New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-12
TWO MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES.
FATAL CYLINDER EXPLOSION.
THE SAD RESULT OF CARELEssNEss IN THE
MORAN BOTrLING CoMPANY's WORKS
IN HARLEM.

An explosion in the Moran Bottling Company's
works at no. 11o East nehundred-and-twenty
fourth-st. yesterday killed Foreman Christie
Ackert and his son Christie, and seriously injured
another son, Frederick Ackert had been IN
charge of the works for number Of years, and
had lived the top floor of the building with
his wife and six children. Soon after : a. m.
yesterday he and his sons, Christie and Frederick,
went to work charging six generators on the
first floor of the factory.
The generators copper cylinders, in which
marbe-dust and acid are mixed 10 make carbonio
acid gas. The men had worked less than half
an hour when one cylinder which had been over
charged exploded with terrific force. Both heads
Of the cylinder blown out, and pieces Of
copper were scattered in all directions. The
explosion shook the building, and the loud re-
port was heard by hundreds of persons in tie
ncighborhood. Several bricks were knocked out
Of the wall Of the factory and one window
wrecked Foreman Ackert found dead near
the spot where the generator had stood. His
body mangled in a frightful manner. Not far
away lay his two sons. Christie was insensible
and evidently dying A number of bruises on
his face and body showed that he had been struck
by fragments of the cylinder Frederick vas
conscious, but was suffering from shock. His
eyes and face had been burned by acid
Mrs. Ackert and her younger children had been
frightened by the explosion, and they ran down.
stairs to what was the matter They were
horrifcd by the sight in the factory, and Mrs.
Ackert nearly lost her reason in her grief over
the sudden death Of her husband and the injury
Of her sons. She was led back To her rooms
by the neighbOrs before the police sum-
moned an ambulance. Her two sons
were removed TO the Harlem Hospital but
Christie died there three hours later. Frederick's
injuries were not believed TO be dangerous hut
there was some reason to fear that he would loss
the sight of both eyes, and he suffers great pain
from the burns on his face and hands.
Isaac T. Moran the proprietor Of the bottlins
works. said that the explosion must have been
caused by carecssness. 1t was the custom. he
said vary the pressure In the generators accord
inc 10 the amount of soda water that was TO be
charged with the carbonic acid gas. Pressure in
the generators depended the size of the charges
of acid and marble dust which we're placed in
! them. All Of tie cylinders had been tested and
rauged recently, and the foreman was thoroughly
we'll aware OF the pressure which they would
| stand Ackcrt was hfty-two years old and had
! been left i'm full charge of the factory because
! he was considered a careful and competent man.
! uder his ma nIg"ment there had been acci-
! dent until he was killed by the explosion. Twenty
! wears agO one OF the generators in the factory
| exploded. but nobody was hurt. There have
! been several explosions of such generators in
| tie city in recent years. Mr.. Moran thought thai
! Foreman Ackert had too much confidence in tho
! strength of the copper cylinder and placed too
Fragments of the wrecked generator looked as
il the copper had been corroded by the acid until
| the cylinder was too weak to stand the strain
! which il had been intended to bear originally.
! Expert testimony regarding the cause OF the eX-
| ploslOn probably VII! be given 81 the Coroner 3
Inquest or tie bodies OF Foreman Ackert and his