The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-22
AN EXPLOSION OF AcETYLENE.
THREE KILLED AND PROPERTY
VALUED At 100000 RUINED.

One Dead Mans Right Leg Gorn on
at the Ankle and His Left Leg
Twisted Under HIm-Rum0rs OG
Heavy Loss of Life Cause wild Ex-
citement and Draw a Mig Crowd td
the scene.
New Haven. Conn, Jan. 21.-The FIVE
story building, on Crown street. opposite
Orange, was gutted by FIRE Just before
noon to-day.
The fire had It's origin in the quarters
on the second floor. occupied by Franlc
Phlegar, manufacturing machinIst. and
this gentleman acknowledged this after
noon that he was experimenting with
the new illuminant. acetylene at the time.
The force of the explosion was something
terrific, and persons on the sidewalk feIt
il.
The first intimation that there was fra
In the building was the appearance Of Inn
mense sheets OF flames bursting through
the windows and straight across tha
street. An instant previous there had
been an explosion, which shook the center
of the city, and il was felt TO a lesser de-.
gree for distance of two or three miles.
An alarm was Immediately rung. but be-.
fore the department arrived at the scene.
bustible material, had penetrated to every
portion of the building and shooting
through all the windows In immense vol-
ume, ascended high above the structure
In the Phlegar machine shops new gas
machines were heing put I'm order. Willis
Joseph Hauser, tool maker was at work
on one, y exploded with a terrific report.
Then the whole front of the building
seemed TO bulge out, and fragments OF
heavy plate glass windows were hurled
across the street against the Chambers
lain building, and into Orange street
Hauser was killed by the explosion. HIS
right leg was torn of at the ankle and the
lett leg twisted under him.
charles Fox, the engineer. although cut
and bleeding himself, carried the dead
man out OF the building, which was then
rapidly being enveloped In flames. Hauser
two children.
In few moments an immense crowd
had surrounded the building and the ru-
mors spread that thirty or more persons
IN the big building had been killed. 1t
was some time before the police and fire.
men could allay the prevailing excitement.
a later examination of the ruins shaved
that J, T. Toof, 40 years of age, and Har-
death.
II is said that Toof and stevens, both
employed by II. ]. Toof, remained behind
to lock safe and secure some valuable
papers, Soon after the fire broke out
stevens was seen at the window and was
told to wait a moment and a ladder would
be sent up. He answered that he would
get some more things from his desk and.
throwing out some books, went away from
the window. lie was not seen again. How
Toof met his fate is not known, but he
was found very near Mr.. Stevens body.
II was not until 2:30 o'clock, three hours
after the IRE was under control that the
bodies of Toof and Stevens were found
| by the firemen, who were then clearing
away the debris Both bodies were burn
ed beyond recognition and were identi-
fed only by means Of peculiarities OF
clothing or by papers I'm their pockets
The first great explosion was followed
by the minor ones. but the department.
had then got well to work. and by 11:30
O'Clock the fire was under control and all
danger past. The loss is 100000
Ihe losses and insurances are as fol-
English G. Mersicix carriage hardware.
first floor, loss $4,000; Insurance. sSs0o0i
second floor, loss $50 900; Insurance, SIS, 600.
Edwin j. Toof, sewing machine attach
ments, third floor, loss $4,000; insurance.
The building was valued at $4,000, and
| is insured for that sum.
II T. altogether within the bounds OF
| possibility that all of the insurance poll
| cies may be subject to contest and in-
| deed, may be tnvalidated. 1t seems that
the insurance companies regard acety-
| lene gas and the materials which enter
| into its manufacture in the same light
| as they do gasoline, and do not permit
| the gas to be made or used In any in
| sured building without a special permit.
| The insurance agents who placed the
| policies on the burned building said to-
sued by them.
Hauser and Toof were married ana
| leave families.
Frank +. Phlegar, senior, was experi@
menting with acetylene gas. Around him
We're corps of assistants, and II is
SAID that Mr.. Phlegar was working upon
| some sort Of regulator to control the de-
| livery Of the gas from steel cylinders, In
which It is Kept under high pressure.
sometimes as high as 1900 pounds TO this
| square inch Definite knowledge as TO
| the conditions of the experiment cannoh
| be had, since the Phlegars positively re-
| fuse to talk tonight, beyond acknowledge
| Ing the experiments. It is known that
| when the explosion occurred the Phlegars-
| father and son, and five men, were work.
ing about cylinder of the gas.