The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-15
DANGER Is PAST.
Victims of FireCistern Explosion
Expected to Recover.
Also Stated That j. f. Snyder
Will Not Lose Eyesight.
ISSUES A WARNING.
Chief Wilmarth Will Have All
Gas Leaks Inspected.
"DOn't Hunt for Gas With a
Match-Call a Fireman.

The condition of the six men who
were severely burned by an explosion
of gas in the fire cistern near Seventh
street and Kansas avenue Tuesday
morning, is favorable to a quick re-
covery and the hopes expressed by
physicians in charge this afternoon
are optimistic in the extreme.
Street Commissioner J. Frank Sny
der, who vas declared in critical
condition oy the physicians last night,
is resting comfortably today. Through
a thorough examination of his body
and his eyes by specialists it is found
that, although he was terribly burned,
the chances for a complete recovery of
eyesight and health are good. His
body around the abdomen is not burn
ed so badly as first reports stated and
the internal injuries which would nat
urally arise from such burns are not
expected.
The best eye specialists in Topeka
made a tn trough examination of his
eyes this morning and they agreed on
the diagnosis. The lower part of the
eye is burned until it blurrs badly but
the pupil is in good shape. and MI.
Snyder was able to see dimly this
afternoon lie is still unable to recog-
nize anyone but can see the shadow
of an object. Excellent care is being
| taken and the physicians report most
favorably.
G. b. Fenson, a member of the
street force, is as badly burned as Mr..
Snyder. His condition may be con-
| sidered more serious than that of his
superior. His body is burned from the
| top of the head to the waist. He says
| nothing and although he endures his
pain without any expression 1t Is
| known that he is suffering horribly.
Engineer E. L. Robinson of the fire
department is getting along nicely and
is able to sleep He spent good
| through an explosion before and he
was able to use his mind in falling
| into the water and as result he re-
ceived burns only on the exposed
parts He is in better condition than
The other three men, A. T. Potts,
Jake Dice and Charles Winburn OF
| the street department. are in the best
of spirits. They are all in the same
| been laughing and joking all day
about their experiences during the
| few minutes that their lives were en-
dangered. They have a greeting for
three men to make the best of ad-
verse circumstances they are doing 1t.
| Their burns are dressed carefully and
| in their ward they look like mass
of ages--theirs heads. bodies and
arms one complete ball Of cotton
strips They appreciate the fact that
they look like snow balls and "jolly''
| one another over the fact. To listen
to their spirits one would never think
| that "a hours before they were fight
| their victory.
Cause Is Mystery.
| The cause of the explosion is still a
mystery. But it is freely expressed
| that Street Commissioner Snyder did
not strike a match to light cigar
| in, n iS
state that his action in wiping off his
glasses was mistaken for the lighting
of a match.
"Mr Snyder always wipes his glass
| his trousers said one man this
morning. "This motion represents
the lighting of a match and I am sure
that there is where the mistake was
made and it was thought that he had
attempted to light his cigar. Mr..
snyder is accustomed to wiping his
glasses in this manner and to those
who know him well the action is a
part of his makeup"
Mr.. Snyder does not know that. he
| had been blamed for lighting match
| and causing the explosion. This fact
/ is not revealed to him thinking that it
may worry him and thus hinder his
recovery to a certain extent.
81 asked him what he was doing
when the explosion occurred" said
told me that he was wiping his
glasses. This is enough to convince
me that <he did not strike a match.
| From what I know of Frank Snyder
am sure that he would never make
such foolish move as to light
cigar. And he told me what he was
doing when the accident occurred
and that is enough to convince me
that he was not preparing to smoke.
I can hardly see how he could light
! h ic ole OF
same time.
| Again" continued the mayor. ''his
glasses were of the kind that hook
| back over the ears and the condition
of his eyes would show that his
| glasses We're not on when the explo-
| sion took place. His glasses would
have served to protect them. Mr..
| Snyder is a most cautious man and to
| think. that he would strike a match
| in this hole is out of the question"
/ Upon examination of Mr.. Snyder's
1 cigar case it was found that it was
/ empty. City Engineer Fulton who
/ made the discovery asked one of the
| street foremen if Mr.. Snyder was
smoking ten minutes before when he
i left him at the car line. He stated
| that he wasn't. This would go to
{; prove said the city engineer. that
Frank could not have smoked be-
tween that time and when he entered
/ the cistern."
/ cause was undoubtedly from the
contact between the pick and the
hard cement wall.
i Investigations at Once.
4 Mayor Green stated this afternoon
!, that an investigation would be started
at once to determine the condition of
the leaking gas mains in this city. It
is conceded to be true, as stated by
the State Journal Monday evening,
\ that the soil underneath the business
section of the city is filled with escap-
4 ing gas
Il 1t is noticeable everywhere. 1t is the
/ intention of the city officials to have
/ the cistern examined at once and trace
/ down the leakage to the gas main. II
/ was reported at the city hall this
\ morning that not long ago the gas main