Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-22
GHOST OF GAS

Continued from phge one)
from the neighborhood of the city,
the people advocated that the storage
Of deadly gases near urban commun-
tiles be prohibited. They demanded
the providing Of an adequate supply
of gas masks, accessible for public
use at any time.
Tank Burst
The exact cause of the tragedy was
not established. The gas was in con
tainers in the free port section of the
city when a tank containing eight
cubic meters (2S2 cubic feet) burst.
The lid was forced off and a section
of the corrugated iron roofing was
torn off the building. Experts thought
that an unduly warm atmosphere
caused the deadly gas to burst the
container since phosgene vaporizes at
a relatively low temperature.
Once free, fitful breezes carried
the vapor back and forth across the
district killing man and animal alike
who CHANGED to be in its path. Two
brothers peacefully fishing on the
banks of q canal near the leaking
tank dropped unconscious.
A shift in the wind carried the gas
to a pleasure resort where men, wom-
en- and children, among them q we'd
ding party, were making merry. Some
fell unconscious from their chairs
which were grouped about the table
set for the feast. Promenaders
dropped in terrible agony. Soon tine
cry poison gas" arose and panic
reigned.
City Terror Stricken
The entire section of the city near
the tanks was trror stricken. Po-
lice and troops herded the populace
into the emigrant sheds Of the port.
Motor ambulances rushed the victims
10 hospitals. Firemen and ambulance
attendants, insufficiently protected
by smoke masks, fell in the work of
rescue.
Adequate masks were rushed from
Berlin by airplane and, protected BY
these the firemen got close enough
to the leaky tank to dilute its con-
tents adm empty il into the canal.
Others fought the cloud with water
and ammonia.
Then the rain came and decom-
posed the gas into elements which
the atmosphere might absorb without
harminE the people.
There was mystery a to the exact
status of the chemical firm where
the phosgene gas was stored. II was
believed to be the same firm which
five year ago was granted a permit
BY the ministry Of defense for manu-
f%acture of gas for use by the Russian
government in Samara, the Ukraine.
This firm later went bankrupt and
was taken owe by the ministry OF de.
Tense for liquidation.
Major General Amos A. Fries. chief
Of the chemical warfare service OF
the American war department, said IN
! Washington that none of the gas was
70 have been shipped to the United
states for use Of the American army.
The war department, he said, had
long ago found that it could produce
It's W gas more cheaply than IL
could import il.
General Fries added. however, that
Tor some time Germany has been
Shipping gases to America IN COM
mercial form. Phosgene is used in
dye manufacture after il has been
altered to eliminate its poisonous
qualities.
League Probe Talked
Disclosure that the deadly gas was
stored in Germany set league OF ma
tons circles abuzz. Germany under
the treaty OF Versailles is forbidden
70 either use, manufacture, impor.
or store es~phyxiating poison gases.
There was some talk of an investi-
cation by the league since interallied
control OF German ornaments be-
came the duty Of the league in 1927.
{ investigation 5ould have to be
called for by a member Of the league.
a the league would decide wheth-
er the protest was ju~stifiable, and II
it was, appoint Al investigating CON-
mittee.
Those prominent in league circles
SAID that the tragedy indicated that
the time had arrived when strict cor-
troll ~ III nations snd the league of
the manufacture Of poison gases Wa
necessary.
aH