The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-17
FATAL .Gls MPlasIoK


The Aoetylene gas plant at the New
Federal building exploded yesterday after :
noon and John ]. Cooper received injuries
from which he died at the Delaware Hos
pital shortly before 7o'clock. How the
explosion occurred will mover. BIO known as
Cooper was the only person who could
throw any light on the subject.
Engineer Mcintyre has been attending
to tho charging Of tho plant, which fur
nishes the light for the building He had
gone to his supper about ten minutcs be.
fore the accident.
Cooper was the elevator tender at the
building and was q general favorite with
all tho attaches Of the building. ~,
He told Engineer Mcintyre that he
would keep an eye 10 the plant until his
return from supper.
simultaneously with the explosion of the
plant clouds of black smoke rolled out of
the windows and crowd gathered around
the building
George W. Sasse was engaged In sorting
his mail In the post office at the time of
the explosion. He dashed immediately to
the cellar and through the dense smoke
began an Investigation.
While making the Investigation q second
explosion took place. This caused all the
lights in the building to be extinguished.
Sasso crawled around on his bands aud
knees and eventually found the body of
young Cooper. Ho was carried to tho
door and willing hands carried the almost
lifeless body to the grass nearby. DR..
Shortlidge. DR.. Jones and Dr. Belts
were summoned and they ordered his re-
moyal to the Delaware Hospital, where he
died without gaining consciousness soon
after being admitted. His skull was
fractured and one arm broken.
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
~.
young Cooper lost his life can only be sur
missed. 1t is considered that he was in
the act of putting tho carbide calcium in
to the generator. The theory for this is
that the clamp of the generator was found
lying at the foot Of the ladder, which
Cooper must have climbed to charge the
same. The tanks contain hundreds OF
cubic feet OF gas.
The gas has been considered as safe as
coal gas. 1t lisa compound Of carbon and
hydrogen. 1t Is generated by means of the
immersion Of carbide OF calcium in water
The carbon in the carbide unites with the
hydrogen In the water to form the gas.
Cooper was employed ut the Federal
building as elevator tender. He was 23
years Of age and n son OF Richard NJ. Cooper
OF Cheswold. He was engaged to be mar.
ried to Miss Eva Carey, Of Cheswold.
The ceremony was to take place Oh next
1uuiouuT uuu arrangements ut1 DeBu
made for going housekeeping in the city.
He was member Of tho Jr. o. U. A. NJ,
at Cheswold and q member of Harrison
Street NJ. E. Church, this city. The en-
| ployes of the Federal building will pur.
chase floral Offering instead of a wedding
| present with the purse which they raised
Collector Of Port Cooper said that the
| young man had no vices and was happy,
| ana general favorite with all hands with
whom he came In contact.
Deputy Coroner Chandler took charge
| OF Tho romans and Coopsrs riends were
notified of the death of tho promising
| young man.
Since the AcGtylene gas has been used
In the building, complaint after complaint
has been made of the disagreeable odor
Arrangements were under way for the re
moval Of the plant from the cellar to out
of doors A thorough investigation OF the
matter will DO made by the custodian Of
the building and tho Acctylcne Company.
=, The Acety!ene generator at tho new
Federal building was manufactured in
Washington, d. G, and not by +. A. Nit.
chell, OF this city.