The sun., 1904-04-18
GAS ENDANGERED THOUSANDS.
FLOW CEASED IN MT. VERNON
AND STARTED AGAIN.
Many Families We're AsIeep-POlice and
Fire Departments PatrO,ied the
Streets waking People, Fire whistles
Blew and Church Bells Rang an Alarm.

MOUNT VERNON, n. Y. April 17.-An
accident happened to the West Chester
Lighting Companys plant. which furnishes
gas to Mount Vernon and Pelham, and
throughout these places the flow OF gas
stopped for two minutes tonight and then
started again. pouring it's poisonous fumes
into many homes where people were asleep.
The accident happened shortly after 10
o'clock.
The police department has been turned
into a rescuing party and the members
are busy at work making a house to house
canvass arousing the people. sergt. Grant
had Chief Angevine of the fire department
order the fire whistles to be blown and the
fire bells rung to help to arouse the people.
The whistles and bells are doing their
work, but when one thinks that Mount
Vernon is a suburban city Of $4,000 in
habitants, and that most of the people
retire on Sunday evenings before 10 o'clock.
there is no telling what the result will be-
The city covers a territory OF dozen
square miles. and it will be almost impossl-
BILE to reach all the people before morning.
Church bells will be tolled probably all
night.
The New York Telephone Company
has Joined in the rescue work and is calling
it's subscribers to get up and turn of their
gas and to tell their neighbors Of the acci-
dent
Citizens are running from house to house,
warning the people of the accident. Mayor
Brush. when he learned tho seriousness
of the situation. ordered a general fire alarm,
and all the hose, engine and hook and ladder
companies are patrolling the streets.
Reports of the escape OF q number OF
persons who happened to wake up just in
time to smell gas are beginning to reach
the police. Names and addresses are un-
attainable.
Mrs. William II. Martens, wife of one OF
tho wealthiest residents of the city, tele-
phoned TO Sergt. Grant that she woke
up and found the house filed with gas.
The family Of Albert Buckley was over
come Several other families are reported
by the police to have narrowly escaped
asphyxiation,
President Frank A. Stratton of the light =
ing company said at II o'clock tonight
that he hadn't heard of a single death.
and didn t think there would be any. Mr..
Stratton said that the company had its
twenty-five employees out in Mount Vernon
and Pelham to notify subscribers to shut
Of the gas.
The employees Of the company have cut
of the gas supply and Mr.. Stratton says
it won't be turned on until noon tomorrow
to prevent any possibility Of further danger
"The accident said Mr.. Stratton, was
caused by the breaking OF one Of the big
valves rsar the Seventh avenue supply
station, This caused the gas to go of
for about two minutes. which put out many
Of the lights in the city. When we found
that the break was 30 serious We imme-
diatey cut OF all the gas in Mount Vernon
and Pelham and sent men out to warn our
consumers.
.The accident was one which could not
be anticipated or avoided and was not due
to any negligence on the part OF the COM
pany or any of its employees. am salts
fed that what little gas is in the pipes is
not sufficient to harm any one. Still, every
precaution is being taken"
Mr.. Stratton explained that the valve
closed automatically when it broke, and
after two minutes opened automatically
When the employees found it open they
shut 1t for good.