Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-02-07
Tremendous Explosion in New
fork this Morning!
FIFTY LIVES LOST !
NEw YoRK, Feb. i, 1850.

the buildings, and CAUSED the ground
to tremble for several blocks around,
while in the immediate vicinity, the
glass was shattered from the windows.
The concussion was so violent and
seemingly lasted so long, as to bear
the resemblance Of an earthquake.
This was succeeded by cry of fire,
and in few moments thousands were
pouring in from. every direction-fre-
men with their engines, ,~!aborers on
their way to their days york, and
business men leaving their stores.
On repairing among others to the
spot we found that the explosion was
at the establishment of A. B. Taylor,
Esq, well known printing press man
ufacturer in Hague street, and from
our knowledge of the extent of his con
Germ, we felt, before enqurirg, that a
mournfu loss of life must inevitably
be one Of the consequences.
While we write, it is impossible to
state the precise amount Of damage
done, or;he number Of lives which
have been thus suddenly cut of. Mr..
Taylor employed 60 or ~ hands,
nearly every one Of whom had assent
bled and commenced work for the day
at the time of the accident. 1t is fear
ed that very few of item have lived to
report the tale of the disaster by which
they were overiaken.
Within week or two changes had
been made in the boilers, by winch the
powerful machinery of Mr.. Taylor's
establishment was driven, and it is ap-
pretended that some defect either in
the manufacture or the adjustment Of
some part OF II, was the origin of the
terrible catastrophe. As usual, on
Monday morning, the themen had
started the fires undcr it at an earlier
hour than commonly, on account of It's
/ getting cold while Standing unused ov-
er Sunday, and hardly had steam been
/ raised and mo tlon communicated TO
the. shailing, when the explosion took
/ place, and in an instant the upper part
Of the building was blown completely
/ Of, and fire communicated 10 the re-
mainder.
Besides the establishment Of MIR.
Taylor, there was in the same building
,hat Of ST. John, Burr 81 Co, hat body
manufacturers, who gave employment
to about 65 men and boys all, or
ne arly all Of these had assembled for
the day, and so ne were jus, coming in
at the lime.
I 2 NJ. Latest r,polts from the ex-
plosion state that 23 dead bodies have
\ been recovered. 1t is now believed
that ONE HUNDRED lives have
bt en- lost by the accident.
S everal badly hurt we're taken to the
Hospital. The shouts of many who
were entirely covered up in the ruins
could be heard, and caused the mos,
intense interest and exci,emen, among
the spectators.
In the Machine shop and Hat shop
together there were usually l30 hands
employed. Prob ably there were from
100 to 100 men and boys present at
the time of the explosion.
Up to l2 o'clock, about 30 had been
taken out from the ruins, so that there
must be some 60 or ~ OF them still in
the ha, shop. Most oi the hMds were
4 present. a
4, has been stated ~ one of the men
taken from the ruins that it was an old
steamboat boiler patched up.
The proprietors and friends state
! however, that il was new Montgom-
cry boiler, aud the accident is account.
cd for by the intense frost last night
cooling down the boiler to low degree
of temperature, and then the fire being
applied suddenly and with too great
force, this morning, caused an undue
expansion Of it and thus produced the
explosion.
We have later intelligence from New
York by last evenings papers, bu, ev-
eryihing was in such confusion at the
ruins, at the time the papers went 10
press, that i, was impossible TO obtain
anything like an accurate account
Mr.. Norman came OH this morning,
and he informs us that The general
impression in the city was that not
many lives we're lost, as but few of
those who worked IN the building
had reached il, at the time Of the en-
4 A..