The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-02-14
ASPHYXIATION /!
The Father and Mother of VIM.
Christian Asphyxiated In
St. Paul.
The Breaking of a Gas Pipe Near
1y Kills Several St. Paul
Families.

BY the bursting of a gas main on
Pleasant avenue, between Third and
Sixth streets, Tuesday night, three
families, comprising fifteen persons,
came within sight of a horrible death
by asphyxiation, says the, St. Paul
Globe. 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
resemble private hospitals. Among
those who suffered are Otis L. Chris
tian, miller, and his wife; his son-in-
law, A. F. Morton, secretary to Chief
of Police Clark, and his wife, at 149
Pleasant avenue. Mr.. Christian was
formerly a miller in the employ of the
North Redwood Roller mills, and af
terwards managed the mill at Fairfax.
He is the father of VIM. Christian, of
this city. Mr.. and Mrs. Morton are
we'll known here, the latter being a
daughter to Mr.. Christian, and both
visiting here frequently.
According to the Globe the nearly
successful asphyxiation occurred in
this manner: "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 a
little while these three houses we're
filled with the deadly fumes. The
gas gradually worked into the bed
rooms, and was inhaled by the occu-
pants as they slept. The experiences
of the residents were frightful. A few
were awakened by the powerful odor,
and managed to struggle to their win
dows 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
instances the people were badly over
come. Especially was this true of the
Lamoie family every member of which
would surely have been asphyxiated
had not one of the boys spent the ev-
ening out. Returning at late hour,
be realized the situation as soon as he
entered the door. He found every one
in the house unconscious. He immed-
lately opened the windows, and called
DR.. Kelly, who worked over the Lam
bies for several hours. 1t was exactly
4:3O o'clock when DR.. Kelly was sum-
moned.
In the case of the Christian family,
Mr.. and Mrs. Morton's room was, for
tunately, 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 hus-
band. AS soon as he opened his door
into the hall, he was struck by the
pungent odor, and instantly divining
the trouble, he ran up the stairs, al
most stumbling over his parents, who
we're lying unconscious in the upper
hall. He threw open the windows
and ventilated the house, then sum-
moned physicians who succeeded in
restoring the old couple to conscious
ness after several hours constant work.
"When word was sent to the central
station officers we're sent to arouse the
other families on Pleasant e,and
it was in this way the condition of the
Mead family was discovered. An Of
ficer aroused the members who were
not overcome, and doctors who were
summoned managed to bring the 9TH
ers around all right. Most of them
are still prostrated, though the physi-
clans who have been attending them
say that no fatalities will result.
"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
Highest Of all in Leavening Pa