Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-14
WITH AWFUL CRASH
Consolidated Gas Co.'S. Big
Tank ColIapses
letting Loose in New York Streets
100000 Gallons Of Water.
Three KiIIei, Many Injured. Contractor and
Companys Chief Engineer Arrested.

NeN ofk, Dec. 13.-The great steel
gas tank OF the Consolidated Gas Co,
at Avenue A and 2Cth street, the larg-
est of its kind in the world. collapsed a,
$50 O'Clock, this afternoon. 1t wen.
down with a crash and roar like a
great explosion. Masonry of granite
blocks and bricks to '.he height Of &c
feet, fell like child's toy house OF
blocks, and 100000 gallons. were let
loose, which deiused The streets and a
10-foot tidal wave carried death and
destruction through the neighborhood.
1t is not known how many We're killed
and injured. The list of injured is
very large. The dead so far recovered
are: Andrew Wendt, workman; p.
Baum, engineer in adjacent factory
John + Gray, Waterman.
The injured are: Catherine O'Con-
nell, four years old, leg fractured,
contusions; Mary Ann O'Connell. badly
iacerated body; Timothy Dunn, con-
Illusions and submersion by water;
Jacob Wagner, general contu-
tusions: William Kane, face lacerated,
general contusions; Charles Quigg, Sc
vertly injured about the fact and body;
Peter Walker. dislocated shoulder.
About u others. so far as has been
learned were injured, more or less Sc
verely or almost drowned.
All of the most severely injured We're
taken to Bellevue hospital James
OConnor, foreman in Fuldiner's fac
tory adjoining, and believed to be in
the basement with Engineer Baum,
who was killed, was missing. George
Bremen and George Winkie are also
missing. Many people were caugh.
in the streets by the rushing waters
and We're hurled hither and thi.her,
receiving injuries of various kinds.
w. j. Logan Of the Logan Iron Works
of Green Point. l.. l., the contractor
who was building the tank, arrived on
the scene within a few minutes, after
the collapse and was placed under ar
rest. VIM. II. Bradley, chief engineer
Of the Consolidated Gas Co., and said
to be jointly responsible for the work
with Contractor Logan, was also placed
under arrest. Both were charged with
homicide and their bail was placed at
$4,000 each.
To make the scene more terrible. the
rushing waters tore up gas mains. de-
sitroyed electric conduits, causing al
most complete darkness. This latter
was partially remedied, hut the gas
supply below Grand street was almost
totally shut off for the night.
The plant of the Consolidated Gas CO.
occupied several blocks i'm the neigh
borhood of Avenue A and Goth street.
On Avenue A, beginning at Goth street,
is the 5-story brick factory of Henry
Fuldiner, manufactures of extension
tables. The other half of the block is
occupied by five story Senements, the
property of the gas company and large
ly tenanted by its employees. Imanedi-
ately back of the factory and tene-
ments was the great steel tank. 11S feet
high. Rising out OF the ground and to
a height of 80 feet was built great
circular wall of granite and brick many
feet in thickness. This was filled with
S,000 600 gallons OF water. The tank
was supported by eight great steel up
rights, PIP feet high.
The water in the pit fitting against
the tank, made it gas tight" A
gang of men We're at work under a
foreman, filling the pit with water to
make the water test"
The tank, with a gas capacity of
8, 600, 600 cubic feet and costing $300,000,
seemed to withstand the test well.
The representatives of the company
and the foreman in charge were con-
graduating themselves upon the sue
cess of the work. The laborers were
to gather up their tools TO
knock off. There Were many people
~ 6fI.
cars We're passing by. Fifty or more
men in Fuldner's factory were finish
ing up their tasks. Then, suddenly,
and without moments warning came
an awful crash. The men below had
time to fly from beneath the
falling walls ere they were picked up
by the mass of rolling water and hurl-
ed hundreds of feet away. Into the
basement, the first and second floors of
factory and tenements, rushed the an
cry flood and with it went death and
destruction. Workmen were shot out
Of the factory windows and carried a
block or more as~if mere straws on
he crest of the flood. Women were
washed of the flats from the first floors
md almost drowned.
sister, Catherine, were seated |
1t the front window on the second floor |
If 1886 Avenue A. A rush of water !
struck them both, smashing through t
he door and carrying them half a
block. Both were terribly injured, the !,
title one perhaps fatally.
Henry Fuldner was carried almost |
o 2lst street. His son was also car
led out of his office by the water, but |
vas caughtin the debris and but. for the |
.rrival of workmen with axes he would |
lave been drowned.
Andrew Wendt, was near the base |
# the tank when it collapsed. He was |
arried away by the rushing waters. |
lis mangled and almost naked body I
vas found against an elevated railroad
,illar at 2lst street and LIST avenue.
more than Il block away.
Hugh Kelley and Thomas Kearney,
boys, We're playing in the
ear of their tenement, No. 3333 Avenue
l. when the flood came upon them.
hey swan around for five minutes Or