proprietor, and several OF his
employees. Mr.. Nolte was seated in a
/ chair in the drugstore, having his
! burned face and hands sponged with
| lotions. One of his young Portuguese
walters was walking up and down abid-
| ing his turn for treatment and crying
with pain. Four others were sent to
the Queens Hospital, followed later by
| the two above mentioned.
suing from the bunghole of gasoline
tank in the rear of the saloon, at which
water was splashed by the uninjured
l5employees and others, while impatient
remarks We're heard at no alarm being
heard or no apparatus present. Both
these came very shortly, however, but
Just as line of hose entered the front
door somebody put wet cloth over the
bunghole and instantly stopped the
flame. There being nothing or very lit
tie except brick and iron for the fire to
reach, the building sustained scarcely
any damage. 1t appeared that small
tank of gasoline was being raised into
position for replenishing the reservoir
buried under the culinary department
beneath a corrugated iron shed. A
Chinese waiter who was doing the work
opened the bunghole OF the tank, when
gas began to escape in considerable vol
ume. The waiter tried to check the
flow by placing his hand over the oritice,
but so Intellectually that the Kissing
sound OF escaping gas brought Mr..
Nolte, his head clerk, and the walters
generally to the spot. The vapor having
toated through the whole kitchen be-
came ignited at the stove, causing a ter
rifle explosion that knocked all hands
over and burned some of them terribly.
Mr.. David Morton, a clerk at Messrs.
Theo. IL. Davies & Co.'s, had been get
ting lunch and, hearing the cOmmo-
ton and seeing the cloud of vapOr, went
to the back door just in time to receive a
strong share of the fiery blast. His
hands and face were severely burned and
hair singed, but he was able to take him
self to his place of employment and have
his injuries treated. MIR. Geo. Williams,
collector, was in the saloon and the
lightning-like blaze that shot through the
rear door singed his beard and eyebrows.
The list OF injured persons taken to
the Queens Hospital is as follows: Mr..
III. j. Nolte, proprietor of the Beaver
Saloon-hands badly burned, face Sc
verely scorched, injuries not considered
serious. Mr.. Eugene Zoetl, head clerk,
very badly burned in face, hands and
arms, legs below thighs also severely
burned, died at 1910 O'Clock, |
p. m. Chong King, Chinese, aged
twenty-five, badly burned in face, hands,
and upper part of body. Wong Sang,
Chinese, aged seventeen, injured almost
as badly as Zoetl in about the same way.
Lam Wal, Chinese, aged twenty, burned
not very badly. Joao, Portuguese boy
aged thirteen, scorched about face and
hands but not seriously.
The sad accident was the almost ex-
elusive topic OF conversation ABOUT town
during the afternoon and evening.
Heartfelt expressions of sympathy for
the sufferers were heard from every
group, and premature reports OF deaths
elected remarks of deep regret. Mr..
Zoetl had many friends in the commun-
y,who liked him for his intelligence and
kindly disposition, and vainly hoped that
his apparently rugged constitution would
pull him through the terrible ordeal. |
He was a German aged twenty-five
years, we'll versed in several languages,
and Of exemplary character. Immedi-
ately after being taken to the Hospital,
the unfortunate man executed his last
will and testament.
Many volunteers appeared at the Hos
pital in the afternoon to attend on the
sufferers throughout the night watches.
The event has cast a gloom over the
community.