The morning times., 1896-01-31
He Thinks the Cata 1t rophe shows
Tint the Stuff Should Not He
Hundied save In II Building Apart
From Others-lt Undoubtedly EX-
ploded From Match Flame.
. SPECIAL TO The Times.


Elliott street. New Haven. Conn, and was
a machinist In the employ of F. l.. Pfteghar
X Son, manufacturers of tools and hard
ware spcci,lties, ~ Crown street.
''Pfleghar X Son ;nr several weeks prior
10 January 81, 1896. rad been making gas
regulators for T.. J. Toof, a mechanical IN
yeutur, who had an office ON the same floor
UI The building i'll which PilegEar Y Son ;
workshop was located. IL was intended To
use The regulators 10 regulate the TOW OF
gas Ia ii came from the cylinders III which
1t was stored to the burners.
GOT A NEW CYLINDER
Some Of the regulators had been rer-
reC;ed and were working satisfact orily,
when it was discovered ,ha, on account Of
nu, la wing sufficient gas 80 enable them ~
get high pressure to test these regulators
a new cylinder uf gas was required. and
thcrcupou a new cylinder containing acct
yienc was received into the factory and at
tached To- The regulator and its connections.
MIR. Toof had previously determined 20
make a new top valve Tor the cylinders
In addition 10 the regulators which he had
perfected. This new valve was being
made by Pflcghar X son, under Mr. TuoTs
direction. and while Prlcghir Il son had
the supervision of the same, Joseph c.
Hauscr was doing the actual WORK.
He had been working ON tais valve for
about two weeks, testing il nearly every
day for Il week or so. and using the
old cylinder, which mad been set aside on
account OF its reduced pressure. TO make
his tests.
His mode of testing The valTc 20 d,'-
ternine whether IL was lcaEing, was by
ignitinG match and applying it around
or about the connections. Tnis lie did
repeatedly. rs did others also. VINO were
Interested in the work.
ION Monday morning, January 90,
1896, the morning pgior 20 the explosion,
,hc new valve was hcing tested andfOundtu
bc still leaking, whcreupon Hausrr again
TOOK IL off and workcdupon it 81 his lathe.
He was told 10y his foreman. MIR. krap,
and also by Mr.. Pfcghar, ST., 10 continue
at the work of peTfocting this waive ana
therefore it seems quite certain that Hauser
was working on the valve on Tuesday morn
ing. January II, 1896.
THEN THE EXPLOSION.
While hc WAS working thus an explosion
OF the cylinder containing the gas OC-
CURED, and the conclusion from The rx-
plosion killed Mr.. Hauscr instantly. and
thr gas, escaping from the cylinder. hecunI-
( ing ignitcd. severely burned several OF the
wors,nen, and SET fire TO thc building in
which Pfleghar x Sons Workshops were
located. g.
rom the evidence, aH or the opinion
that Mr. Hauser was working on the new
valve on Tuesday morning prior to and at
the time of the explosion, and that he at
teInptcd (without the assistance OF anyone,
10 attach the new valve upon the old
cylinder. for The reason that Il piece OF
the pipe belonging TO the old cylinder Is
found broken off IN the new valve.
The new valve was piece OF metal
weighing from ten 10 twelve pounds. and
was so constructed that great force could
be used with a large wrench If IL was
desired oforce itu iOH the pipe icading from
the Old waive. In ms opinion, HauScr, in
applying the new waive 10 the Old cylinder
on Tuesday forenoon. did II alone. ana that
in forcing the new valveupon The horizontal
pipe leading from the old valve so that there
would he no leak. he ruptured or broke off
the pipe leading from the Old valve.
'.in my opinion lie had put the new waive
on the pipe leading from the old valve
rs far as he thought il necessary, ana
thercupon he turned on the gas from the
cylinder through the old valve, into the
connections between the new and the ola
valves, and that re was testing these con-
nee tons Ia sec IL there was any leak at the
time. when the explosion occurred
USED LIGHTED MATCH.
..I believe he was doing this with
., -asc for a leakage OF gas; that hc found
a small leak, which he permitted 20 burn.
surprising that by further turn OF the
wrench he could force the new valve upon
the pipe leading from the Old valve so
firmly as TO stop the leak. i am OF the
opinion that in order to properly put such
a heavy piece of metal as the new valve
is made of, upon the end OF the pipe ieadnE
from the old valve. 1t would require one
60 IN.
valve on to the end of the pipe, ana
another person with a counter wrench upon
the coupling between the two valves to
keep the pipe steady and prevent IT from
being broken off. or to prevent any In
Jury to the old valve.
"I am Of the opinion that instead or
doing this, and by reason OF his not using
i,.. c,i,nier wrench. ne broke OF rupturcd
the pipe, and the valve being opened TO
The cylinder the gas escaped with great
force iCniting. of course. at once from the
flame. and prOtiu cling the explosion which
resulted in his death.
81 find that Joseph c. Hauser's death
was caused 10y conclusion, the result OF an
expiosiou. said explosion occurring as
herein detailed.
LIABLE To EXPLODE.
"I am or the opinion that when expert
ments are being made with any substance,
whether of this or any other gas gaso-
line or other compounds, which may he
Iiable to explode. such experiments should
be conducted in a room or building separate
and apart from where other people are
situated. and not where other buildings
NAV be in danger from the results OF an
explosion or from fire caused by such ex-
plosion.
lam of the opinion also that an ordinance
should be passed which will prevent the
locating or bringing into the city of any
such substance or compound which may ex-
plode, without notifying the fire marshal
and chief of the fire department of the To-
cation or whereabouts of such substance or
compound. / also find that said death
was not caused by the criminal act omission
or carelessness of any other person or
persons"
The belief in this city tonight is. in
view of the coroner's decision. that the in
surance companies will now have to pay
every dollar of insurance they carried on the
! building and the stock, amounting to about
S1OO 900.