Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-04-05
FATAL EXPLOSION
ON RIVER STREET.
ACETYLENE GAS WRECKS BUILDING
AT CORNER OF MARTIN, AND
INJURIES TWO.
JOSEPH HEMETA is DEAD.
Terrific, Conclusion Blows Windows in
Neighboring Houses to
Pieces.

MILWAUKEE, Wis, April 1.-[Spe-
cial. l--Joseph Hemeta, 314S Center street
was killed and Arthur L. Judge was bad
~ injured in an explosion of an acetylene
gas plant in the basement of the building
on the northwest corner of River and
Martin streets at II 80 o'clock this morn
ing. The building which is a one-story
structure was badly damaged, the entire
front and side being demolished.
Explosion in Light Works.
The explosion occurred in the offices of
the Avery Portable Lighting company
which occupies the basement of the
building. Hemeta and Judge were with
occurred and were terribly burned. They
were taken to the Emergency hospital.
Chauffeur Cut by Glass.
John Harrison, Isaac Anderson and
Arthur Kaester were in the office at the
time, Harrison being slightly injured
and the other two escaping unhurt. T.
c.. Avery, the proprietor of the estab-
lishment was standing on the sidewalk
with his chauffeur, Herbert White, who
was struck by flying glass and cut about
the head and arms.
w
cupied by THE Bonanza" saloon. W..
A. Wepeer, Max Guhl and the bartender,
Charles Specs, were the only ones in the
place when the explosion happened, all
but Specs escaping uninjured. Specs
was slightly hurt.
Conclusion Heard for Blocks.
The explosion could be heard for
blocks, and the conclusion in the neigh
borhood was so great that large win
dows in the buildings across the street
were shattered. Witnesses state that a
huge sheet of flame swept across Mar
tin street
The fixtures in the saloon and all of
the furniture were practically demol-
ished. The offices of the lighting com,
pany below were also wrecked
Men Blown Through Windows.
Specs and Wepser were blown through
one of the windows by the force OF the
explosion. Specs ran back into the base
ment, and, with several others, assisted
in rescuing Hemeta and Judge whose
clothing had caught fire.
An examination of Hemeta's injuries
this noon showed that he had no chance
of recovery while little hope was enter
tanned for Judge.
Used Torch on Tank.
By some mistake or in ignorance
Hemeta had taken up a charged acety-
lene tank and was using blast torch on
it. The gas became heated and rose to
a tremendous pressure. When the tank
could stand no more it burst and Hemeta
who was bending over it was badly
crushed and burned. He was thrown
with great violence against the east
wall of the building, and Arthur Judge
who was also working near the east end
of the building within a few feet OF
Hemeta was thrown against the north
wall.
Supt. John Harrison was working IN
the middle of the basement and the force
of the explosion carried him for fifty feet
against the wall. Harrison Immediate
" turned his attention to his companions
and, rushing over, found them both ly-
ing on the floor with their clothes mass
of flames. He tried to extingulsh the
flames and reach the door with one OF
the men, but boxes, wires and other rub
bish had been blown against the door
and he could not get out. His left mana
was badly burned while trying to eX-
tinguish the flames.
Judge Pinned in Corner.
Judge was pinned in one corner near
the basement entrance on River street
by timbers and wire and his clothes were
almost entirely burned off his body be-
fore help from the outside could reach
him. -,
George Duffy, known as Young
Duffy, a pugilist, Charles Specs, the bar
tender who with Max Guhl were blown
out through the front of the building,
Immediately rushed to the aid OF the men
in the basement and with Z. w. Seefeld,
a passer-by, they succeeded after strug-
gle in breaking aside the barrier in front
of the door and carried Judge outside
where a police ambulance was waiting.
Hemeta was also taken to patrol Wags
on and hurried to the Emergency nos
pital.
The entire force of the explosion was
expended along the front Of the building
and very little fire followed. The ire
department arrived on the scene and the
fremen under the direction of Chief
Clancy helped in carrying the men to
che patrol wagons.
Building Owned by Dr.. Lang.
Hundreds of charged tanks lay in the
basement within ten feet of the place
where the tank exploded, but none OF
them was moved.
The building which is owned by DR..
Lang, Walnut street, is damaged to the
extent of $500.
''Thousands of our tanks are in use
and we never had an explosion" said
p G. Avery. ''And the accident
could only have occurred through gross
carelessness on the part of Hemeta in di-
rect disregard of his positive instructions
not to work on loaded tank
Few people were passing at the time,
and no one was near the front of the
building with the exception of Mr.. Avery
and his chauffeur.
Herbert White and John Harrison were
taken to hospital for treatment.