The Washington times., 1902-01-06
BOILER EXPLOSION WORKS HAVOC
Continued from First Page.)

ing, and licensed engineer was not re-
Quired.
FOCUS had been entrusted with their
care and had been running one during the
past few weeks while the other one was
undergoing repairs. The work was COM
pleted last week and the steam filter
after showing FOCUS how to operate the
boiler. withdrew.
Saturday night FOCUS asked Mr.. How
and if he should start the fire under the
new boiler, assuring him that he thor
oughly understood its operation. He was
told
'if you are not dead sure of what you
are doing you had better leave it alcne."
The Probable Explanation.
Yesterday morning he undertook the
| starting of the fire under the boiler and
the explosion followed. 1t is believed that
he started the fire thoughtlessly, having
omitted to fill the boiler with water.
| After the boiler was red hot he proba-
| bly, turned jet of cold water into it. 1t
| was like placing a match to a keg OF
| powder
The house rocked to its foundations In
an instant it was filled with escaping
| steam, which rendered the entire building
| unnhabitable
| IloNdiu UeT way 10
| the street in extremely light robes. She
sought shelter in the home of one of the
neighbors nearby.
NefghbOrs to the Rescue.
| DR.. H. b. Deale was passing at the
time with his wife. Hurrying across the
street he endeavvred to enter the build
| ing to rescue those who might be unable
| to get out. He was driven back by the
| steam and dust from falling walls
Mr.. W. W. McConihe was sitting in his
| parlor at 1921 o Street, when ne heard
| the explosion.
Thought President Was Attacked.
The first thing that entered my mind
| was that someone had placed stick of
dynamite under Grace Church, in which
President Roosevelt was worshipng, but
a block away
He hurried from his house to find peo-
pie rushing into Sixteenth Street. In the
crowd were Detectives Helan and Nc
Nance, who had been in the vicinity of
Grace Church at the time of the explosion,
and hurried to determine its cause
Mr. McCOnihe entered the building BY
crawling on his bands and knees he man
aged to reach tie second floor, where he
round Mrs Howar,! at the top of the steps.
Mrs. Howard Rescued.
She was calm, though somewhat be-
wildered. and gladly accepted his assist
ance in reaching the street
She believed that her daughter was still
in the building, and MIR. McConfhe and the
detectives made a thorough search, but
failed to ind her
Later it was discovered that she was in
one OF the adjoining houses, mich to the
relief Of her anxious mother
Meantime Policeman F. b. Owens
reached the house. Fearing fire. he de-
spatched citizen to the corner of
Seventeenth and p Streets northwest. to
pull an alarm from box 2iI. The box was
out OF order, and would not work.
Wires Out of Order.
Surprised at the delay in the arrival of
the iiremen, Policeman Owens. who had
been doing valiant work in the interior
of the wrecked building emerged and ran
TO the corner and endeavored to COM
municate with his station through the
patro! box. This wire also was out of
order
He was compelled to leave the house
unguarGed and at the mercy of any who
might wish to enter, despite the valu-
able nature of its contents while he
sought the use of a private telephone TO
reach his station and the firemen.
When Engine Company No. arrived OH
local alarm they found number of vol
unteers vainly endeavoring TO extricate
Toor FOCUS from beneath 4 pile Of bricks
and mortar. He lay there helpless while
the steam and hot water we're boiling over
him.
The Victim E.tricnted.
call was sent in for the Emergency
f..l
unfortunate man was taken out and placed
ir the patrol wagon of the Third precinct
which had been drawn up in the rear
He was hurried to the Emergency Hos
pital and placed in q boracic acid bath
His sufferings were so intense that he
shrieked and tugged at the attendants in
an uncomfortable endeavor to secure re-
lief. 1t was several hours before he quiet
ed down and relapsed into a comatose
condition.
His sister-Mattie Fogus-was sent for.
ard his wife and child. who live at 1907
K Street northwest. notified
FOCUS was badly scalded about the head,
face. hands, Limbs, and other portions of
the body. and it was feared that he may
have inhaled the live steam or been
otherwise internally injured. The burns I
We're deep and so extremely painful that !
it was impossible TO carefully examine |
He is man of twenty-eight years of |
age, ana his youth and health are the /
only favorable conditions which give the !
physicians hope. DR. Carr WAS al the hos |
pital at the time tie injured man was /
brought in and directed the efforts of the !
house staff.
Police and fircmen Arrive.
At the scene of the accident Sergeant |
Sullivan and the reserves of the bird /
precinct Were quickly on the scene when
word once reached the station. and took
charge of the premises. The firemen ar !
rived shortly aftCTward and worked for
several hours on The wreck.
They declared that portions of the
building We're unsafe. although She outer
walls withstocd :he shock in a remark
able manner. Had tie fire, which started
after the explosion, gained any headway
The delay III sending the alarm would
have doomed the building
Mir. Howard was sent for and reached
The house about noon. He was much
relieved on hearing that the members OF
his family were uphurt, and directed
that everything possible be done for the
relief of his employe, who had been re-
moved to the hospital.
Cocks Remarkable Escape.
One of the most remarkable escapes
was that of the cook who was standing
in the doorway OF ;he kitchen talking to
FOCUS at the time of the explosion.
Debris OF every kind was hurled past
her. and filled the floor OF he kitchen for
a considerable space, but she did not re-
ceiyC q scratch.
She was unable to breathe for what
seemed to her like several minutes how