The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-12-08

Mrs. anna Miller Narrowly Escapes In
jury by Bursting Of a Gas Plant


An automatic gas plant, whose
mechanism failed to work the very
first time the gas generating carbides
were placed in its r%etort, supplied the
motive force for an explosion which
partially wrecked the st. Nicholas
hotel at the corner of Myers and First
street about 4:3o o'clock last Saturday
afternoon. The defamation resembled
in its intensity the discharge Of a large
quantity of giant powder, and the
shock was felt in all portions of the
city. Windows were shattered for a
radius of several blocks in the vicinity
of the explosion, and that no one was
killed or seriously injured is little short
of a miracle. Several people were
struck by flying timbers and portions
of the dismantled plant but in every
instance the wounds sustained were of
minor import.
Mrs. Anna l.. Miller, owner of the
hotel, purchased the gas machine in San
Francisco several weeks ago and was
preparing to utilize it for the first time
when it registered its objections in the
manner mentioned. The machine with
the internal attachments usually asso-
ciated with explosions in darkest Rus
STA, was evolved by one j. b. Colt, and
bore his name, but it is understood that
there is no connection between the Colt
of gas plant notoriety and the Colt of
firearms fame, suggestions to the con
tIary notwithstanding.
The defect which led up to Satur-
days accident will probably never he
ascertained as there is not enough of
the plant left by which to get a line On
the internal dissensian that wrought
its ruin. 1t appears probable, however,
that it had its origin in neglect to con-
meet the automatic appliance with the
valve that shuts off the supply Of l.
Eliminating fluid from the ometer after
a certain pressure has been established,
and to failure to open the stop cocks
on the burners in the various apart
ments of the house as a means Of free
ing the pipes of air before completely
hning the ometer. AS a result, the
rapidly generating gas flowed un-
checked into the latter and being IN
able to force its way through the pipes
ag;rIst the more powerful air current
was forced back into the ometer until
it burst under the pressure.
The truth of the foregoing deduc-
tions are apparently borne out by the
incidents connected with the charging
of the generator. Early in the after
noon Mrs. Miller t~elephoned to the
agent, requesting that a man familiar
with the mechanism of the plant be
sent down to charge and explain its
workings to her. About 4:30 o'clock
William Prior arrived at the hotel and
in company with Mrs. Miller and David
Moule, the gas filter, repaired to the
little room built on to the east side of
the building, where the plant was in
stalled. Prior proceeded to fill the
generator with carbides, using therefor
a large basin. Five times he emptieI
the contents of the receptacle into the
~retort and then poured in a large guam
|tity of water. The gas was Immediate
ly generated so rapidly that for a time
the pipe leading into the ometer was
unable to carry off the vapor and as a
result the gas sought an outlet at the
point of least resistance, which then
happened to be the unlidded top of the
generator. Forcing its way back, it
drove the water and the partially dis
solved carbide crystals, bubbling and
foaming, out of the generator, a condi-
ton that prevailed until the remaining
gas was transmitted to the ometer,
when normal conditions re-asserted
themselves. Prior then screwed the led
down on the generator tank and startei
away.
Mrs. Miller and Moule entered the
house for the purpose of igniting the
gas in one of the rooms, the one nearest
to the point where the plant was
located. The light burned freely, due
probably to the fact that the air had
been compressed at a spot farther dis
tant from the gas machine, and then
entered room 3 and ignited the gas
there. 1t burned for a moment and
then went out. Moule fastened TO
ward the plant, being followed more
slowly by Mrs. Miller. just as ne
reached the southeast corner of the
building the ometer blew up.
His clothing was torn in shreds by
the force of the conclusion and a piece
of flying timber struck him in the face
inficting a slight wound. Messrs. Me
Lean and Dunkle, the former a carpeo-
ter and the latter a paper hanger IN
the employ of Mrs. Miller, were also
slightly hurt, but the latter escaped
unscathed. The wall at the north end
of the structure was partially demol-
ished and the stairway leading to the
upper story was completely blown
away. The entire building was badly
shaken by the explosion and to repair
it entails an expense Of nearly $1,000.
The St. Nicholas is a two-story adobe
and frame building containing 46
rooms, the upper story having just been
completed at a cost of $4,000. Every
room is rented and had the accident
occurred at a later hour, when the oc-
cupants were preparing to retire for
the night, the effects of the explosion
would have doubtless been much more
serious. A contract has already been
let for repairing the structure and
calls for The completion of the work
at a date not later than 10 days from
last Saturday. Mrs. Miller estimates