The San Francisco call., 1897-03-30
FROZEN ALCOHOL EXPL0DES.
fifteen Amateur Scientists Experiment
With a New Discovery With
Startling Results.

NEW YORK, n. Y, March 29.-Fifteen
men-lawyers, bankers and merchants
residing on Upper West Side, who are in
the habit of meeting in the Hotel Endi-
cott, at Elghty-frst street and Colum bus
avenue, 10 discuss scientific problems,
were the victims of q peculiar explosion
that occurred there on Saturday night
during the progress Of one Of their expert
ments, the details of which leaked out
yesterday. The object that exploded was
q common tumbler half flied with frozen
alcohol, to which one of the gentlemen
appl ed a match, with the result that
three doctors in the immediate neighbor-
hood were called in and spent three hours
IN extracting particles of glass from the
anatomies of the experimenters, three OF
whom were SO severely Ill iured that they
were confined to their homes yesterday.
secret compound discovered by
Charles Il. TripIer, a chemist and in
ventor, was the remote cause of the
strange disaster. Tripler had been ex-
perimenting for some time with the OBJ
Iect of obtaining an inexpensive and salts
factory freezing mixture, which when
exposed to the air would produce an ex-
ceedingly low temperature by rapid
evaporation.
Tripler had just succeeded in finding
what be has been SO long searching for,
and learning of his success the coterIe
of amateur scientists, ali OF whom are
his personal friends, asked him to give
an exhibition of mis- powers. Tripler
accordingly brought some of it to the
Endicott on Saturday. Some of the
liquid was poured upon bread, which
Immediately froze solid, then into a
glass of whisky, which Immediately con-
alal n H. IL Il
cohol, with the same result. The alcohol
had been frozen and Tippler stepped to
the other side OF the cafe to explain the
action of the mixture to several friends.
Fifteen or twenty gen lemen gathered
around r. ]. Dean, president of cold
storage company, VINO was testing the
irigidlty of the alcohol. All Of the freeZ-
ing compound had evaporated, leaving the
alcohol mass OF ice in the bottom OF the
glass. As 1t began 10 melt Dean struck a
match and held ii to the alcohol to see if
1t retained its infammable properties.
Instantly there was a vivid flash OF
white fame, followed by loud explosion
that sounded like the discharge of small
cannon, and the men around the ia BILE
staggered, blinded and dazed, in all uirec-
tions, bleeding from numerous wounds
on their bodies, hands and faces, caused
by the flying bits of glass which were
hurled with terrific force all around the
room. Dean narrowly escaped losing his
sight. Fortunately none of the glass
entered his eyes, but the muscles were
strained and his face was covered with
small cuts. Every one in the room re-
ceIved some OF the flying particles OF glass
and was cut and bruised.
In discussing the cause of the explosion
last night Trpler said it was puzzle to
him, as the chemical compound was per-
fectly harmless In itself. Tripler intends
to follow up the matter and find, II possi-
bic, just what caused the explosion. Per-
haps discovery of great Importance to
science will result from the accidental ex-
rloSi0n