The evening world., 1891-05-15
SEWER EXPLOSION.
Six Men Seriously Injured In South
Street This Morning.
Buildings Shaken for Blocks
Around by the Detonation.
Horses Stampeded and q Panic in
the Crowded Thoroughfare.

An explosion Of sewer gas resulted In the
serious injury Of six men and panic on South
street, near Beekman, this morning.
There was a terrific detonation at Las
o'clock. Buildings were shaken for blocks
around and fimes-a seethinR, Kissing mass
of fnre-burst from the sewer manhole In front
of 1O4 South street, setting nre to the awning
in front OF the building.
The frightened occupants OF the houses in the
neiRhtorhood rushed into the street. ana to
add to the excitement the manhoie covers from
Beekman street TO Peck slip were blown In the
air, which caused q stampede of horses In that
crowded ,horoughfare.
Had there really been more danger after the
explosion occurred the loss Of life would nave
been awful, ss hundreds OF men were practi-
caly hemmed ip and cut of from escape by
the barrier Of wagons in the blockade.
shonts, curses and shrieks filled the air.
The SHOUTS and curses came from the drivers,
the wheels of whose vehicles appeared to be
inextncably mixed M.
The shrieks came from the unfortunate men
in the sewer enveloped In smoke and fire.
They had been cleaning the sewer and the
lighted lamp one Of them held ignited the gas
which had accumulated In the underground
hole.
The smell OF burning flesh which arose with
the other sickening odors from the sewers
told plainly the fate the victims would meet.
II some were not already dead, unless they
were rescued at once.
Policemen Albert Kulle and Thomas F.
Gihooly. of Capt. o'Connors command. were
promptly on hand and acted promptly.
They called for volunteers, and led the way
down the ladders in the stining smoke.
Crowds surrounded the manholes, but no one
seemed willing to follow the brave policeman.
"Its sure death by suffocaton to 60 down
there, " said one.
'No, 1t is not replied KulIe. "Don't you
hear the moans and Rroans Of the poor fel-
lows1 They are alive yet. Don't let them
perish"
This appeal brought volunteers. Morris Kohn.
James grimm and william Randall.
They worked systematically. Arranged In
line, one by one the victims were passed from
one OF the rescuing party to the other until
they were safely on top, where kind aud will
Ing hands cared for them.
They were all unconscious, but the air re-
vived them, only to make them conscious OF
their pains, and their moans and groans were
renewed.
The rescuers themselves were nearly choked
by the smoke and gas.
All of the men were burned about the faoe
and arms. some OF them 10 badly that their
features were unrecognisable. Their names
are: .s...
JOHN MITCHELL, aged twenty-eiRhr, of 2o4
East Seventeenth street.
JOHN CLARK, aged forty-nve, Of 500 West
Fif,ieth street.
JOHN DALTON, aged thirty. of b0l West
Twenty-seventh street.
THOMAS CApEIKY, aged thirty, Of lo7 West
Twenry-sixth street.
JOHN CLARK, aged forty.ave, Of 500 West
Fiftieth street.
TIMOTHY T. SULLIVAN, aged twenty EIGHT, Of
o6 Cherry street, who was standing near the
nianhole when the explosion took place, had
his face burned and the left portion OF his mus
tacne and hair on his head singed on.
The intured were taken to the Oak atreet M
lice station, where an ambulance surgeon
dressed their wounds, after which they were
all removed 10 the Chambers Street Hospital
Mitchell and Clark are In dangerous oondi.
ton.
Clark held the light which caused the explo-
tion. and Mitchell, who stood next to him, re-
ceiyed the contents of the lamp over his
clothes, which set him on IRE. He may die.
The men were employed by E. II. santene,
who has the contract from the city for clean
ing the sewer on South street Foreman
Edward Kelly, who was in charge OF the
work. told the folio wing story to an EVENING
WORLD reporter:
awe went to work at 7 O'Clock this morning
to clean the sewer on South street from Fulton
to Roosevelt. The manhole covers had all
been taken of az far as Beesmau street, where
the explosion occurred. half an bour before
tho man o,,,ro, ,,o sov.r rn.ra mrs, nav.
"e inen en''ieu 'ne oe"e'' i"eio "us' n"so
been an unusual quantity OF gas accumulated
HThe manbole coyers are taken of TO give
uo,, on, rr,,,r ,,o a.,
hu' au' iu'h' 'no "''
"The men usually carry q lamp when they