The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-17
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

OF Natural Gas in One Of the Vaults
Of the State Auditors omcs-Four
Badly Burped-will Hasten the
Electric Plant.
Special Dispatch to the IntcllisenceE
CHARLESTON. W. Va, May 1s-As
a result o, an explosion of natural gas
in the auditors office at the capitol this
morning at $3.50 O'Clock, in one Of the
vaults used for the preservation of
papers, H. H. Ballard, one Of the clerks
is badly burned, as also are three othas
citizens OF Monroe county, who were
accompanying Mr.. Ballard on tour Of
sightseeing in that department.
Sheriff c. E. Lynch. of Monroe coun-
", accompanied by Messrs. e. II.
shanklin, OF Union, and C. A. Keadle
and L. e. Jeter. both Of Ptckaway.
same county. called at the auditors
office. Sheriff Lynch was on official
business, while the other gentlement
called TO pay a visit to Mr., Ballard, who
is also from Monroe county. While the
sheriff was transaeting his business
with Clerk Phillips, Mr.. Ballard took
the other gentlemen in charge and pro
ceeded to show them the office.
Went to the Record Vault.
Accompanied by his friends he went
to the record vault for the purpose Of
showing them the new files for the pre-
servation of the records. He unlocked
the big door to the vault, opened 1t AMI
Just as he stepped In lighted natural
with which 10 ignite a Jet OF natural
gas. The explosion took place in an
instant. A blue flame rushed out of the
entrance and with the 1t came the forms
OF Mr.. Ballard and his visitors. They
were hurled against heavy bookcase
that faced the entrance to the vault,
and fell in heap. The other attaches
OF the office were not slow in dlvinlng
the cause of the explosion.
When they had recovered their pres
ence OF mind there was rush OF thoS:
in the office to the rescue of the unfor-
Inmates and Mr.. Ballard and his COM
panIons were soon in the hands of their
friends and on the way to the hospitals
of the city for Immediate relief, NJ.
Ballard Is badly burned about tho face
and head and his hands are a mass OF
scorches. Mr.. Shanklln is burned In the
same manner and about as badly. The
others are injured to about the same ex-
tent. although tt is not thought ;se'7
hands are as badly burned.
Terrible Force Of Explosion.
The force Of the explosion tore out the
swinging doors OF the entrance, blew
out a glass in the transom over the door
that opens into the toilet, burned and
sInged a long row of record books d.
rectIy in front Of the entrance to the
vault and shook up the building geneF-
ally.
The cause OF the explosion Is not Diff
cult Of solution. The gas in the vault
usually remains lighted in the day time
for the purpose Of afrordlng light for
the employees or visitors who may de-
sire access to the records kept there. 1t
was lighted yesterday. When the force
goes of duty at 6 o'clock the Office is
turned over to the janltors for the puT-
pose OF being cleaned up and closed
The light in the vault was left burning
and the door Of the vault closed. The
light continued to burn In the vault I'M
III all the oxygen was consumed and
then went out, but the flow Of gas OF
course, continued. When the door was
opened by Mr.. Ballard this morning