The Portland daily press., 1897-03-08
BOSTON'S FEAR.
Thursdays Calamity May Be Duplica-
ted.
Such an Explosion Had Been Long Dread
ed-Workmen Warned to Report Any
Smell of Gas,

ed-WOrkmen Warned TO Report ANY
Smell of Gas.
Boston, Mass, March 6.-Miss Geor-
giana II. Bates of 10 Arlington street,
who was injured in the gas explosion
Thursday, died at her home at l O'Clock
this morning. She is the eighth vic i'm
to die
Miss Georgiana Bates, with her sister,
Miss A. Matilda Bates, were in Coach
man DelaDo Fl. Sibley's carriage at the
time OF the accident. The carriage was
hurled into the air, and Miss Matilda
Bates and Driver Sibley were instantly
killed.
Miss Georgiana Bates was seriously
hurt but. was not thought to be in dam
ger. She was treated In a store near by
tho accident and then sent to her home.
B. h. Sargent, aged 54 years, Gied at
As o'clock at the Emergency hospital
He lived at 1918 Washington street, and
was driver of the Back Bay car. His
skull was fractured, and his condition
was pronounced hopeless by the physic-
ians.
william Maybour, 28 years ole, living
at II St. Charles street, who was SO Sc
| verely injured at the explosion on Thurs
day, died at the Emergency hospital at
o'clock Friday afternoon. The injuries
which caused his death were a compound
fracture of the jaw and fracture OF the
base of the skull.
Paul Hackett, conductor of the Mt.
Auburn car, who had both legs fractured
and received scalp wound, was reported
this morning by the Emergency hospital
to be out Of danger.
Talks with ex-Chief Engineer Carson
of the subway and several of the en-
ployees Of the gas company, the city en-
gineer's Office and the Metropolitan Con-
struction company, bring out the fact
that unless there is continual and most
careful inspection Of the whole line of
the subway, there is no logical reason
why another explosion just as bad as
that Of Thursday may not take place at
any time. There are six or eight differ
ent places along the line of the work
where the conditions are exactly the same
az they were at the corner of Boylston
and fremont streets, the only difference
being the added danger given in some
places by the presence between the SUBJ
way roof and the planking of more and
larger gas mains than there were at the
scene Of the late exposion. At all these
places are large open spaces where the
gas can collect, and as they are covered
with planking, the gas can he set of by
the flash from a oar-motor, just as was
the case on Thursday. Until the work
in these places is completed and they are
filled in, there is only one safeguard
which will prevent another explosion,
and that is constant and rigid super
vision Of the whole line Of the subway
by inspectors, and immediate investiga-
ton Of any smell Of gas. Most of the men
seen today agreed that it would not be
possible for another explosion to take
place unless the smell of gas were per-
ceptible in the street, as, owing to the
ease with which it could pass up through
the plank coverings. no very large body
of gas could collect in the cavities with
out enough ooming up into the streets to
cause decided odor. The interesting
part of this is that such an odor is con-
finally noticed at the different places
along the line Of the subway, and in
spections and repairs have continually to
be made There was another leak yes
terday near the fremont building, which
was quickly repaired, and at 1l.30 this
morning it was found that the gas WIS
leaking again at the corner of fremont
and Boylston streets, and that the whole
cellar of the Hotel Touraine WAS filed
with gas. There also have been frequent
leaks at the head of Hanover street, and
also on Washington street, although the
worst two places have always been at the
corner of Boylston and fremont streets
and the corner of School and fremont
streets.
Perhaps the most appalling part OF the
whole affair is that the possibility of
such an explosion as the one which oc-
CURED Thursday afternoon has been fore
seen and guarded against for months,
both by the gas company and the SUBJ
way and construction people. Tho men
at work on the subway have instructions
to instantly report any smell Of gas to
headquarters, and thes gas company has,
besides its regular staff of inspectors, a
special man who duty it is to look out
for leaks along the line of the subway.
In spite of these precautions, however,
the explosion took place, and. If they are
not increased, there is no reason why
there may not be another disaster. There
is no question that there have been leaks
along the line of the subway, and that
these leaks may increase, as did un-
doubtedly the ono where the explosion
took place, is easily within the hounds of
probab ability
One condition which is not likely to
exist again, however, is the time taken
by the gas company in attending to
complaints. By its own published report,
it was nearly three-quarters OF an hour
from the time of notification to the time
of the explosion, ana although none OF
the employees of the company would adj
NIT that it had been at fault in this in
stance. it is not likely that the same
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