The Hawaiian gazette., 1889-02-19
SHOCKING ACCIDENT.
Gasoline Expledes at the Beaver
Saloon.
1B.c Proprietor, rive Employees and
Two Custoucrs Injured.
EUGENE zoETL DEAD.


aa-Iv before , o'clock Monday
week the report Of an explosion that
susel Eike q blast going off was heard
f- some distance from the Campbell
block ON Fort street. A policeman
--sheE up that street and into Merchant
street. sHeatins Fire house" as he ran
toward The Station. In a few seconds
r- street was ihronged with people,
one dense crowd being at the Beaver
rrrrh saloon and another at Mr.. Mckib-
Ha-- drugstore. Sounds Of distress
uere Iseara from the latter place, and
tsa intelligence rapidly went round that
an explosion of gasoline had occurred at
the Beaver. severely burning Mr. Il. j..
NaIie. the proprietor, and. several Of his
earl5rees Mr.. N0lte was seated in a
chair in the drugstore, having his
burned face and hands sponged with
foas. One oi his young Portuguese
walters was walking up and down abid-
a- ms turn Tor treatment and crying
,a pain. Four others were sent to
fae Queens Hospital, followed later by
the Two above mentioned.
I'D fhe meantime a fierce blaze was is
-rrs from the buughole Of Il gasoline
fark ia tlla rear OF the saloon, at which
water was splashed by tine uniniured
EMPLOYEES and others, while impatient
remarks were heard at no alarm being
heard or no apparatus present. Both
-l,ese came very shortly, however, but
rust us q line OF hose entered the front
door somebody put wet cloth over the
buurhole and instantly stopped the
flame. There being nothing or very lit
--a exeep. brick and iron Tor the ire to
reach. the building sustained scarcely
anv damage. II appeared that a small
-.nk OF gasoline was being raised into
r,7sTtian for replenishing the reservoir
hurled under the culinary department
beneath corrugated iron shed. a
Chinese waiter who was doing the work
rDsned the bunghOle OF the tank, when
l-sS began to escape in considerable vol
Ilne The waiter tried to check the
low Hv placing his hand over the oritice,
bur 80 Intellectually that the kissing
sound OF escaping gas brought Mr.
Nolfe. his head clerk, and the walters
generally to the spot The yapor having
foated through the whole kitchen be-
came irnited at the stove, causing ter
rife explosion that knocked all hands
over and burned some OF them terribly.
NIr. David Morton, clerk at Messrs.
Theo. Il. Davies & Co. 5, had been get
ting lunch and, hearing the commo-
ION and seeing the cloud OF vapOr, went
10 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
ms injuries treated. Mr.. Geo Williams,
collector. was in the saloon and the
lfrhtning-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: Mir.
II. ]. Nolte, proprietor OF the Beaver
Saloon-hands badly burned, face Sc
verelv 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 l0:l0 o'clock,
D. 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 Wa, 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 eN-
elusive topic of conversation about town
during the afternoon and evening.
Heartfelt expressions Of sympathy for
the sufferers were heard from every
-roun. and premature reports OF deaths
elected remarks vi deep regret. Mr..
ZoetI had many friends in the commun-
itv-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 German aged twenty-five |
wears. well versed in several languages,
and OF exemplary character. lmmedi- |
atelv after being taken to the Hospital, /
the unfortunate man executed his last |
win and testament.
Many volunteers appeared at the Hos
uital IN the afternoon TO attend on the |
sufferers throughout the night watches. |
The event has cast gloom over the |
community.