Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-02
MANAGER DENIES
GIRLS COMPLAINED
Of STORES BOILER
Paxton Is Subjected to Sc
we're Questioning at Nc
Crory Explosion Inquest.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
REFUSED BY WITNESS
Is Unable to Recall Many Details
of Events Preceding
Fatal Blast.

Fatal Blast.
DENYING receipt of complaints against
the hot water boiler which exploded
in McCrory's and 10 cent store No
vember 81, James G. Paxton, store
manager, testified today in the District
coroner's investigation of the blast
which killed six persons and injured a
score more. Paxton was subjected to
severe cross-examination as he refused
point blank to answer some questions
and was unable to recall details of other
information which Coroner j. Ramsey
hewitt tried to get from him.
The explosion presumably resulted
from the explosion of hot-water stor-
age tank located in vault beneath the
sidewalk in front of the store. Six OF
the persons injured died after they had
been removed to Emergency Hospital.
Five of the injured still are confined to
hospitals, while others are recovering at
their homes. The croSS-examination OF
Paxton was conducted by Assistant Cor
poration Counsel Robert E. Lynch and
Assistant United States Attorney VIII
liam H. Collins.
Asked by Coroner hewitt If he had
made any investigation of mis- own TO
determine the cause of the accident,
Paxton refused to answer the question.
Denies Hearing Complaints.
Collins asked if Mrs. Olga v. Ship
ley soda dispenser at the store, who
was injured in the explosion, had ever
complained to him that the water In
. the pipes frequently became too hot and
on numerous occasions clouds OF steam
poured from the pipes at the fountain
/. when the spigotS were opened, nearly
scalding her. Paxton replied that he
plants from any employe. Collins re-
phrased his question, approaching the
subject from several different angles,
but always received negative answer
from the witness.
Had you any way of determining
whether the water in the boiler was
too 'hot?" Collins asked.
"Only by opening the spigots," Pax
ton answered.
did you ever know that the water
from the hot-water pipes was frequently
Of q muddy appearance?"
ut had such an appearance at
times
Did any employee tell you on the
morning of the explosion that excess
water spigot?"
NO
AT this point Lynch took up the
crosS-examination and tried to secure
from Paxton an admission that en-
ployes of the store had been ordered
not to talk to any one about the ex-
plosion. Paxton denied that such orders
had been issued.
Tanks Near Heating Unit.
Questioned as to the physical arrange
rnent of the hot-watsr storage tank,
the auxiliary heater and the main
heating unit, Paxton was unable to re-
call many specific details.
He testified that he had noticed that
IL was slightly cold in the main store
on the day of the explosion and that
he ordered an employe to close the top
door of the furnace, but denied that he
told any one to fire the furnace. He was
questioned at length as to the presence
of carbonating tanks and machinery IN
the vault adjacent to the heating plant
He said there was one carbOnator WIN
in a few feet of the main heating unit
and four or five more in an adjoining
room. The purpose Of this line of in
ouiry was not made clear, but further
testimony of this nature Is expected
from three experts of the United States
Bureau of Standards and Bureau of
Mines, who will take the witness stand
this afternoon.
The possibility that tanks of oxygen
stored under the sidewalk may have
contributed to the fatal explosion also
developed today.
Deputy Fire Chief Phillip w. Nichol-
son was the first witness to take the
stand today. He said he was sitting in
No. IA engine house, on Eighth street
to the rear of the McCrory store, when
he heard the explosion.
Did Not Wait for Alarm.
"When 1 felt the tremor and heard
the noise" he said, Il realized that an
explosion had occurred on Seventh
street. Without waiting for an alarm,
ried to the scene. Steam was rising
from the hole in the sidewalk, and
everything was in a state of confusion.
ordered the men to remove the debris
from the hole so that the people who
had fallen into the pit could be rescued"
He said that he did not smell any gas
escaping from the mains.
Assistant United States District At
torney William H. Collins, who Is repre-
senting District Attorney Leo A. Rover
at the inquest, asked Chief Nicholson If
he had seen an oxygen tank on the
east side of Seventh street. Nicholson
said he had not seen any tank on the
street, but that he had ordered NUM-
Der of such tanks removed from the
vault after the explosion. Collins
pressed him for details as TO the condi-
ton of these tanks, but the witness was
not able to give the desired information
Collins did not reveal what connection,
If any, the tanks had with the explosion,
although he appeared anxious 20 estab-
lish that one of. the tanks was found
across the street after the blast.
Acting Fire Marshal c. O. Achstettel
testified that the hot-water tank which
exploded was rusty and appeared to bt
old He said this tank was used to store
hot water for the building and that il
was not a part of the heating equip
ment. He said there was a small Goa
heater for the boiler which was operated
independently of the main furnace.
coil of pipe ran through the heater Il
he boiler. Mr.. AchStetter testified thu
boiler which exploded was about three
feet in diameter apd five feet six inches
long, The top, which blew of, wa.
welded = the body.
Disorder Is Described.
Detective Sergt. Benjamin C. Kueh
< ling, who was walking up Seventh stree
when the explosion occurred, gave {
description of the resulting disorder
but did not testify as to the probable
cause of the disaster. Similar testi
mony was given by Marcus r. Walker
u. S. M. c., who also said that h
helped several persons escape from tn
elevator shaft He said that he smelle,
the odor of gas in the store.
The coroner is expected to question
three experts from the Bureau of Stan
dards and the Bureau of Mines thi
afternoon. These men have made
thorough examination of the wrecke'
boiler and its appurtenauces, and thei
testimony is expected TO diSclos