The record-union., 1896-01-22

chinfst Was Experimenting With
Acetylene Gas-Four Men Killed
Fire at st. Louis-The Building and
Contents Destroyed, Causing a Loss
of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars.
NEW HAVEN (Conn.), Jan. 21.-The
building on Crown street, opposite
Orange, occupied by English & Mer-
| sick and two other firms, was de-
stroyed by fire this morning. which
started from an explosion. Three lives
were lost.
The dead: Joseph C. Hauser, machin-
ist, aged 3S; ]. T. Toof, aged 40; Har-
bona Stevens, aged IL
About 1890 o'clock this morning
Frank P. Phlegar, Sr., a machine job
ber was experimenting with acetylene
gas in his shop on the second floor of
the building. Around him were a corps
Of assistants, and it is said that Mr..
! Phlegar was working upon some sort
of regulator to control the delivery Of
the gas from steel cylinders in which it
! is kept under high pressure, sometimes
as high as 1000 pounds to the square
| inch.
| Definite knowledge as to the condi-
| tions of the experiment cannot be had,
since the Phlegars positively refuse to
| talk tonight beyond acknowled ging
the experiment. 1t is known that when
| the explosion occurred the Phlegars
| father and son. and five men were
working about a cylinder of the gas.
One of the men, Joseph Hauser, a tool
maker, was killed by the explosion. His
| right leg was torn off at the ankle, and
the left leg horribly twisted. Charles
Fox, an engineer, himself cut and bleed
| ing, carried Hausers body out of the
building, which was then rapidly being
enveloped in flames. Frank Phlegar,
Sr.. was burned and cut
The force of the explosion tore down
the ceiling, and when the department
came, and before water was put on the
fire which resulted, a second explosion
was heard. This was doubtless caused
by small tube of the gas.
When the explosion occurred there
were fifty people in the building, and
mad rush to escape occurred. Happily,
all of the employees escaped except the
three mentioned. 1t is said that Toof
and Stevens, both employed by E. J.
Toof, remained behind to lock a safe
and secure some valuable papers.
Soon after the fire broke out Stevens
was seen at the window, and was told
to wait moment and ladder would be
sent up. He answered that he would
get some things from his desk, and,
throwing out some books, went away
from the window. He was not seen
again. How Toof met his fate is.4nGA
known, but he was found near Mr..
Stevens body.
It was not until 2:30 o'clock that the
bodies of Toof and Stevens were found
by the firemen. who were then clearing
away the debris. Both bodies were
burned beyond recognition, and were
identified only by means Of peculiari-
ties of clothes and papers in the pockets.
The losses and insurance are as fol-
lows: English & Mersick, carriages and
hardware, first floor, loss, $4,000, in.
surance, S3S, 900; Frank P. Phlegar, job
bing machinery, second floor, loss, $780,
600, insurance, $4,000; Edwin ]. Toof,
sewing machine attachments, third
floor, loss, $4,000, insurance, $4,000
The building was valued at $4,000, and
is insured for that sum. 1t is altogether
within the bounds of possibility that all
of the insurance policies may be subject
TO contest, and, indeed, may be invali-
dated. 1t seems that the insurance
companies regard acetylene gas and the
materials which enter into its manufac-
ture in the same light Is they do gaso-
line, and do not permit the gas to be
made or used in any insured building
without a special permit. The insur-
ance agents who placed the policies on
the burned building said tonight that
no such permits had been issued by
them.
Hauser and Toof were married and
leave families.
FATAL FIRE AT ST. LOUIS.
ST. LOUIS. Jan. PLAT 10 o'clock to-
ing 415 North Broadway, occupied by A.
S Aloe & Co.. opticians.
The rear of the building abuts on
ten-foot alley and through this alley
runs a mass of electric wires, which
rendered the work of the firemen diff
cult and hazardous. Three men were
shocked into insensl5ility by contact
with wires, and Foreman Hynes of an
engine company fell from ladder and
was seriously injured. Twenty-Five
streams Of water were poured ineffect-
ua1Iy upon the blaze.
While the salvage corps was COVERING
show cases on the second floor, the floor
collapsed and went to the basement.
Four of the salvage men are in the
ruins, and there is no hope of rescuing
them alive. They are in the center of
the building, covered with wreckage
and heavy packing cases. Cries for help
grew fainter as time passed and at II
clock they had ceased. Their names
are: Refine Miller, James Roddy, John
Glenville and Harry Kirley.
While the firemen were working to
save their unfortunate comrades the
FIRE took a new start, and the rescue was
for the time abandoned. The stock was
the most complete of its character in the
West, and the loss will be fully 5000, ,000
Insurance is ample Adjoining business
houses suffered considerably from wa
ter and smoke.
B. Aloe, a member of the firm, was
married this evening in Philadelphia
ARMY ORDERS.
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