The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-01-22
YESTERDAYS FATAL FIRE
ACETYLENE MAKES Il BIG BLAZE
IN GROWN STREET.


One BuiIding-Three Lives Lost--The
Friends of the Men who Were in the
Burning Building Await Tidings With
Deepest Anxiety-All Accounted for at 10
O'Clock Last EveHing-Insurance Com
panies May Contest the Payment of Pol
icies-Who the Men Were Who Lost
Their Lives.
There has been no such fatality at
any conflagra ton for many years in
this city as attended the fire at the
E. F. Mersick building on Crown street
yesterday. Three young men who had
gone to their work in that building but
few hours before were taken out
charred and lifeless, one by the ex-
plosion of the compound that he was
experimenting with, the others over
come by the heat and smoke while in
the act of putting away the valuable
papers and books belonging to their
flrm before leaving the burning build
ing. Joseph c. Hauser, the expert
menter was carried to the back
room by the hands of his associates,
there to await the action of the coroner.
But it took three long hours of sus-
pense to bring to light the startling
fact that both John H. Toof and Henry
Stevens had perished and fallen beside
the IRON safe that was to protect the
papers.
1t was. 1890 O'Clock a. M when the
alarm was rung in from box 25. The
department responded quickly and
found that the large four-story brick
building occupied by English & Mer-
sick and Frank Pfeghar & Son was
terribly damaged There was some
difficulty in getting all the engines at
work for a few minutes, but the delay
was only momentary, for Chief Ken
nedy and his aids were cool and han
died with great decision the vast throng
of people who had by this time con-
gregated there. The police ssergeants
and their fire squads were at the scene
of the fire and did efficient work. Three
alarms were quickly sounded, calling
out all the fire department.
THE EXPLOSION.
An explosions occurred in the tool
room of P1eghar's shop, which is stu
ated on the third floor of the main
building. Some experiments were be-
ing made in the workings of some ma
chinery designed to control .acetylene
gas.
There We're number of men en-
ployed In the tool room. Joseph c..
Hauser, a machinist of As Elliott street,
Frank Richter, Alexis Krah, foreman
for Pfeghar, James Mcneil, Louis
Richter and Mr.. Pfeghar and his two
sons, were all working about the en-
gine and Hauser and Richter were
right over it when the explosion oc-
Cured. Both were hurled to the cell
ing and one of Hauser's legs was blown
off Hauser was killed instantly Rich
ter was burned somewhat about the
face and head and knocked unconscious
but otherwise was unhurt.
IMMENSE THRONGS OF PEOPLE.
There was a, great fiocking of people
to the scene when the explosion oc-
CURED, and B. III. Douglass, the State
street candy merchant, pulled an aux
iliary to box 25 at the corner of Church
and Crown streets. The department
responded quickly, but before they ar
rived the entire building was in flames
An attempt was made to run a line of
hose up the 'front.' staircase The force
of water from one of the steamers at
first was quite feeble, and while the
men We're running the line UP stairs
there was a second explosion which
forced them back. The effect of this
explosion was to double the volume Of
smoke and flame which was pouring
out of every window. The heat in the
adjoining buildings became intense and
1T looked for moment ais if the Hotel
Mozart on the east, boarding house
on Little Orange street directly south
and the building occupied by the New
Haven Water and Gas companies west
on Crown street were in danger.
A second alarm had been turned in
on the instant of the arrival of the de-
partment and after the second explo-
sion Fire Commissioner Walker, acting
under the direction of Chief Kennedy,
sent in a third alarm, which called all
the available apparatus to the spot
In the rear of the building is large
four-story addition connected with the
lUOi IUOIil ny llle CONSIed pdSSdSeWdy
before referred to. The passageway is
about twenty feet from the ground.
Two streams We're sent into the rear
of the building through this passage
way, two more were sent in at the side
and the streams were also directed on
the roof and in front
EXCITING MOMENTS.
When the first explosion took place
two men were seen standing at win
dow on the third floor, apparently daz-
ed The crowd yelled to them to come
down. They remained where they We're,
however and stopped to pick up some
papers. The crowd became frantic and
finally, after a delay which nearly cost
the men their lives, descended the stair
way to the street not a moment too
soon.
Z. B. Redfield of R. G. Dun & Co. was
crossing Orange street opposite the
building when the explosion came A
man was Immediately ahead of him and
was knocked down. covered with glass.
He picked himself up and disappeared
in the crowd.
At 11:S0 all the occupants of the
building had been accounted for except
a man named Stevens and Toof.
THE FIREMEN FOUGHT GALLANT
LY
The firemen fought gallantly under
the direction of Chief Kennedy. and the