The morning times., 1896-01-30
CORONER ON AciTYLEAE
Testimony Shows That Brass
Valves Cause Explosion.
INVESTIGATION Is ENDED
No Warming Given Valve Manufactur-
ers, Hut They Were Told That the
Dangerous Commodity If Used In
Contact with Brass or Copper.
Especial to The Times.l

New Haven, Conn.. Jan. 29.-Corofler
Mix prac icdliy clos, Il his investigation
| This afternoon into the causes that led to
The acetyIeue explosion in English 6 Mer-
sick's brick buildings in this city one week
ago, by which three men were Killed.
He examiGod Dr. Edwin +. To0f, who
| had the Contract for manufacturing the
valves TOR regulators for the acct ylenc gas
tanks, and whase son. Rev. : I'm Thomas
Toor, was one OF the victims OF the ex-
plosion. --.
DIR. Tuof was making the regulators for
the Acetyicne Gas Company of New York,
| aud he sublet the cpntD:ct TO Pileghar 6
son.
Dr. Toof's testimony began with de-
scripiinn Of mis- visit TO the aceiylenc gas
works in University Place, New York city,
and he told how he observed the great
brightness of the flame when compared
with gas or electricity.
He wcnt into long explanation about
his conversation with some members of
the A cetyiene Gas Company. He was in
New York, ard Mr.. Ieen, representing the
Company, sent a regulator over to his
hotel. and he tclceraphed to Mr.. Pfleghar
to come to New York to make an estimate
upon them.
CONSIDERED HARMLESS.
He agreed to make them, and looked TO
Mr.. Iden for his pay. A tank OF gas was
sent up to make the tests on the regu-
lators December 23. He did not regard
the gas as dangerous.
He added: Il had seen a match applied
to a joint 10 see ii it leaked, and it acted
just as when a match applied Ia a leak
in n pipe uf ordinary gas.
Did you ever see AIR. Iden or MFR. Grimm
touch a match 10 the tank OF pipe?''
Yes. i did. Once. when a part of the
apparatus was not tight enough. l saw
Mr.. Grimm explain why it was not tight,
and he touched a match TO il to locate the
leak ... -..-.l.
Was anything said about the gas forming
illuminate If it came into contact with
copper" he WIS asked.
MIR. Iden told the that the valves must
be made OF steel. I said that those would be
very expeusIvc. that brass or gun metal
would be cheaper. but Mr.. Iden said that tue
chemist ofthe company wanted the valves
made OF steel. as he was afraid that a
chemical combination might form if the
valves were made OF brass
Coroner Mix had to go TO the home of
Frank P. Pfleghar. senior member of the
firm of p Pfleghar & Son. To examine him late
this afternoon. Nr. Pfleghar is too i'll
vet from the injuries received at the ex-
plosion to visit the coroner's office. Mr..
PfleehIr tod the cornoner that it was not
unusual to use lighted matches to locate
leaks, and that he had done so probably
100 times.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
Hauser was perfecting the new valve
made by Pfleghar & Son and had it in
working order, except that II leaked. 1t
was to find this leak that he obtained
the matches a few minutes before the ex-
plnsion. Hauser probably found the leak
and was trying tn tighten it up with a
large monkey wrench.
The new valve was attached to the
cylinder by means of an extra pipe Ieav-
ing the old valve in its place on the top
or one end of the cylinder. 1t was sup
posed that HaHscr neglected to blow out
the flame when he found the leak. as was
customary. Instead he applied the wrench
with such force is to loosen the other valve
and allow Il larger amount Of gas to escape.
This escaping gas came in contact with
the tiny flame from the first leak and
caught fire. As there was but slight
pressure of gas in the tank it permitted
the flame to enter the cylinder and caused
the explosion.