New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-14

doubt that they used too much pressure III m@A
| ing the water test. The walls would NOT sup
| port It,"
Mr. Logan. the contractor. Win hs wiz A"u
| Charles Roland friend. were on '"en'y
| thirds ferry-boat on their way over 70 s''ena
| theatre when the accident happened VIM"
| crossing Avenue a in his coach Mr. Logan ga"
| the crowds. and stopped Ions enough 10 as"
policeman what was wrong. .
THE big Nineteenth-st. tank 10 blown up
replied the policeman.
What tank do you mean? asked Logan
anXiousy
"The big new one that they're building.
lot Of people is killed" further declared the
policeman.
Mr. Logan Jumped from his cab, and. accom-
panied by the policeman. ran to the scene
'I'm the contractor" he told the policeman as
he hurried along.
Then you're just the man we want. replied
that official. We've been looking all over New
York for you. 1 sorry. sir. but you are
under arrest"
Mr. Logan went with his captor 70 the East
Twenty second-st. station. He was not there
long before detectives appeared with w. H.
Bradley chief engineer OF the gas company. and
said to have been jointly responsible with Mr..
Logan for the work. He had been found IN
his home. at No 90 West Sixty-eighth-st. Both
men were charged with homicide, and their
bail was placed at $4,000. Their bonds were
signed by Adam Weber. a brick manufacturer
in East Fifteenth-st.
When asked what the cause OF the trouble
was, Mr.. Logan said II am sure I cannot tell.
l can't think Of any cause. Wait until daylight
and we will investigate"
Mr.. Bradley said: II cannot imagine what the
difficulty was. We must await daylight and
investigation by the proper authorities. We be-
gan the work Of constructing the tank In April
last. We had hoped TO use 1t In short time"
MANY NARROW ESCAPES
The exciting incidents and escapes were many.
Two little girls who were playing in front of the
table factory were picked up and carried by
the wave that went up Avenue a. and deposited
beyond Twenty second ST. Neither suffered
aside from a severe drenching. They picked
themselves up and scampered to their homes in
Twenty third-st. How they escaped drowning
is mystery.
Timothy Dunn. one Of the injured. washed
down Twentieth-st.. and would have gone into
the river but for truck. against which he was
carried. He badly bruised. but not seriously
hurt
The homes Of the working people on the three
lover floors Of the tencmen:houses were com
Iletely devastated. All of the tenants were
Il reed to remain out OF their homes for the
right. and sought refuge with fr ends. Bricks
and pieces Of steel and lumber and debris OF
oil sorts were carried as far az the Greenpont
ferry. three blocks from, the tank.
John O'Connell. tr.. the son Of the assistant
superintendent Of the gas plant, had an exciting
experience. He was standing at Twenty sec
ond-st. and Avenue A when the tank gave way.
The flood OF water picked him up and carried
him along like so much straw. He IS a good
swimmer. and as a result saved himself from
not only serious injury. but from possible death
He carried along with the tide for three
blocks and finally landed at Nneteenth-st..
where he helped into store, and after
few minutes rest able to start back to
look for the rest Of his family.
All sorts of stories as TO the number of people
killed afoat among the people who live
near the scene Of the trouble. The policemen
and the employees Of the gas company were
equally ignorant of the actual list of the dead
| and wounded and the stereotyped answer Of II
! don't know" was given to all inquiries One po-
| liceman. however. who was duty. said: Il
came by here on car just before the tank COL
| lapsed and at least fifteen the top
of the tanl, a the time, and believe they were
all lost as | Go not how they could have
escaped" When asked for his name and pre-
CinCt the policeman refused TO give them, say
ing that he did not desire to get mixed up In
the affair He and others were positive. how
ever, that until the wreckage had been entirely
cleared away there would be no correct list of
the dead given out
Horace F. Cavity. president Of the Consoli-
dated Gas Company, had just arrived home from
his Office when he received telephone message
acQuaintng him with the fact that a serious
accident had occurred. He at once hurried TO
the scene and superintendent the formation Of
gangs of laborers to dig among the wreckage
for persons who might have been buried
Mr.. Gawtry was seen by Tribune reporter
! about an hour after the tank collapsed He said
| that he utterly unable to explain how the
| accident occurred. The Twenty frst-st plant
supplied the region below Grand-st.. and. though
| no gas exploded. the mains were flooded as the
| result OF the collapse The engineers were or
| dered to turn off the supply Immediately after
the accident. for the reason that. though the
| downtown section could have been supplied with
little delay by connecting the mains with the
| miami I'm Eighteenth-st to do go would not have
been safe. In many business houses 1t was Gus
| tomary TO leave one or more gas jets burning
| throughout the night. These would go out as
| a result Of the flooding of the mains, and to turn
on an additional supply would probably lead to
| numberless accidents. owing to buildings being
| flied with the gas.
There were many pathetic scenes at Bellevue
| Hospital as wives parents and children mace
| anxious inquiry about the injured
The death Of John Gray, the veteran gateman
is peculiarly sad. For ffty-fve years he has
stood faithful guard at the gate OF the plant
| and was known TO every man. woman and child
| in the neighborhood. He leaves three sons:
| Patrick who is sergeant at the East twenty
| sacond-st station: John. a detective sergeant
| connected with the Park Department. ana Den
! mis- ex-warden OF the Ludlow Street Jail. now In
| the soda water business.
| Sergeant Gray was in command Of a part OF