New-York tribune., 1890-06-13
AN UPHEAVAL IN BROADWAY.
EXPLOSION AND FLAMES IN MANHoLE.

TIE FIRE BREAKS OUT EARLY IN THE MORN
ING AND BURNS MERRILY ALL Day
MUCH DAMAGE DONE TO THE
SUBWAY.
A merry fire burned for hours yesterday at
Broadway and Fulton-st, and in spite of the
efforts of firemen, it not extinguished until
long after dark The fire broke out at $3.50
O'Clock in the morning The first indication of it
was a sudden upheaval of brick and stones in the
street, followed an instant later by tongue OF
6re which shot high up in the air, lighting the
streets for some distance in every direction.
There was lonely policeman on duty near the
street corner at the time, and for few moments
he imagined that there had been volcanic
eruption. He was badly frightened, for he did
rot know when the next shock would come or
xbere it would hit. When he came to his senses
he noticed that the gang of men employed by
tbe New-york Steam Heating Company, laying
s,eam pipes at the place, had suddenly left their
work and were busyins themselves just at that
instant in dodging falling bricks and stones and
pieces Of iron.
For several nights men, under the direction OF
nre Of the foremen of the company, have been
st work in Broadway, near Fulton-st.. repairing
the steam pipes. At o'clock yesterday morn
NAMED TO finish laying pipe which had been
,nended. The place where the men were at work
&c one Of the companys regular man-holes. IL
INNS down into the ground for several feet
hollow the network Of other pipes which fill the
,reet there Tie manhole is briclled up only
few inches from the surface Of the road; timpers
are placed across it, upon which dirt Is thrown
Tor some time complaints have been made TO the
various city departments that gas enough 10
,unuly a dozen houses was daily escaping from
mis- manhole How the fire started has been eN-
nlained in a half-dozen different ways some
raid IL was caused by the kicking over oil
lantern: others from the benzine torches "hlch
che ,rorl,men used. while there were many who
said that the steam from the pipes forming Win
Che GAS had done the mischief At any rate,
-. ,vos an cxploslon sufficiently powerful TO
.oar nm several square yards of street pavement.
w,scl, the electrical subway manhole on the other
,as Of the street and fIighen the laborers and the
uoBceman nearly out of their WIS
r1o blaze did not attract much attention Tor
.svs,al hours No one seemed to pay much at
,ertion 70 il until traffic in Broadway begun ana
the streets were filed with pedestrians ana We
bicles After the fire had been burning 1or some
time the blaze suddenly increased in volume anu
the man-hole looked like the interior OF crema-
torv. This was caused by the melting away Oh
the lead with which the joints OF the gas-lhalhs
were soldered, thereby turning volume oil gas
loose which poured into the blazing furnace aO
,be rate Of 5000 feet an hour. A call for an
engine and hose-cart was then sent out' anu 'no
sremen poured water into the hole, but with the
effect only of keeping the earth surrounding III
oool There was great danger that the heat would
melt the sewer and water pipes, and a flood OF
water would soon be tearing down broadway, NIL
inc Easements and causing an inestlmable amount
NJ damage There was also great danger that an
other explosion would occur In the lmneula'e
neighborhood. This did not seem TO nave tne
slightest effect upon the thousands oi people "ho
svt - near 10 Tic furnace ae the poiieeh''n "'"
allow them to get to peer into the IRE An en-
ira force of officers had to be sent OUT, anu Ioi
S~srsi hours they stood across Broadway at Ann,
st. abve the fire. and at tulton-sI, pedom e hs'e ~
turned everybody back. UDtll 'he p4"]e o.n",ar 'r
SO hot that IL was dangerous 10 uo % any ~ n,,d
sGe Hroodxv;Iv cars were allowed 10 pass up anu
down the street. But at noon theS Welc ovoPpo Pd
and there was no service between uiton- 1ti ,. ~
the battery ior some time. III was scNeraI i mus
sftar the ire broke out before the gas COMPANIES
made any efforts to check the flow Ol gas. wv lmo
lines of yas-lnains close together Ill DioauMoS
~ This noint and il Impossible 10 tel "heCicl
or NOT tnev belonged TO the Consolidated Gas Oonl-
pany or the Mutual Gas Company Oaiss VI ,,, m1I
from both companies were sent TO the pace apouo '
noon and attempts were then begun 10 slop ohG
oas If was discovered that these mains nad
been down a long time, and that there were 10
Gates on the line, at which the gas c0uld he shu9
of and an old and extremely SLOW meIhOu n!u
20 n, used 10 check Tie TOW. This was TO dlg
down TO the pipes several yards above the ,, nIe,
drilling holes through them IN whiSh Si ruoDJi .ii
fnbes were inserted. The tubes were blown 1ull
NJ air and the escape of gas was cut down To
about 1000 feet an hour, and at this rate IL con-
tipued TO flow all the afternoon; ,,
For some time it looked as though t1c iuooei p
tnbes had stopped the flow of gas Dut lhey
were not filed up enough TO 90 thls' anu iie ,lie
gas continued 10 burn win ,i aoOuu ed Jne nntii
LoAo oil HaV
late al night filling the hole WIN paving sVohcS
and earth to try to stop up the mains IN that way
So much water was thrown on the Ine au az ',o nv
AstOr House that squad OF men was set ~
work TO build a dam across the streets 50 uhdl
the water could not get to the pipes and crack
them, as was done early in the DAY wheh the Hle-
men were throwing water In the h0e. r.
The superintendent Of the Steam Heating Soni-
pany said last night that the Gas exploded IRON
lantern which was Knocked INTO the manIiole r
by one Of the steam company laDorers, iheS
had got the steam pipe at which they had been
working laid and covered up with dlrt wheh
This accident occurred About 0 o'clock work
men were set TO throwing moist clay into the
hole, and finally succeeded IN hlllh9 up 'he pipe
and putting out the lire. ~,
A large amount of damage was zone 10 'Ie
subway service on that side OF Broad"aS IL
was estimated that at least S7O,OOO worth OF
subway pipes and wires had been destroyed, ana
taat the wires for two blocks besides ihuch Vi one
subway near the fire would have to be put down
again. There was great anxiety In the western
Union office. for large number ol tne WIres .Io oa
That company run within lew ieet oil Wheic .,e
Ire was The insulation on all the wires III me me
subways was melted of by the heat hut the
Efforts Of the fremen kept the earth cool arouno m
The Western Union wires. and as far as could DE
learned they were not injured. ~,
On receiving news of the explosion, mayor
Grant sent for Mr. Kearney. engineer OF the Soaro
M Electrical Control, and Chief Englnee5
Brdsall. Of the Department OF Public Works, ana
went with them 20 the scene. The Mayor MADE az
thorough an inspection as circumstances woulu
permit. and directed the engineers TO examine care
July into the cause with view To hxing me
Responsibility for the fire They are to make
tnelr report TO the Mayor in writing. IL is salo
tnat the Mayor is getting ready surprise ior
somebody when he is satisfied where the censure
ought 10 fall Commissioner Gilroy also , had
General Roy Stone and Colonel Joseph ob;
Webster, Of the Public Works engineers, ana
william u. Burke the water purveyor. at work
On the case. and expects a report from them TO
Gay. The Commissioner said that from the facts