Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-11-01

WAS CALLED OUT - OTHER
BElLLAIRE HAPPENINGS OF YES
TERDAY.
An explosion of natural gas took
place in the boiler house at the Bellaire
steel plant shortly before noon yester-
day, which resulted in six employees,
known as ccal bumpers, being injured,
five painfully and one seriously.
Following are names of the victims,
the first FIVE of whom each received
painful skin burns abount the face and
hands, while the sixth man received
flesh burns about the entire BODY,
which will likely terminate fatally:
Charles GlatZer, residing about three
miles west of Bellaire.
John Murray, of Harrison street, Bell
aire.
Thomas Woodrum, of Harrison street,
Bellaire.
Fred Glatzer, son of Charles Glatzer,
living west of Bellaire.
Barley Conroy, Of the Third ward,
Bellaire.
Austin Bishop, of Noble street, Bell
aire.
The explosion was caused by the gas
leaking from main natural gas pipe
running through the boiler house and
igniting from the fires beneath the bat
terry of boilers Recently the company
had the connecting pipes between the
main pipe and the furnaces taken OUT,
and have since been burning coal. II
is thought that the plug in the pipe
became loosened and flew cut, causing
the leakage. This pipe runs beneath
an elevated track, along which coal IS
brought to the boiler house from the
mine. At the time of the explosion The
six men whose names are given above
were on the trestle engaged in unload-
ing cars full Of coal and dumping the
product at one side of the boiler house.
These men are known as the coal
bumpers A number of men employed
as firemen were working beneath the
trestle at the same time but not one
was burned. That the firemen were
not injured was due to the fact that
the force of the explosion shot upward,
and took this direction on account OF
nearly all the doors and windows OF the
house being open, admitting a current
of air through the building.
The report Of the explosion was
loud one and could be heard for quite
distance in all directions. a large
portion Of the roof, which was of cor
rugated iron, was blown off, which
clearly demonstrates that the eXplo-
SIGN carried considerable force. The
woodwork of the remaining portion OF
the roof Immediately caught fire and
an alarm was sounded, which called
out the entire fire department to the
scene of the disturbance. The firemen
responded promptly. Soon streams Of
water were thrown, aud it required tit
tie time to quench the flames. The
loss by fire was very small.
The injured men were at once taken
into the laboratory of the mill, where
they were attended by Drs. Minesinger
West. Cooper Piper and Boone. After
the necessary medical aid had been rem
dered the men were conveyed to their
respective homes in the mill ambu-
lance, The attending physicians stated
that Charles Glatzer, Murray Wood
rum, Fred Glatzer and Conroy would
recover, as, examinations OF their
wounds showed that the burns
were not deep. Austin Bish
CD. who received the most serious in
JuIlGS, having UCSIl Dui i4CQ al Wv CI lLS
body. with the exception of his stom-
ach, is lying in critical condition. IN
some parts of Mr.. Bishops body the
flesh was burned to the bone. He was
scorched about the face to such an eX
tent as to make him look like an Afri-
can His clothing was burned from MS
body. In fact, each one of the victims
had his clothing more or less badly
burned. DR.. Minesinger stated that
Bishop was more liable to die than to
live.
The iron work of the boiler house
was not damaged to any extent worthy
of mention. However, the repairs,
which, as a result it is necessary 10
make on the building will cause the
plate mill to remain idle fer several
days at least, as the steam supply will
be shut off. A large force Of men were
put to work in making repairs shortly
after the explosion.
While the work Of repairing is going
on the supply of steam will be suffi-
cient, however, to allow the steel plant
proner to be operated as usual
The noise of the explosion attracted
many people to the mill grounds, but
the watchmen at the different Ell
frances. acting in accordance to the
rules of the steel company, prevented
everybody excepting the fremen from
getting on the inside Of the lines
However, a number of people had an
excellent view of the damaged boiler
house from positions which they took
on top Of the big fence which sur
rounds the steel works.
The chief of the Bellaire fire de-
partment, Charles Zimmerman, re
ported last evening that his men had
considerable difficulty in gaining err
trance to the mill grounds, being re-
fused admittance by the watchmen
positively when they first arrived
The chief further stated that while ne
considered it wise to keep back the
rush of curiosity seeking individuals:
at the same time he thought it unwise
in not giving the fremen the right OF
way to the grounds Immediately upcq
their arrival. as the fire might have
gained sufficient Roadway as to have
rendered it impossible TO prevent a con-
siderable destruction of property
BELLAIRE NOTES.
Miss Lulu Mcdonald. of Cleveland.
O., is a guest of her father. Harry Nc