The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-05


markable Disasters Caused by a
Leakage of Natural Gas,
CmcAao, Jan. 4-shortly before 8
o'clock this afternoon q terrific expIos.
ion of natural gas wrecked the lower
part of the great printing establish'
mout Of Donohue and Henneberry on
Dearborn street. The accident occur
red during the progress OF o small fire,
and over score Of tiremep, including
Chief swenIe Of the fire department,
and several laborers were seriously in
iured, Two men are dying and others
arc so seriously burned that they may
not recover
The explosion was in the plate vault
which is located Immediately beneath
the sidewalk, which is formed OF heavy
iron frames covered with glass and iron.
During the early part OF the afternoon
three employees Of the natural gas COM
pany had been at work in this vault,
making connections that were to be
used in supplying tho boiler plant with
fuel. As a precaution the doors Of tho
vault were closed. Shortly before 8
o'clock Foreman Robert Granger, OF the
press room, which adjoins the vault,
noticed flames in the vicinity Of the
brick wallwhich extended between the
press room and the vault. These flames
had the appearance OF ignited gas that
had escaped through the partition wall.
without waiting to open the vault
doors the foreman gave an alarm OF fire.
They then returned TO the basement
when some one threw open the vault
door Instantly there was an explosion
and nearly all OF the employees who
were in the vicinity, about ten in num-
ber were thrown 10 the floor, all sus-
tanning more or less serious injuries.
A SECOND EXPLOSION.
Within a few moments members OF
tho fro insurance patrol and hose and
engine companies were on the spot
headed by Chief swenie. The squad OF
Gremen rushed to tho basement and
had no sooner reached the vault door
than second and stronger explosion
followed, and all the men were hurled
to the floor or across the room against
the wall on the opposite side, which
they struck with terrific force. Several
Of the men were rendered senseless, and
the flames, which had ignited their
clothing, roasted their hands aud faces
in the most horrible manner. ~
Other fremen were close bohind
them, however, and for a few minutes
the fire was left to take care OF itself,
while the injured men were rescued.
Before one half Of them had been taken
out and while the basement was full Of
men working with desperation to save
their helpless comrades, came q third
explosion, more terrific than either OF
its predecessors and the would-be res
Cuers were laid beside the men they
had come to assist. This time the al,
ready loosened iron work covering the
vault was torn from its fastening and
came laundering down. Fresh food
Tor the gas was already at hand and o
score OF gallant fremen sprang into
the vault TO rescue the men who had
been injured,
BRAVE PIREMRN.
Undotored by the danger Of another
explosion, and cheered on by swonie,
the tiromen worked as men can work
when their own lives and the lives Of
others were trembling in the balance.
One by one tho burned and battered
men were dragged from the basement
and as tho last one was taken out
Swenie called: "Now out for your lives
men," and there was q rush for the
upper floor which was made just In the
nick Of time, for q fourth explosion
came, which made bricks, mortar and
iron work hy like feathers, and gave
the chief scorch when no beat a re-
treat that he will remember for many a
longday. Hurrying to the door,
swenie called TO the driver Of n patrol
wagon standing near, and ordered 1t
10 drive at once to the office OF the
natural gas company and tell them to
shut of the flow OF gas.
"ltit Is not done,n he said, u won't
answer for the satcty Of the building"
The patrol wagon took only Q few min
utes 10 fuiiiiiSita mission, the gps was
shut of and the firemen, led on by tho
chief, who had improved the opportu-
nifty TO have his facc and hands dressed
aud bandaged, went at the. fro once
moro and made short work oil II, The
great building however, hnd been
badly strained and torn, and every
pane Of glass Ia tho ontire eight stories
was lying In splinters on the ground, II
will cost $4,000 TO repair the damage
done.
How tho gas became ignited y q
mystery. The pollCa are inclined to
place tho blame on the werkmen, but
tits doubtful whether the cause will
ever DO discovered.
List OF INJURED;
Fatally butnod- Russell, James, Gre
man, burned about the head aud inter.
udInipsIca,
Gallagher, Thomas, fireman, informal
INJURIES and face almost burned oiE
Tho following were seriously but not
Ahuy hutnodi
ssonIe, DOnniS, chief Of Gre depart
nsnt, M tf
gMaiicy, Patrick, Rre mnrshal
YiOrlick, chatlGs, captain truck No. ],
n iA,sIDonaldi John, captain company
., ENodar, Fred, captain company No.
Lacey Martin, lieutenant company