New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-07
DEATH CAUSED BY GAS.
DIRE EFFECT OF A DkuNKEN MANS FOLLY
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION IN A TENEMESTHoUsE
TWENTY-FIVE MEN INJURED.

the nvc-stOry tenement-hOuse No. 413 West
Thirty-ninth-st., yesterday afternoon BY some
unexplained accident gas-fitter who had gone
into the cellar of the hons, TO change the meters
started dangerous leak and was overcome by
the escaping gas. His peril was dIscoveie, and
number Of persons went into the cellar to res
cue him. Then a drunken man ran down stairs
with lighted candle. lie was warned TO 90
back, but he disoieyed the warning and the en-
plosion that followed blew up two stores on the
ground floor and set fire TO the house. 4 num-
her of persons were burned and otherwise injured
by the explosion, and the gas-itter WAS killed.
Flames soon filled the house and frghtful panic
seized the families on the upper floors. Despite
heroic reScucs some OF the tenants were injured
Last evening the police counted one man dead
and twenty-five persons injured.
THE DEAD.
PATTERSON, william. twenty mine. single, Of East
Twmty-hfth-st, employed a litter by the Equitable
Gas Company, sunocatcd by escape OF gas body
burned
THE INJURED
BEYER. Carlus Gfty-scvcn, liquordealer No 423 West
Thirty y.ninths;.; burned on face and head.
BEYER. Lizzie nny-threc wife OF c. Boyer; burned
about face and head.
BIEBER, Louis. tcn No. 1913 West Thirtyninth-st; cut
face and hands by dying glass
BOHXENBLCsT, IIlen No. a24 West Thirty ninth st. ;
cuts hands. face and head.
CoNNoRS. Elizabeth no. 42i West Thirty y-ninth-st. ;
cut on heal and shoulders by dying glass.
HCFFMANN, John. th!r.: .onc. driver. No. 43j West
Thirty n.nth-st; burned about face. head and hands
HAYDEN Joseph eleven No 422 West Thirty ninth-st. ;
leg broken and taken to Roosevelt Hospital
anerward transferred by friends 10 Pr sbytran Hos
pital.
JOHNMANN, Martin thirIy-six baker NO 421 West
Thtty.ninth-,t., burned hcai, hands and arms
JoHyMANN Mary thirty. no i25 West Thir,yni'r 'rh-st,
buns head and hand.
JOHNMANN. Peter thlrtecn No 425 West Thiitynin'h-
st. buried hands aid cut hy glass
JOHNMANN Carl eleven. 40. i25 West Thirtyninth'st,
ha d, sc0rched ami cut by glass.
JOCUANN Marin fo-ty.two. driver. No. 425 West
Thrty.ninth.st, burned on face and cut by glass
KRAFT Martin, thirty.six No. 43o West Thirtynin
81 burned head and aims.
LOPEZ Alberto nineteen. No 42i West Thirty ninth
ST. cuts on hands.
MLAUGHLIN Herbert. eighteen paint r, No. i3i West
Twenty.ninth.s,.; burned face, had and hands !;
taken Roosevelt Hospital.
MANNING John twcny.four. furniture carrier No ic3
Ninthayc.; burned on fice and hands.
MURPHY James, fourteen. 40 4lG West Thirty'ninth
IT, cut 8 glass and burned on fac, and fandS
PETERSEN John. thry-iour. West Thirty y-nnth'st' !;
burned head and face.
sCHAUM Leopoltna twenty four niece Of Boyer; burned
head. hands and neck.
sCuOEEIL Mlry I've No. 423 West Thirty.nnth-'t.; {;
face and badly scorchci
wOFE>- -rMIDT. Charles twenty-five. driver. No. i23
West Thirty .nnthst burned face. head and hands
wOEESHMASN. GEORGE. thirty. grocer No 'as West
Thirty ninthst cut by glass AMI slightly scorchea on
hands.
The explosion occurred soon after p. m. There
had been trouble with the gas in the house, and
Mrs Catherine Yocrschmdt. tho housekecper, had
given an order TO the Equitable Gaslight Company
10 place two new meters in the cellar. William
Pattir>on, gashter was sent to the
honsn about = p. M. lie was supposed to
be at work there aonc when strong smell oi
c-caping gas was noticed in Wocrshmans grocery
and Pcycrs liquor store on tho gound fioor. Mrs
Wocchmidt went PARKWAY down the cellar
stairs 10 inquire the cause OF the trouble
She called 70 Patterson, but hc made no reply
Listening. she thought she heard him groanng
in the front part of the cellar III"
ran back upstairs and told her son Charles mat
thc gasman had been overcome In the cellar
Then She went into the street and asked several
men there to help in the rescue A. the men groped
their way toward the front part Of the cellar they
held their breath To avoid being overcome by the
escaping gas Charles Woerschnldt soon stumohi
over tho body Of Patterson on the cellar h''i
lie had stopped and was trying TO raise III" III
srnsible form Of the gasitter when there was
shout behind him.
~Go back, Don't bring that light hcre!' was
the cry.
Mclaughlin had caught sight of John Manning,
Wocrshmans helper. who was at the h'a" y,
,be stairs with lighted candle In his hand, ana
b,d shouted the warning Manning was reck-
lcss vounr man. ard lie was under the influence
of lionor. il was said. As he was pushing his
way down the stairs he was warned by TWO OF
three persons who were near nm
Don't 20 down with the CANDLE they SAID
"rm not afraiI,r answered Manning. ana ne
ran down to the cellar. 49,,
instantly there was a terrific explosion WHICH
seemed 10 raise the house from its FOUNDATIONS
4 solid sheet of fame filed the cellar lot an III
slant The men there were knockeu oowh hNo
straws and their faces aud hands were pui'cu'
The report of the explosion was hc'iu '''''"'
blocks away. .,
Fire Quickly followed the explosion. In the
unner stories where dozen or more lan'h''
lived. there was wild pane. Sooh' ho"'''''
overv ncr.on WAS out Of the house except fa''ersn
L, had bcen left to his fate in the cellar hnI-
,I,,,nos .nd 6rrmcn were called by three alarhis:
Tho iniurcl people were lea 10 hIihnI
nlaccs 6y their friends. Crowds flicd 'ic h,, sII,,
and there was 80 much confusion uiat nu"o't
cn"Id tcil for hours how many had been hurt \
I"n1" Jnr ,nrsors went 10 a drug store in Ninth-ave
sor relief. and were treated there by ambulance
surgeons few people went to the RoI RoGseVSas ne
Uosnitol but did not remain there. ohy one
P,.ho hod brol,en his leg remained in hos
ptai pnIi Vast last mis- nqht and he was removed to the
Prc'hvterian Hospital by his friends. 1t was said
that none of the injured persons was IN dangerous
The tenement house was gutted before the ilrr-
men could put ont the flames, and the homeless rs
families received shelter in the rooms 9i neigh
ir Francis Kellogg Is the owner OF the hous',
and II was aid to have been damaged TO the extent
81 600 600 The losses Of the tenants amounted to
about 81 900. and several of the families were
said 10 have no insurance.
II was not until 80 o'clock, or two hours
,ftcr thG fire had been under control: that the
frencn dared begin the search ior f9t"rSoh
hodv hurried under the ruins of the building.