Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-12-01
DEATH FROM GASOLINE FUMES.

The steamer Trenton, which arrived
at this port yesterday evening and the
Wakefield which reached here later re-
norted that colored youth named
Joseph Porter, known as "Culpepor,
about is years old, living on Franklin
street. had died from inhaling gasoline
fumes on the power boat Frank N.
phill;ns at Somerset Beach Tuesday
NIGHT and Mr.. Cecil Hufty, Of this
citv and two colored men named
Wallace Brown and Logan Smith,
were in critical condition from the
same cause.
About 10 O'Clock last night relief
party left this city in the powerboat
Mae. The party was composed OF
Leslie NJ. Spinney, of Kensington, Nd,
with whom Mr. Hufty is engaged in the
railroad tie brokerage business; Council
man F. c. Spinks, Frank NJ. Hamil-
ton, Frank Dixon and A. c. Hullngs,
the owner Of the Mae. They reached
Somerset Beach early this morning.
The Phillips, a 50-feet gasoline boat,
was chartered by Mr.. Hufty Tuesday to
tow the barge Hercules, loaded with
ties, from Somerset Beach to Alexan-
dria. Accompanied by Douglas Ram
saw. the owner OF the boat; Norman
Davis, q youth, who acted as mate, and
four negro laborers, Logan Smith, Wal
lace Brown, Richard Carter and
Joseph Porter, Mr.. Hufty left this
port late Tuesday night, and the party
is supposed to have tied up at the Som
erset Beach wharf early yesterday
morning. Mr.. Ramsay and young
Davis we're sleeping in an upper cabin,
and thus escaped the deadly fumes.
Ramsay and Davis were awakened by
the odor OF gasoline. They soon learned
the condition OF affairs in the lower
cabin, rushed in and dragged the
sleepers out on deck, where desperate
efforts we're made to revive them.
Porter never regained consciousness
and soon expired.
It is said that it was customary Tor
the men to sleep in chairs in the en-
CINE room on the boat and they hither-
TO bad mover experienced any unfavor-
able symptoms from breathing the
slight odor of gasoline which was al
ways present.
Tuesday night, however, the gasoline
tank was either left open or leak
must have developed. 1t is probable
the three men breathed the fumes
throughout the major portion Of the
night.
Capt. William Davis, OF the Wake
field. states that while bis boat was at
the beach he made hurried inyestl-
CATION. Porter was sitting in chair.
where he had evidently fallen asleep,
and others of the party were using
emergency remedies on Mr.. Hufty and
on Brown and Smith, the two colored
men who had been overcome by the
fumes. The men would have been
placed aboard the Wakefield and
brought to Alexandria, but It was hop
ed that physician would arrive at the
scoue at any moment, and it was deem
ed advisable to leave them at the beach.
Mr.. c.. B. Marshall at 7 O'Clock this
morning received telephone messages
from Mr.. Spinks and Mr.. Spinney'
who had proceeded overland to
King George Courthouse. They stated
that Mr.. Hufty was conscious
at 4 O'Clock, and had recognized
Mr.. Spinney, although his condition
was critical. Mr.. Marshall communi-
Gated with DIR. Powell and he and Mrs.
Hufty left here this morning for Somer-
set Beach.
Mr.. Huity is brother OF Malcolm
Hufty and Lawrence Huity, attorneys
Of Washington, and grandson Of the
late Henry l.. Simpson, of this city.