The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-29
EXPLOSION OF GAS.
Several Sheriff's Officers Have a
Narrow Escape.
MOTT AND HUNT BADLY BURNED.
A Leaky Pendant Allows Gas to Ac
Night-A Moment OF Terror.

gas explosion occurred in the sheriffs once
at the new courthouse yesterday morning in
which w. w. Mott, bookkeeper, and Hubert
Hunt, deputy sheriff, were seriously but not
fatally burned, and six other deputies narrowly
escaped death. The explosion was caused by q
leak in the temporary gas pendant in the vault
where the records Of the sherifTs Office are
kept.
At o'clock yesterday morning Under Sheriff
J. J. Crabtree opened the vault and went out
again. Half an hour later Mr.. Mott, who lives
at West Seattle, came in with his overcoat on
his arm. He saw the vault open and went right
in TO get the books without stopping to hang up
his coat He struck match TO light the gas
jet Immediately there was . great
explosion which startled the occu-
pants of the courthouse A sheet of
fame burst from the vault across the room, then
darted back to the opposite wall diagonally;
then it again darted back to the opposite wall.
1t was all over in an instant. The partition di-
yiding the sheriffs office from the prosecuting
attorneys Office was pushed out of place from
the top about eight inches, and the cement
plaster was cracked. The door leading to the
sheriff-s private Office was burst open, tearing
away the sill around the lock, and almost bend
ing double the brass door knob. The windows
in the office were all open, but the curtains were
torn from their fastenings.
A moment later Mr.. Mott stepped from the
vault, and he was q sorry looking sight His
derby hat was burned to q crisp and his cloth
ing and overcoat were badly burned, while his
face and hands were singed and scorched His
injuries are painful but he bore them bravely.
DR.. Eames was sent for and pronounced Mr..
Motifs injuries only skiu-deep.
Deputy Hunt was sitting In chair against
the opposite wall, directly facing the vault He
was reading q paper. The paper was burned
from his hands and he was burned badly about
the face and hands, and In such q manner that
he will be unable to use his hands again for
some time the flesh on them being burned until
1t bled. His hair, mustache and eyebrows were
entirely burned off, and his eyes affected by the
flame, but how bad, or whether he will lose his
sight, is not now known
Mr.. Mott was removed to Captain Powell's
place at 81 Cherry street, and his wife and
children were sent for. Mr.. Hunt was taken to
his room in the Atkins block on Columbia
street. Mr. Mott is well known and his numer-
Gus friends deeply regret that he should have
met with so painful an accident His great
presence OF mind saved his life.
The other deputies in the room escaped seri-
Gus injuries. Deputy Brockaway was sitting in
chair reading paper, in q corner of the room
furthest from the vault at the time OF the ex-
plosion. The chair was blown from
under him and he was let down heavily
In an immense cuspidor. At the
same moment the plaster commenced to fall and
what between scrambling out of the cuspidor
and lodging the falling plaster Mr. Brockaway's
movements were very active. When Brocka-
way looked up he saw two deputies at each win
dow trying to get ont of the building.
The damage to the building amounts to
about $50.
Late last night both sufferers were resting
easily and any serious results seem now to be
improbable.