The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-29
ANOTHER APPALLING CALAMITY.
Terrible Explosion at Lower Ravens
wood, L. I.
Total Destruction Of French's Bal
Cartridge Factory.
sWEsFy TO TwEHrY-nvE LIVES LOST
Horrible Mutilation Of the Bodies.
NAMES OF FOURTEEN OF THE SUFFERERS,
Ssc., 6sc., SO.

NAMES Ut fuuhlttN VI INC SUFFERERS,
Ssc., &c., SO.
About Two o'clock yesterday afternoon the build
ing occupied as factory for the making Of ball car
Bridges at Lower Ravepswood, Long Island, blew up
with an explosion that shook the houses in the
neighborhoed for two miles around, and breaking
the windows Of all those buildings which were with
in six hundred or eight hundred feet Of the place. 1t
was rented by Mr.. French, who, together with his
son, are generally engaged in the building, but
being at the moment Otherwise occupied, happily
escaped serious injury, though Mr.. French, Sen, is
suffering severely from Commissions.
The number of persons employed is generally
about thirty, being for the most part girls OF the
ages of ten to eighteen; but some men and youths
also find work in the factory. The exact number OF
lives lost is now not known, for, being the afternoon
of Saturday, greater or less number than usual
might have been there, according to circumstances.
The lowest estimate made by Mr.. French is
twenty four, and the highest made by friends Of
the deceased is about thirty. One amilythe father
of which is Mr.. Rhine worthy man, and gardener
10 . gentleman In the place-lost three girls; and
scarcely laborng family resides near the place that
Is not now wailing for the loss of some member
of it.
Our reporter was on the spot half hour after 1t
occurred and the sight of such sickening scene he
hopes to be spared again. The site Of the building
and the surrounding lots were covered with the
debris Of the building, human lmbs and fragments
Of machinery; here trunkless head, there An arm,
and all round blood and entrails, and shreds OF
clothing, all blackened and burnt SO that identi-
.Rcation ia impossible. We saw man draw from the
mass the head Of little girl which he know was
that Of his daughter by bit Of ribbon fastened to
the hair; bat any other portion Of the body he would
nevsrnnd, or II he found n he would never be able
70 say it was the body Of mis- child. The house Of Mr
Moses in white house, about four hundred feet dis
snH and against the rear Of this human from the
shoulder down was carried with force and has left
i exact imprint in blood and charc ,a ON the angle
The windows Of this house, those also Of the Rev
Mr.. wsise, the Episcopal minister Of Ravenswood
which is next, and those Of Mr.. French, adjoining
have not whole pane Of glass left in them.
Most terrible Of all II Was to wailing on
the ground, or cropping among the human fragments
SOr something which they could identify and mourn
Dyer but lime barrels filed with disgusting mass
Of human remains, black and bloody, was, in most
cases. ell they could indulge their frantic grief upon
About ten corpses were fitted together either wholly
Or partially, and carried away on boards, followed
by groups of inconsolabIe mourners.
The precise cause Of the explosion no one remains
TO explain. II is known, however, that the stow
nsed for warming the building red h,t, the de-.
being very cold; and from the highly oombustibl
materials which were used In close proximity to 1
It may readily be accounted for by supposing SOM
particle ignited ON the floor, and Communicating
with the articles in various stages Of preparation
caused the explosion.
Within few feet of the building is nreproo
cell, in which is stored large quantities Of powder
and this being within the scope Of the smoke an'
flames Of the burning ruins, no one was willing {
hazard an approach 30 attempt to rescue the sui
ferers from the ruins for some time after the expo
sion took place.
voysgers up the East river may remember on II
banks castslate granite mansion, the residence 0
Mr.. Bodine, and adjoining Harris landing Tn
scene Of tIs fearful catastrophe was opposite this
about five hundred yards from the ehore. The fam
lies resident in the neighborhood were for the mos
part, unaware Of the existence Of such a magazin
of danger 80 near them, and will take efFsctua
means TO prevent the reerection of it in that VI
cinity
1t may be mentioned to the credit Of DR.. Sandfor,
and DR.. Bayls that they both FASTENED to the spot
and did all that humanity and skill could suggest
alleviate the agonies of the sufferers All, however
were past their aid but one, man named Johl
Smith, about thirty years Of age, who was brougn
10 the New York Hospital in the steamboat Ravens
wood in 30 mutilated condition that death woul,
be but relief His jaw and both legs we're broken
his arm fractured, and he was otherwise severely in
jured- he was alive last night at late hour, bu
was not expected to live till this morning.
An inquest win be held BY Coroner Boyd with a
little delay as possibe but from the fact that Of al
who were In the building not one is left to "a,
how 1t occurred but little light is expested te
be thrown upon it,
AHotHER AsD STILL LATER ACCOUNT.
Another reporter has returned from the scene Of