Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-12-21
THOUSANDS IN DANGER.
- "a
Escaping Gas Might Have AS
phyxiated These People. &
ANEw HAND OAUsED THE TRoUBLg

He shut on the Wrong valve, PiunsInw
Village in Darisness--P Prompt Action
by Three Officers Averts Calamity.
what the superintendent says.
FLArBusH, L. l., Dec 2i.-Most q tho
people in this town had a narrow escape
from alphyxiation Saturday night But for
the prompt action Of the police there would
have been a wholesale slaughter Over
thousand lives were in jeopardy, which
means pretty big percentage Of the whole
population Of the place. The gasworks
caused 1t. At 1l;4s o'clock John Sherius,
who has charge Of the gasworlss at night,
sent new hand who had just become an
employee of the company to.turn off a GER
tain valve The man closed the wrong
valve. He unwittingly shut off the entire
gas supply for a large section Of the town.
Left In Darkness.
Officer James Dougherty was patroling
his beat on Flatbush avenue, near Grant
street, when suddenly the lights in the
street lamps We're extineuished leaving tho
thoroughfare in total darkness as far as the
eye could reach south Of East Broadway.
An the cross streets were darkened, too
Egypt never was in it with Flatbush
Saturday night, said one Of the old inhab-
itants yesterday.
The policeman ran to the town hail and
found the building in total darkness Po-
hcemnn Whalen, who was in charge, was
asleep in the doimitory. Dougherty found
that room full Of gas Hastily throwing
said that when he retired ha had turned the
gas half way down
officers Making Haste.
Dougherty then returned to his post and
raped for Sergeant Gillen, who was on the
next post Gillen in turn raped for Officer
Byrnes, on the adjoining post Dougherty
the meantime telephoned TO superintendent
Arlington, Of the gasworlzs The three Of
iicers found that the lights Ind beon ex-
tinguished for fully mile along Flntbush
avenue, south OF East Broadway, on Grant
street as far az Lott street, all Of Avenue A,
Ocean avenue, from Church lane TO Avenue
b. Waverly avenue, East Eighteenth street,
Avenue B, Nineteenth street and all tho
lights in the vicinity OF the knickcrbocxer
Field club, the most aristocratic portion OF
Flathush.
The Gas Turned on Again.
Nearly all householders who use gas in
Flntbush, ns everywhere else, leave one or
more Jets In the house partly turned on all
night, particularly in sleeping rooms. When
tho supply in the mains was cut OF Of course
every fame was extinguished. The mis-
take was quickly discovered at the gas
works and the flow turned on again.
The result was that IN every house where
gas jets had been left burning IN the largo
=, trict plunged into darkness by the mis-
---Se Of the green employee, escaping gas
began 20 menace the lives of the occupants-
The three policemen thoroughly realized
the danger and acted promptly, They sep
arated each going in a different direction
through the district and arousing the people.
Narrow Escapes.
Major Gustave A. John and his family had
q narrow escape. He and his wife attended
a theater Saturday night and returned to
| their home on Ocean avenue about midnight.
A light Is kept burning in the vestibule all
night and when the major opened the door
he found II extingushed and the yestibul0.
full Of gas He took it for granted that
when be went out and closed the door be-
hind him the draught had blown the light
out. He relighted it and went upstairs to
bed Il was about 10 undress,n said tha
major, "when heard the bell ring and z
went down stains again Policeman Dough-
erty told me the story and | started % cx-
anime all the burners
Acting on the officers suggestion went
IN the library. The room was full Of Gas.
which was escaping through an open burn
er. went up stairs to the room where my
boy sleeps and found IL was also fun Of gas
In the bathroom the gas was escaping with
| Ia llrf filtt
state Of affairs existed. am sure thnt had
it not been for the timely warning of the.
officer we would all have been asph yxiated. -
At the home Of Fred W. Webster, Ocean
avenue and Avenue B. the gas was escaping
from several burners, as there was sickness.
IN the house When reused by the police
man he exclaimed, "Thank God you came,
in time.n
what the superintendent Says.
Superintendent Arlington, when seen by
a reporter, said that it was impossible for
such an accident to have occurred, "a the
gas could not be shut off from one district
without shutting of the supply Of the entire
town.
III any lights went out in the street
lamps they were blown out by the wind,
be said
''But how about the lights in the housesp
''Well, suppose the wind blew them
out, too. They were probably turned too
low.n
At the gas works no official information
could be obtained. Some of the employees,
however, admitted that the trouble had
been caused by the inexperienced workman.
An NJ. p. Charged with EmbezzIement-
LONDON, Dec. 2l.--A profound sensation
has been caused by the arrest on a criminal