St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-07
DEATH LOSTAPRIZE
Narrow Escape Of Three Pleas.
ant Avenue Families From
Asphyxiation.
FIFTEEN PEOPLE SUFFER
By the Bursting Of a Gas
Main While All Were
Asleep.
FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCES
OF the Christian, Norton
Mead and Lambie
Families.
FIFTEEN PEOPLE SUFFER
FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCES

BY the bursting of a gas main
on Pleasant avenue, between Thlrd
and Sixth streets, Tuesday night
three families, comprising fifteen
persons, came within sight of nor
rible death by asphyXiation. 1t was
only through a combination of the
most fortunate circumstances that
any of them are alive to tell the
tale today. AS it is, they are all
more or less i'll and weak from the
effects of the gas they inhaled
while they were asleep, and the
residences on Pleasant avenue re-
semble private hospitals, as the in
mates are yet too ill to leave their
beds. At a late hour last night
they were all doing well, and there
was every prospect that they will
recover in a day or two. The fam
lilies that suffered are:
Otis l.. Christian, miller, and
his wife; his son-in-law, A. F. Nor
ton, secretary to Chief of Police
Clark, and his wife, at 149 Pleasant
avenue.
William w. Lambie, travelling
agent, and wife, and Arthur D.,
Charles, Fred and Christine Lam
bic. and the servant girl, 152 Pleas
ant avenue.
Percival H. Mead, freight agent
of Griggs, Cooper & Co., and wife,
and Milton S. Mead, clerk for the
Powers Dry Goods company, and
Mrs. Annie e. Mead and servant
girl, 154 Pleasant avenue.
How 1t Happened.
The main which, runs along the
center of the street about five feet
below the surface burst some time
during the night. The escaping gas
followed the connecting pipes which
led to the residences, and in little
while these three houses were filled
with the deadly fumes. The gas
gradually worked into the bed
rooms, and was inhaled by the oc-
cupants as they slept. The expert
ences of the residents were fright
full. A few were awakened by the
powerful odor, and managed to
struggle to their windows and open
them sufficiently to let in the cold
night air. In a few cases the cold
draughts restored the inmates to
consciousness, but in most in
stances the people were badly
overcome. Especially was this true
of the Lambie family, every MEM
Der of which would surely have
been asphyxiated had not one of
the boys spent the evening out. Re-
turning at a late hour, he realized
the situation as soon as he entered
the door, He found every one in
the house unconscious. He imme-
diately opened the windows, and
called DR.. Kelly, who worked over
the Lambies for several hours. 1t
was exactly 4:30 o'clock when DR..
Kelly was summoned.
In the case of the Christian FAM
lily, Mr. and Mrs. Morton's room
was, fortunately, not invaded by the
gas. Mr.. Christian is in the habit of
arising early, and failing to do so,
it alarmed Mrs. Morton, who aroused
her husband. AS soon as he opened
by the pungent odor, and instantly
divining the trouble, he ran up the
stairs, almost stumbling over his
parents, who were lying uncon-
scious in the upper hall. He threw
open the windows and ventilated
the house, then summoned Drs. Met
calf, Hanley, Talbot Jones and d. c..
Jones, who succeeded in restoring
the old couple to consciousness after
several hours constant work.
When word was sent to the central
station,
Officers Were Sent
to arouse the other families on Pleas
ant avenue, and it was in this way
the condition of the Mead family was
discovered. An officer aroused the
members who were not overcome,
and doctors who were summoned
managed to bring the others around
all right. Most of them are still
prostrated, though the physicians
who have been attending them say
that no fatalities will result.
In some of the rooms windows had
been raised before the occupants re-
tired, and this explains why some
of the people were not overcome. The
gas had free exit, and still the oc-
cupants were more or less affected.
Credit is due Mr.. Morton for notify
ing the police. Had he not done so,
the Mead family would have been
dead by daylight.
The trouble was at first supposed
to have come from defective meters
and pipes in the cellars, but investi-
cation proved that the main had
burst in the middle of the street, and
the gas had followed the connecting
private pipes and reached the cellars
of the residences. 1t was most for
tunate escape for all. The gas COM
pany was notified, and repaired the
break as soon as possible, so that
the people on Pleasant avenue re-
tired last night without the fear Of
waking up dead today.
The Young Man Was Out.
In the residence OF William w.
Lambie, 152 Pleasant avenue, Mr.
Lambie's sister and the servant girl
were unconscious when the leak was
discovered, and an effort was made
to awaken them. One OF the youp9