Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-04

oil, on the trestle which crosses Williams
burg avenue at the gas works The tanks
for the storage Of the oil stand below and
a short distance from the trestle. and
are fenced in with a high board fence.
to keep carelessly-throW own tches and
other fire away from them.
Statements made at the Coroner's In
quest show that McCau1ey found on OPP
ening the valve at the bottom Of the tank
that he could not control the dow Of oil.
which poured through 1T heas three-inch
valve and showered down upon the
ground After he had done all within
his power to stop the flow, McCau1ey
came to the office for help. Wakefield
was sent to help him.
The two men tried to connect the car
and the pipe to the tanks below, but the
flow of oil was so strong that they failed.
Then McCauley came down from the
trestle and went for MIR. W. J. Mays, the
foreman of the works. Wakefield was
left standing on the trestle at one side Of
the tank.
McCauley and Mr. Mays came back to-
gether. Mr.. Mays had reached the tres
tie and was almost directly under the
tank, and McCauley was near nir1, when
a great flame shot from the mouth Of
the culvert at their very feet, and with q
deafening roar leaped up to and through
the tank car, which was open at valve
and dome. with oil still pouring from it.
The shock was terrific. Foreman May
was thrown against the fence around the
OF! tanks, while McCauley was blown
twenty or thirty feet. Buck Wake
field was hurled from the trestle In a
mass OF fame and was burned beyond re-
cognition. His body was found in the
creek which ran into the cuivert.
The fire which followed the explosion
was picturesque in the extreme. Had it
occurred at night, it would have been
awe-inspiring in its beauty; for the mass
OF smoke which poured from the tank
dome was wrapped about by writhing
tongues of vivid flames, that twisted and
whirled in rolls and rings q hundred feet
above the car.
Great daring was displayed by the gas
works men at that fire, and spectators
held their breath while Superintendent
Knowles and Foreman Mays and his men
stood upon the naptha tanks with fire
all around them. It was nerve; but those
| men looked upon it simply as their duty.
SO they did 1t.
The distribution Of gas is not without
its dangers. Men are frequently over
come by the fumes of gas while making
service connections from the mains. Thus
far none have died from the i'll effects OF
such experiences, but many. sick hours
have followed in the wake of the breath
ing of too much gas.
One OF the narrowest escapes OF the
distribution department was that OF
Messrs. Joseph E. Batkins and Ned"
Sweetnlan at the Spottswood Hotel fire,
December %, 1910.
These men were at this time assistant
inspectors, and among their duties was
that Of attending all fires and saving the
city's meters whenever possible.
The alarm from the hotel rang In at
2 O'Clock in the morning Batkins and
Sweetman met on the street on. their way
uI, town. Arriving at the hotel, they
first removed the sixry-l1ght meter Just
inside the front entrance. After carrying
It across the street they went back to the
alley in the rear of the hotel and entered
the cellar to save the two big meters un-
der the front sidewalk. Sweetman was
trying to cut out a meter when terrific
crash came. The hotel floors had fall
len, and at the rear Of the building had
come through to the cellars. blocking the
{egress of these two men with wall OF
|zragings fire. Above their heads was a
grating Of heavy iron. @irnnovab1e so far
.ass their efforts went. Behind them was
the fire drawing toward them with awful
rap idity.
Climbing upon his companions should
sers, Sweetman reached his hand through
the grating, and, moving It as hest he
could, yelled for help. Almost niracu-
lcusly someone heard him. a crow bar
was brought into service. the grating was
lifted and the men were taken to a place
OF safety. Within three minutes and a
half the front wall OF the hotel had fall
len, and the spot where Batkins ard
sweetmans had stood was buried under
tons Of brick. rs
The men who effected this rescue were
John w. johnson and s.zeke" Lowry OF
the gas department. and Policemen
Buck Angle and Clineley.
Viewing the question moro from the
point Of common sense than from that Of
any knowledge OF the art OF gas making.
nothing can explain the comparatively
slight loss OF life In the city plant. but
tleayery evident fact OF intellix gent man