New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-08-11
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
BOILER EXPLOSION IN WILDERS SAFE
MANUFACTORY-THR MEN KILLED


MANUFACTORY-THRE MEN KILLED
AND FIFTEEN PERSONS INJURED.
A iiightfu accident occurred on the Of Third
avenue and Thirteenth street, Gowanus, about q
o'clock Saturday afernoe last resulting in the demo-
lton of part Of the extensive safe mandatory of B. c.
Wilder K Co., by which three lives were lost and lG
persons were OF less eriousy injured The acct
dent was caused by ttc7expcsion of boiler 10 the
establishment which ffced out ore of the walls and
scattered death and ee,tiuction oil around.
The building was Of brick, four stories and half IN
hight used az mandatory of iron safes lts dImen-
s;ons were 100 b. &c feet. The basement was occu-
pied as the engine-room ard forge roon-one at each
end of the building. The ground floor was used a the
filling and painting departments The floor above
was used in the construction of the works manuldc-
tuIod. The third floor used the door and lock
apartment and cabinet room which extended over the
drvng-way aid stable beneath, which were also
under cover Of the main building. The fourth floor
was occupiedfor the storage of Light material.
The walls Of the fret story were twenty inches in
thickness Of the secoud floor sixteen ipches, and third
story twelve inches The building appears 10 have
been substantial structure, and calculated to stand
The main entrance about the centor of the build
ing on tie Tbirteentf-srcet side and a stairway Fix
feet wide extended to the top Of the building There
was also side entrance, used as wagon way iCr the
loading and unloading of material. The Office was on
the first foor ard entered the northeast corner of
.Ihiteepth street and Third avenue Between 20 and
60 HANDS employed consisting of men and boys
The building was erected some eighteen months since
The engIes and boilers have been in use about four
teen months They were built by Messrs. Harrison &
Co Of New York, and placed in position by that firm.
There wee two boilers % feet long BY % inches in
m No
boiltr were capable of carrying 300 pounds OF steam.
At the time Of the explosion shortly before, there
was a pressure of about 50 pounds Of steam to the
inch.
Mr. Harris, who Is engaged IN the Lock Department
ard ar Engineer By profession, appears to have taken
great interest in the working of the engine. lie
states that shortly before the explosion he went into the
engine room for the purpose of procuring mate
rial He found Mr.. John Wood, the engineer, at his
post. AZ was bis practice, he tried the cocks, and
found water above the third showing that there was
su1icency in the boilers.
The explosion took place about 4. o'clock. NJ. Il.
B. Wider who was in the Office ct the time, describes
il as bling the explosion Of sard blast heavy
ard dull without any sharp report. The effect was to
rase up the first and secord osrs, and TO bulge out
the walls On the Thirteenth street side, portion oil
the boiler being forced through tie wall, which was
90 inches in thickness. The force Of The CONCLUSION
had lhe eject Of elovatipg the floors for some in hes
and being heavily burdened with the stock arc ma
chirefy an instantaneous revusion brought down the
whole, apd buried all beneath the ruins who were IN
that portion OF the building at the time destroyed.
This damage was confsed to the immediate vi'nity oil
the engine room and basemont-about 20 feet oil INC
front ard tie stable being uninjured
The alarm Ct the explosion attracted large numoe,
Of the neghbors. Cspt Combs Of the Eishth "afa
Police with n posse OF men, together with Engine
COMPANY No. 81 were soon AFTER upon the grouhd'
IL was deemed to be inexpedient to attempt the re-
mova OF the sufferers before demolishing the VEL
Meanwhile an alarm Of fire had been communicate 10
the Third District Station House, and with the arT'a
of several hook and ladder companies and the fohce
the work Of demolition commenced, ana the ua'ii.
oged wall WAS torn down, carrying with it the rooi an
third floor The spectacle that presented hseh d. la'
iurcturo was nost horrible. The dying ard wounueu
lay crushed ber cath the mass OF rains Iheu inoan7
Of agony aad ces for help cocld be distinctly heard
but in the confusion which prevailed NO mhe aie'e
Lief could be extended. Those on the uppof noofs oe
rg epps:ed os the danger beeesth by the eonc1ss01
adopted tho nOss corveaicrt means Of eseap-;onn'
by ladder, which fortrrsse,y had been LEFT aga'n'
,io ftoN v.!, a.! p.hsn t7 i-1ssa; fs'n IA: IL