Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-23

| or GaHomoters were shut OILY one waa
about full of gas and the other was
! from a quarter to u third full. The
| flow OF the water for flushing createil a
! vacuum, which caused the air TO enter
the generator.
IL would like to explain that aoety-
lene gas ia no more eSllusive than any
other illuminating gas. When ans
| illuminating UHs mixaH with air it
forms combination which is expusivo
when brought into contact with flame.
There is clsar proof that this co.
ploson was inside OF the generator. The
| generator ia constructed nf No. 20 gal
! vanizeh iron and is strongly riveted,
and the manner in which the cover
was torn OH and bent IN is proof that
| tho explosion was within the generator.
| The cause was mixture 0f gus aud air
and contact 10 some manner with Au
| artificial light. The iron disc which
coyered the manhole was coyered with
blood and hair, and il probably etruci
Mr.. Courer ami prnlureh the fntal
wound. The explosion evidently threw
the dis, up, with the result statnd.
1.-THE first explosion was confined in
the small space in the generator and
waa violent and distinguished a few
| lights. The secoEd explosion was not
| 10 confined space. There were about
! $50 feet OF gas 10 tho gasumetor. and
had that exploited it would have neon
much more violent than the first,
whereas it was much lighter. II was
outaido the holder, in the hasement
room. One of the gasomeiers hal been
slightly ruptured by au object thrown
| by the explosion in tho generator.
Some gas bad escaped from the rupture
| and WINS in TIM room, whore 1t mixed
with air, and the combination coming
| in contact with artificial light eX-
ploded.
"1here was no carbide in the
generator at tho time, hut preparation
was evidently being made to place 1T
| therein. The carbide ia delivered at
the building in full cans, and there
was tue same quantity of Carbide On
| hand alter the accident az before,
showing that the supply had been IN
| disturbed.
. Before charging tho generator it is
desirable that the crate should be
clear OF limo ami residus, and possibly
Mr.. Cooper struck match and looked
in, after removing tho cover. TO sec il
| the CRATE waa clear. With the removal
|
generator was such as to produce an
explosion when brought in contact
with flame.
In reply TO questions Major Turner
said that Mr.. Cooper had not been EN-
| ployed by him and be did not know
until after the accident that Mr..
Cooper had ever had anything TO do
with the apparatus. He said he had
contracted With the government for tue
lighting Of the building for year anil
that the contract would not expire
until next July. lie never considered
that the company was obliged TO take
| care OF or handle the machinery. The
company had agreed to deliver 80 much
carbide week az the building at a
stated price. lie had given the plant
bis supervision, however, from the
time when it wos first in operation.
| Engineer Mctntire had been louking
after the plant for the company, at Mr..
Turner's request, but the Federal
officials had never been requested to
! formally take charge Of it.
When asked il leak could have pro-
duced the explosion, Mr.. Turner eaid
enough gas might escape from leak TO
produce an expulsion, but, on account
OF the odor OF the gas the smallest leak
could be readily detected, and he was
positive that this accident was not due
to any loak He stated that there was
light in the basement at tns time,
but the explosion could not have re-
suited from that light, which was
about Is feet away from the generator.
He firmly believed that the light was
| inside the generator He stated that
there wers no defects In the apparatus,
but it had been decided, on account OF
the oAor 70 place it in building out.
side the Federal building, on tine adj
| inining grounds He had obtained per
mission from the Treasury officials
short time before the accident and had
partially completed arrangements for
moving and improving the plant. He
said surplus OF carbide IN the genera
tor could not have caused the explosion.
John B. Whitehead, who has been
looking after the interests of the uon
tractors, in this city, oorrohoruted
Major Turner's statement that o car.
hide had been placed in the generator
| just prior to tue accident.
Howard Il. Pyle, who was familiar
with the plant, stated that he had OK
amined it Immediately after the explo-
sion and found that the watsr valve
and outlet into the sewer were open,
showing that the generator was being
flushed. lie shut both valves. He
also found the valve in the pipe lead
ing from the generator to the gasome-
ters closed. lie gave othor testimony
In which he corrOborated Major Turner
and Mr. Whitehead. All three of the
witnesses agreed that there were only
about three Or four feet OF gas in the
generator at the time of the explosion
and that, as the cover was Off, it was
not confined; also, that it would natur-
ally burn out after the explosion.
Engineer William McIntire detailed
his knowledge of the accident. He was
positive there were no leaks about the
tanks. He asserted also that Mr. Cooper
had charged the generator many times
and was familiar with 1t.
Guorge W. Sasse, b-letter. carrier.
who moved Mr.. Cooper from the huid-
ing after he had bUen injured, told
what happened after the expulsion. lie
is entitled to great deal uf credit for
bravely facing danger ami, at the peril
young Cooner. His sworn statement.
which was corroborated by others, ie.
moves all doubt that he is entitled to
the credit. Ho said that Immediately
after the first explosion no ran from
the postoiiice to the basement. lie met
Sub-carrier Gosin, who Expressed fear
OF another explosion. lie saw flames
coming out OF tho generator and saw
the second explosion, He then got the
hose out. but it was not long enough. A
man, whom he did not recognize, told
him there was man in the basement,
whnreunon he ran tn Ninth and Oranpe