The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-22
ACETYLENE EXPLOSION
An Expcrimenter Was Uslng the 0aenes
High Pressure, Nut Refuses 10 Tell
Howthe Ascldens occurvd.

NEW HAVEN. CONN. Jan. 2t.-1ne
hve-story building on Crown street, oppo-
site the Orange. was gutted BY nre Jeet
before noon to-day. 'rhe tire originates
In the quarters ON the second floor. occu-
pied by Frank Phleg4r. q manufacturlne
machinist, and this gentleman acknoWt-
edged this afternoon that he was e>pti1-
menting with the new ilIuminant, ace
tylene, at the time.
The first intima;lon that there was OF
the fire In the building was the appear
ance OF immense sheets Of flames burst
ing through the windows and straight
across the street. An instant previous
there had been an explosion, which shook
lesser degree for a distance OF two or
three miles. An alarm was Immediately
rung. but before the department. arrived
at the scene the fames, fed by OILS ana
other combustibIe material had .pene-
trated TO every portion Of the puildsnK.
and shooting through all the windows
In immense volume. assembled high above
the structure.
In the Phlegar machine shop new gas
engines were being put I'm order. While
Joseph Hauser, a tool maker was ~
work on one. IL exploded with a terfinc
report The whole front OF the building
seemed to bulge out, and fragments o,
heavy plate-glass windows We're hurled
across the street against the Chamber
lain building and into Orange street.
Hauser was killed by the explosion H's
righf leg was torn off at the ankle and
the left leg twisted under him. Charles
Fox, the engineer, although cut ana
bleeding himself, carried the dead man
out OF the building. which was tnen rap
uauser was forty wears Of age and had
wife and two children.
In few moments an immense crowd
r,'t,or snreaI 'nat ,hir,n ~. NOR. ner-
sons in fhe blg hu,ld,ng had been killed.
IN was some limo ha,o,a Tho noI,ce anil
iiremen could aliav the prevailtng excite
r,ena rauseJ ~ M r,,,,o'. anJ ass,,r,
The neonie that hnf ono ,,nfortmnaie Tad
Iost his life IN mo disaster
'oT1 Thare m ro n m sronIeve uo ss he h,ls,nr IN
ali nfty men. and an OF these. including
fnr fnr "e'p'esS '''"'e'' nave ''e' "'e''''s'
The superintendent OF the building.
Mr. DensIow who personaOy knows
arary ono ~ apv wav connectsa will A.
is anthorttv Tor ihis statement' The first
great explosion was followed by the
mino, ones b,It the denart,nent had then
pot we'll. to work and bv II ~, m. fire
xvas ,,ndar controi and MI danger nassed
,,.hn los. a. xi.s, ss, 49,
~. 80 80 80 ,,,,na,in, ~ tha r,.tns shoxs~a
-, 49,. 80 - ,...., 80 rfo-rc,
,nat .. 4. loo', asvu io,,s' r amu h,r,o;
sseNens; aseu t"en'y -o.e, ~. VIZ and
10 death. IL is salu tnat iogl anu
stevens, potn empioyen py r. y. o"''
remaine'' peninu 10 ioch salc a"o ,ser se
cure soiae Naiuapie papsrs; ooos sn 49,
,ne ny pionc "a ,a IA 70 watt n
., sne w,'uow ahu iad,,"r ua,,iJ he sent nm
,iioi'ient anu ,au"vs n',,.t e,ot son,,,
Iie a.sweIe" 'n"t ~, ,,a sshro,si,'g
lnv'e ', a,,ns3 ,s LII W. ,,an, a,,av frnm the
~ ,ia,o so' fio ,Nas ,,ot so"n aeain How
rars Tdn,'om ,,o, bis ,a,a a. No, known but was
to',.a ,,a,,r near AZ, Stevcns
iort,n rhuo W. syo,rs s" a,tar tno nra vas unacr
,o,,.'., ,,D notlos ~ Toof md Stevcna
controi the pou,es " ioo' r,,u u., nN,,"s
were Lounu y ,ne ~ ee,,,,,,,,on an. rera
were Vulheu ueyo,'. ~ ,nc,,,a ,s,tns
lgen,liieu oi,s oS rien''s a., ,,e ~ npcLsts
oi mn, S,olii,ns 1 VI a pdp ,n,,,roncas ",e % fol.
lno io'a'' "'"
lows; ,-, ... .s s.ra-
f.nsiisn * MI sim, vaIe r,ss, s.'r,,ranre rr'
yas ware hrst noor' 'oae ''o'o''' ''''''
Frank l.. fhieear, oDpihs inarniniss'
second foor' ioss, |'"V"' ihsuraheo'