The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-10
TERRIBLE BOILER EXPLOSION At GOWANUs.
Partial Destruction Of Wilder's Safe
Factory.
FIVE PERSONS KILLED AND FIFTEEN
WOUNDED.
FOUR BODIES STILL UNDER THE RUINS.
&C., &C., DC.


factory of lMessrs. B. G. Wilder Co., situated
on the of Third avenue and Thirteenth street.
Brooklyn, the boiler of which exploded, destroying
that portion Of the building in which situated aud
burying FIVE persons under the ruins The building was
four stories high built of brick, about two hundred feet
deep, and having extent in front of fifty feet
used as manufactory for Wdtrs patent iron safes The
boiler and machinery placed in the back part of the
building, which was separated from the extreme rear
portion the establishment by partition vol Of brck.
The explosion of the boiler demolished half Of the
main building, the southery portion Of the wall and the
roof falling inward and leaving about two thirds of the
bedding standing, burypg beneath its ruins, as we have
stated FIVE persons and nurng number or others The
portion Of the building destroyed used for the finish
Ing OF the safes and contained about seventy five heavy
safes, nearly completed The explosion heard at
great distance and shook the entire building to Its foun
daton. The falling Of the walls almost simulta
neos barely giving time for those who fortunate
as to escape TO do at The imminent risk OF
their lives many jumping from the windows Of the build
ing to the ground.
The fact Of the disaster communicated the Third
district police station and alarm Of fire sounded which
was repeated throughout the city, and the fire
and police departments were soon at the scene
of the disaster Their efforts were Immediately
directed to the assistance of the wounded and the
c6very OF the dead bodies from the ruins. not
deemed safe to proceed to the removal the ruins until
;he norherly wall of the building removed, which
was at length effected, and the work proceeded
with vigorously One body that Of obadiah wang, Jr.,
taken from the ruins and veyed to his fathers
residence In Seventeenth street, Fifth avenue. Two
bodies were seen buried amid q Of beams which
had fallen as TO leave portions OF them exposed but
il was impossible to them without much labor.
The work conducted vigorously; but at the time
reporter LEFT none but that Of walng had been extri
Gated.
Many persons were Injured by jumping out OF the win
dows ant by the falling OF rafters and rubbish
upon them. Many also dreadfully injured by scad
ing. The following list of the killed. and wounded
KILLED.
obadiah walling, Jr., safe maker, aged 10 residing
corner OF Seventeenth street and Fifth avenue. His
father employed in the mandatory and in the
front part OF the building the time Of the explosion.
He escaped injury.
Isaac Hicks, coored, employed Is q driver, was crush.
cd by the falling Of the roof. His groans distinctly
pheard for moments but the efforts TO relieve him
were unavaling. He is supposed to be dead, as all
sounds had ceased aer he had been half hour under
che ruins,
John Heeny, blacksmith, aged about 25 years, re.
siding in Third avenue, Eighteenth street lwas
lying the body Of Hicks Ills body Is stll unde
the ruins.
Two other persons known to be buried beneath
the ruins but whose cannot be ascertained In
sequence Of the excitement.
WOUNDED.
William conren, sheet iron ash,ener spine injured
severely bruised about the head, and received sevcra
internal injuries from the inhalation OF steam. He is not
|eypected to recover He ATTENDED by DR. Buell., Of
the Eighth ward, and Dr. Mcdonnell OF Court street.
who were promptly on the spot and rendered every
assistance in their power.
John ycCu,cheon grinder, severely injured BY scald
rg external internally by the inhalation of steam
His skull fractured and his body almost literally
aayed. Recovery exceedingly doubtful lie was taken
20 the City Hospital.
VIM. woo,on, sasc maker, had his skull fractured
taken hGs residence in Third avenue, near Fourteenth
street.
John Wood engineer, scalded and cut about the heal.
Albert Brocket fireman. badly bruised, and severely
scalaed He was taken his residence In Fourteenth
street near Fourth avenue.
James Allen, Jacob Hcss and John Fitzgerald, boys
were injured by jumping from window The injuries
are very slight.
John zull safe maker, 20 years Of age scadsl and
badly injured taken to his residence IN Third avenue
near Sixteenth street.
Frederick Gauhe safe maker residing IN Essex street.
Grand ,h city arm fractured, and head and body
dreadfuiy bruised.
jacob Hess, residing corner Of Third avenue and
souresn,l street, was severely injured by jumping out
OF the second story window. lis head cut and foot
crushed.
Edward Krarse, residing at the same place, was 10
tured about tie head bruised abog, the body, by
FALLING from the window.
Max Klaver, residing al the same house, injured
slightly BY jumping from the window.
Several other men we're injured bu, no, seriously, IN
endeavorng to escape from the building
The wounded received every attention from the resi-
"a
administer to them. The police Of the First Third and
Eighth districts, together with the fire department
taly tic ground AMI aborcd energetcaiy to
he ruins from those buried beneath them. The Of
he explosion spread rapidly and The loss Of life and
Der injured greatly magnihod
About eighty persons employed 10 the entire
building a, tic time Of the occurrence about forty Of
whom were In the portion destroyed It Is astonishing
hat so many should have escaped.
The building was nearly new, having been built but
bout eighteen months ago and occupied about year
!, was bu.u in a very substantial Manner with especial
Reference TO the business Of lhe fracture Of safes
fhe boiler was sail to ba new one at the time Of
u berg placed in the buldlng; but Il vas
Etsted II had been deemed icg some short time
ns, Insecure. This. however, Is rumor and II II
las been so the fact will transpre in sl probability,
he CoroEer's investigation.
The Io,s sustained 10 the owners and proprictors II
smaled By the propreisrs to be not iar IRON $1,000
which will cover the damage 70 the building tha loss
nscbiuery stock &c. Seventy Eve heavy safes, which
we're process OF manufacture, were kept IN the por
on Of the building demolished, and completely des.
rcycd Tue property was fully insured THIS catis.
ropbe viii cas-, gloom that portion Of Brooklyn
rom which Il will not coon recover.
FROM ANOTHER REPORTER.
wilder extensive safe mandatory, situated on Third
avenue the Of rhrteebth street Brooklyn was
he scene Of a mos, shocking disaster yesterday alter
booo. The boiler exploded and shattered the entire
building -Four or Ave men we're killed, while some az.
cen or twenty severely and many OF them fatally,
blurred Our reporter visited tho scene Of the disaster
after the occurrence when he learned the following
pets In relation 10 the melancholy affair
II usoin -.