Evening star., 1902-01-06
HOME BA0L LYWRECkED
Steam Heater Rnplodes in Residence
Of Mr.. Beale R. Howard.
some NARROW ESCAPES FROM DEATH
Loss Estimated to Be Several
Thousands of Dollars.
BUTLER SERIOUSLY INJURED

| By the explosion Of steam heater in the
residence of Mr. Beale R. Howard, at 141O
10th street northwest, yesterday, much
damage was done to the interior of the
building. The butler, William Foegus, was
SO badly scalded that he is in a critical con-
dition at the Emergency Hospital, and ten
persons who were In the house at the
time had narrow escapes from instant
DEATH That there was not loss of life
seems miraculous. The financial loss will
amount to several thousand dollars, and it
Will likely require several months to place
the building again in readiness for occu-
pancy.
The heater which exploded was in use for
the first time. Mr.. Howard had left the
building only short while before to paw
visit to his uncle, Mr.. F. A. Richardson,
VINO lives few blocks away on Vermont
avenue. MIS- Howard and two of the
children were in an upper room with Miss
M May Adams, Mrs. Howard's sister, who was
III win severe cold. ten-year-old
uaughter was in the room adjoining the
reception room, on the first floor the latter
OF OF Which was Immediately above the heater
me iofce OF the explosion knocked her
from her feet. but she was uninjured.
Noise Heard Several blocks Away,
The noise of the explosion was heard sew
erai blocks away. John Herbert, coachman
Henry E. Pellew, who lives around
IL er from Mr.. Howard's, was the first
person to reach the house, and he rushed
within to the assistance of the occupants.
Carl McEiroy, son of John McElroy, edi-
tor OF the National Tribune, who lives ad-
joining Mr.. Howard, was sitting at dining
room window. He saw the steam and smoke
issuing from the basement windows and
neard the noise of the breaking glass.
Bareheaded. he rushed without, and scaling
high wall that separates the yards, rushed
into the kitchen, the smoke in which was
by this time so dense as to be almost blind
ing He heard the groans Of the butler, and
1t was by the greatest effort that he felt his
way along and reached his side.
Attracts a Large Crowd.
Within a few minutes a large crowd had
gathered in front of the house. Mrs How
ard, her sister, Miss Adams, and the chill
dren, servants and maids were assisted to
the homes of neighbors. They were great
ly shocked, and in almost a state of col
lapse. Later they were taken to the home
OF Mr.. Richardson, where they will remain
with Mr.. Howard until the partially de-
molished home can be placed In readiness
for occupancy.
From basement to attic the house was
filled with steam and smoke, which poured
forth in huge volumes from the window.
that had been broken by the explosion.
There was great excitement in the crowd
without. Some one turned in fire alarm,
and engine company No. responded. TIE
firemen by quick work averted what might
have been anserious conffagration.
The patrol wagon from the third pra
cinct police station was summoned and
the butler, writhing in pain, was hurried
to the hospital. fNot only was he badly
burned and scalded, but the force Of the
flying fragments had knocked him % the
n mo and loo
ationS. 3 %
The Ruin Wrought.
The firemen set about, after the occu-
pants had been taken care of, to ascertain
the cause of the explosion. 1t was dis
covered the boiler and heating apparatus
were completely blown to pieces. The base
ment was wrecked from end to end Every
thing movable was displaced or destroyed,
and the partitions were blown out. Dl-
rectly over the place where the boiler
stood a great hole was torn in the first
floor
The interior of the house this morning
presented spectacle that was anything
but pleasing to Mr. Howard and the many
friends who called to assure him of their
sympathy and to congratulate him that
none of his family had been killed. With
the explosion, smoke and steam had burst
through the first floor, carrying splinters,
nails and portions of the scantling toward
the ceiling.
China and rich cut glassware Were shaken
from the closets and smashed Pictures fell
from the walls, statuettes were broken, the
windows and glass doors We're wrecked, and
a glass skylight on the fifth floor was shat
tered. The piano was partially overturned,
and everything was in a mfXed-up condi-
tion The furniture and decorations through
out were badly damaged by the smoke and
steam, and will have to be completely over
hauled Or replaced.
At the Emergency Hospital this afternoon
the doctors who are attending Foegus said
that he was in an exceedingly critical con-
dition, although not in any immediate dam
ger Of dying. He was delirious throughout
the night and part of today, and has been
in no condition to tell his story of how the
accident happened.
Inspector VermiIIion's Views.
District Inspector Of Boilers e. F. ver-
million Is of the opinion that steam plants
of the nature Of that In the home of Mr.
Howard do not come under his jurisdiction,
and that, in fact, no provision is made for
an inspection Of low-pressure boilers. In
the act of Congress approved January 2s
1887, which created the office he holds, 1t
was expressly stated that boilers without
inspirators pumps or injectors are not to
be inspected.
The cIogging of the safety valves of boil
ers is a danger that Mr.. vermillion believes
should be watched carefully. The safety
valve is a vent for the steam when it reach
es pressure that would render the boiler
unsafe and the plunger that fits into the
vent should always set loosely in It's socket.
1t is a common occurrence, he says, for this
pIunger to become rusted into the socket,
and as a result it will stand greater pres
sure than the boiler itself, and when the
steam reaches certain point something
has to give away.
In Probate Court.
The will Of Magnus F. T. Rudenstein,
dated June 20, 1886. has been filed for pro-
bate. His estate is left to his wife, Mar
garet Rudenstein
By the terms of the will of William Ii.
Parker, which has been filed for probate,
beauests as follows are made: To his chill
dren, Margaret sos Robinson, George X.
parlar w TnNusend Parker Cha rles Cola