The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-07-20
TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION
Serious Loss of Life.
TROOPS ORDERED OUT FOR THE
PROTECTION OF PROPERTY.
INCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS, SC.

red IN this city since the great contlagraton OF De-
cember, 1888, has spread devastation through
out the lower part of the city. Three hundred
ouadngs according TO the best calculation, hare been
teoetled TO the ground. Most OF them were large
three, four and five story houses, and occupied pn-
cipalIy by importing and other merchants. 1t is a
close estimate 10 set the loss al from foe 10 ten
Siihions Of dollars.
This dreadful fire broke out abou. three o.
clock yesterday morning, al No. 81 New street,
about three doors IRON the corner OF Exchange
Place, in sperm oil store, belonging to J. L.
vandoren II then spread TO chair factory the next
door towards Exchange Place then through to
Broad and 10 the of Exchange Place, where
IL communicated TO abuilding occupied by Nlessrs
Croker and Warren who either had a large GUAM
nty of saltpetre storage, or some worse combus-
tiblc MATERIAL for in fifteen minutes after it caught
fire, the whole blew mp with a tremendous expo-
sion, carrying six or seven buildings with it, and
shaking the whole city like an earthquake The
conclusion was so great to smash more than half
amhon panes OF glass in the neighborhoed TO
the extent of 200 yards distant. Immediately after
the explosion fire was discovered at four different
points showing that the entire block in the rear was
in complete blaze
After this the fire spread down on both sides of
Broad street; thence through to Broadway, taking
both sides OF New street, including the Waverey
House, which Is destroyed then down Broadway
towards the Bowling Green On the other side
II extended to Wall street, and il came near
reaching the magnificent Merchants Exchange be-
fore II could be stopped. Both sides of Exchange
Place between Broad and William streets, and half
way down to William, We're burned. The fire in
Broad street extended TO Beaver, through the latter
10 New street, both sides of which are in ruins
Francis Hart, of Engine Company No
y, standing The roof of the store next to the cor
ner OF Broad street and Exchange Place, when the
explosion occurred, was thrown over the building
upon the very root on which he had been standing.
10 the opposite side Of the street. and escaped on his
feet, scarcely injured. He was missing for about an
hour, and il was feared he had persisted but he ap-
peared again among his companions, with but a
slight injury in of his ANGLES, which had in The
IN the interim, been bound up. The engine and the
men working her. blown, by the explosion,
nearly across the street and she was finally burntup
Report stated that some of the company had
been killed, but we are glad 10 state that mons
appear TO be missing. There were large num-
Der of strangers and others on the spot, and ii
IS feared some of them have been buried be
explosion, the foreman of p, foreseeing The perl
Gus condition of the men, surrounded by fire, so
that no human frame could withstand the heat. and
with danger,rom which escape appeared impossible.
ordered them to retire. and before they had time TO
move their engine, the walls fell They left Just 10
tune 10 escape with their lives. As far as car
be known other member of that com
pany seriously injured. The engine was buried
under the wall This is one Of the most narrow es
capes ever heard OF.
II is said that there were two explosions which &C.
cured during the early stages of the fire. one Of
which was undoubtedly the explosion of the reser
voir of gas in New street. The effects of this cx-
poson to be in several parts of the CITY N
the neighborhood of the fire wherever Gas nine
opens near window, there the glass is in MANY in
stances, broken by the shock On the bursting ofthe
reservoir, the whole air was filled with mass OF
living fame, which in few instants attached itse
In various places to the surrounding buildings, and
from this circumstance, mainly, it was that the
fire extended itself with so much rapidity.-
i was supposed that many lives had been lost B,
this terrible explosion. As the streets and houses
near by,were filed with fircmen and citizens il was
painfully expected that many had been sacrificed 10
the wickedness OF storing large quantities OF saltpe
n. IN
the heart of the city.
About o'clock the Waverey House was in
flames, and all the building in the rear as far as New
street, and spread from thence with great rapidity
down through the whole block, to Beaver street !.
iron thence IT traversed across 10 Broad street al
both sides, and we regret TO say that in all prob
abillt some lives have been sacrificed About This
time & TO five o'clock) the Empire Fire Comp
ny had been 1T work from the commencement in
the rear OF the Waverley House. and il appears thai
MI. Augustus Cowdry. lawyer, was holding the
pipe q the hose IN of the buildings which
reaches from New Broad street-iust nj this mo-
ment an explosion took place. from the fact Of 4
quantity OF sapetre and powder being stored in The
warehouse MI. =: was IN, when the whole building
was tne twlnkiins OF an eye,as level as the street
and Nr =. was from that moment missed and has
not since been heard of. There is scarcely any
doubt but ne persisted in the explosion
Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Edward Johnson. who had
been staying at the Waverey Hotel. were dreadG,lv
mangied IN trying to escape with their clothes IN he
opposite side OF the street they had once left the
houce with part OF their things and returned second
time, when they were STONED by The flames az H.
main stairs, and all chance of ESCAPE for son,e ~,
Inents appeared cut Oft but in few minutes af,er
wards, ny the assistance of n ladder got down from,
,iie SECOND story bnt not until they had been much
burned, and Mr.. Johnson's shoulder dreadfulv ,nan
gied from the falling Of a beam ~
member OF the Southwark Fire Coy,no,,, y
Diown;at me time OF the explosion upwards III t,ven
~ a uown ,nrongh Exchange street. and Others
Intact; nearly half The fire department sea,, -
have suffered Between and g O'clock TWO Ere.
men wero brought INTO K. Il. Days wine and sn;r
warehouse, one OF them fireman. and the o,bor :
man who had been employed in the 6ui dino - o
houses adjoining; both Of them had received -.
we're COMMISSIONS from the falling of the house ado;e
ing the new buildings at tic corner of Mark ei6eld
street the fireman has been taken 10 the Uoen,,ai
but the man who was a mason has since d,od aj
taken to his friends who reside in South Brooklvn
From the Atlantic Garden, up as far as ConriIand,
street. furniture beds, bedding and in fact all sorts
OF wearing apparel, are strewn along the sidewalk
-children and mothers lying about the streets.
maI,cnng whatever property may have been saved:
ana those who have been more fortunate in the
a ,n have shared their houses and every
.rnlng IN lneir power with the sufferers Opposite TO
Trinity ohurch blockade has been erected which
IS guarded oy strong force of military, ~ nreven,