The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-31


The LATE FATAL EXPLOSION AT ALLEGHENY, PA.
The cotton battlng factory belonging to the
Messre. Fife, Of Allegheny City, was destroyed
yesterday, by the explosion OF the steam boiler.
The accident occurred about eleven O'Clock in the
morning. 1t is said there were eighteen persons
IN the building at the time OF the catastrophe, and
II Is supposed egiht or ten were killed and wound
ed. The bursting of the boiler undermined the
furnace stack, and with It came down the walls OF
the whole building, crushing beneath 1t those who
were inslOe.
Among the crushed and mapgled bodies recover
ed, are Miss Elizabeth Stanley; Mr. File, one Of
the propretors; Miss Fife, daughter Of the de-
ceased; and another whose name has not yet been
ascertaned. Mr.. Bell, one of the firm, was killed,
but his body had not been discovered when we
lett fl4 t
Miss Graham, Miss Reed, and others, were bad
ly, though not dangerously, scalded. They were
taken to the house OF Mr.. H. Campbell, contiguous
to the. scene Of destruction, and their wound,
promptly Ldressed Doctors Dale, Reed, Marry,
efficient services to the distressed persons. N'
The factory was totally consumed by fire after
the explosion took place. Several private dwell
csIamiW has SPREAD gloom upon a the eountennnce
OF the citizens OF our sister city 1t has not been
ascertained how the accident happened whether
from neglect on the part OF the engineer, or from
detect In the boiler While we were at the fire,
one Of the chimney stacks OF the burnt dwellings
fell, and covered tour men, who were assisting to
check the flames. They were seriously injured,
but we have not learned OF the death Of any OF
them. One of the sufferers, whose bowels were
protrudlng from the abdomen, was Carried away
on litter The body OF Mr. Bell was discovered
about three o'clock p M, completely crushed and
severely burned -P'ttsbp~sh (Pa.) Journal, March
a.
that but four persons killed at the unfortunate
explosion OF the cotton batting factory in Allegheny
city, on Monday morning, viZ:-James Fite, and
daughter; Miss Elizabeth Stanley and William
Hk~.~<. =. A.
building atsthe time Of the accident-four killed,
four scaled and bruised, and the others unlnjured
some Of them almost miraculousy saved. 1t was
not five minutes after the explosion before the
building was completely Frustrated and enveloped
in flames
son Of Mayor Rush was engaged IN the picture
frame manufa Glory on the third story, with Mr..
Lyons, the proprietor at the time OF the accident
He states that when the roof fell they Frustrated
ihemselvts on the floor, and the benches and trus
ses prevented the timbers from crushing them.
From this they immediately made their way to the
roof, when, finding IT sinking, they jumped upon
the roof Of an adjoining building, from which they
reached the ground IN safety.
A Mr.. Bolton, who was In the wool carding fac
tory Of Mayor Rush, was badly bruised by the
iaipg amoers put wnat tae eitent OF ms INJURIES
and otherwise wounded, are said to be doing well,
and hopes are entertained that they will all recover.
There were SIX houses belonging TO Mrs Nc
Gonigal, destroyed by the FIRE She had an IN
buildings were small frames. brick house be-
longing to the same prOprietress, was also serious
Iy injured. Two houses occupied by the Messrs.
Fife, were also consumed. We did not learn that
there was any insurance. Loss buttrif1lng, as one
was log tenement, one OF the first In thar city.
Mayor Rush lost about $500, In machinery and
stock, by the fire. About $500 OF his fixtures,
machinery, &c, and some $500 worth OF wool
belonging TO the neighboring farmers, who had
deposited il for the purpose of carding.
Mr.. Andrew Fife, partner IN the establishment,
and brother Of James Fife, the deceased, was at
tending to the engine at the time the accident
CURED. The story oil young lad having charge
is entirely untrue The boiler he says Gle ansed,
from all sediment on Saturday week however,
there were workmeH employed shoutthe premises,
who allege that this could not well have been done
without their knowled dye, they were about until
late In the evening, and saw nothing OF the kind
ATTEMPTED The evidence Uf mud and sediment
more than well could have accumulated IN two
weeks- 10 clearly evnced on the walls OF the
buildings in the rear 9. :ne engine house.
Several experienced engineers have examined
the boiler, and give il as their decided opinion
that ere 40 detect in the heads OF the boiler
bad me tai and imperfect castings-and that from
this cause may be mainly attributed the unfortu-
nate and me lanchOIy accident
The bodies OF the deceased were followed to
Mount Union Cemetery, yesterday, by the
largest concourse Of citizens ever witnessed AT a
funeral in Allegheny city. The procession started
at the hour appointed in the forenoon yesterday
P,tfsbuvgh journal, March e.