The Washington herald., 1911-11-06
PLUMBER ROASTED
In GAS EXPLOSION
William Artz Dies as Result
of Injuries.

Drenched with chemicals when a
large acetylene gas tank exploded in
the rear of the West Washington Hotel
1898 Wisconsin avenue northwest, shortly
after noon yesterday, William Artz, q
plumber. Of 2S21 N street northwest, was
practically burned alive. He died from
his injuries several hours later at George
town University Hospital Joseph
Schladt, proprietor of the hostelry, in
heroic effort to beat out the flames
that enveloped Artz, was also badly
burned. He is in a critical condition.
Mr.. Schladt is severely burned on the
hands and body. Should his injuries
prove to be OF an external nature only,
he physician says he has a good chance
to recover.
Present at the deathbed of Artz when
the end came was his thirteen-year-old
son Walter. Throughout the hours that
elapsed when the dying man was taken
10 the hospital until his death, the boy
waited, and questioned physicians at in
tervals regarding his parents condition.
In each instance the doctors told the boy
his father was improving.
Cause of Accident.
A plumbers torch held in Artz's hand
is supposed to have come in contact with
the contents OF the tank and caused the
explosion. When the tank exploded, sew
eral heavy pieces of lumber and metal
tore a large hole in the roof Of the
shed that housed the gas receptacle. Fire
followed the explosion, catching on to the
adjoining shed and the paint shop Of
Samuel Klein, just OF Wisconsin avenue
and N street.
With the explosion Artz was hurled
to the other side OF the shed. In a sec
ond he was a mass of flames. The blow
evidently stunned him, but the pain of
the fire eating into his flesh revived
him to consciousness, and he made
vain efforts to beat out the flames
standing near by, rushed to the injured
mechanics side. In another second
both men were veritable human torches.
Catching hold of the blazing and pros
trate form of the plumber, Schladt
dragged him into a rear yard. Then, be-
fore he could further his effort to ex-
tinguish the flames which enveloped
Artz. he succumbed himself to the pain
of the fire and fell PROSTATE beside the
body of the man he would save.
Son Saves Father.
Joseph Schladt, son Of hotel proprietor,
reached the scene and. seeing his faith
er and Artz lying on the ground. en-
shrouded in flames, grabbed a fire ex-
tinguisher and put out the flames.
which by this time had burned practi>
caIly all the clothing from the body Of
Artz and from his father.
Miss Elizabeth Schladt, a daughter of
the hotelkeeper's, turned In an alarm of
fire. Friends carried the bodies of the
two injured men to a rear porch outside
the hostelry while the firemen fought the
blaze. When taken from the hotel in
the patrol Of the Seventh precinct every
hair had been burned from Arts head,
and flesh dropped. from his arms and
body where the fire had eaten its way
through his clothing and roasted him.
He was conscious, however, until he
reached the hospital. He lived until 40
o'clock, just little more than four hours
after the explosion occurred.
Artz is survived by a wife and two
children. Mrs. Artz and her daughter are
in Pittsburg, and were notified Of the
death of the husband and father last
night by telegraph. Walter, the son Of
the victim, was at his fathers bedside
when the end came and is prostrated by
grief.