The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-03
wuliameburg City Vows.

lOAIy UDhO An - xOOS
Williamsburg City News. Z
EXPLOSION or A STEAM scyLyR-rw0 MEN xILLD
AND rwo M5yRED
About fifteen minutes past ten O'Clock yesterday moru-
ing boiler used as heater In the dsuIery Of Furmsn
Co. the block bounded BY FIRST Second North Fourth
and North Fifth strees exploded with tremendous force,
scattering the fragments the boiler ana the bricks
which encased in every direction, and killing one man
almost instantly purng another seriously that he died
few hours afterwards, and Djurins two others Con-
siderable damage done the buildings Immediately ad
aoeut To the boiler a. we'll others considerable dis
lance from H. The force OF the explosion beard and
felt TO some distance, shaking buildings In the vicinity,
and causing Of bricks aud other rubbish 10 fall
at distance from the OF the disasier The dis
ulery Of the largest In this city, and occupies the
entire block upon which II Il situated The damage not
very extensive, but viii take time 10 repair. The
boiler room, or place where the boilers placsd, 10
situated North Filth street. about The centre OF tho
block, and immediately adjoining largo four story brick
building used - granery; opposite this, and st dis
OF about twenty feet 10 the west. stable,
story brick building. Tho boilers used In tho dsisry
consisted Of i've cylinder boilers used In generating
for tho engines Two due boilers dve feet two inches
dAmeter and the other four feet nix nohes and both
these I've cylinder boilers These Hoe boilers we're used
in heating water 70 be converted into steam to b used in
he mash tubs. Tho steam from these boilers con-
Quoted by means Of separate pipes To The wooden tanls
which contained the grain in process OF fermentation.
The smaer Of these boilers was tho one which
ploded. The chief engineer, Mr. John " Wood, states
in reference them that they employed exclusively
5
all that was required perform tho duty assigned them
that beng nothing more than 70 make steam TO be used
in the mash tubs These two boilers fed rstcy
from the Others and entirely disconnected from the
other boilers The fire boxes under the Ave cylinder
boilers, the heat supplying tho two ue boilers coming
from the chimneys or fues under the cylinder boilers
These two boilers had not been used, Mr. Wood says
since Monday Yesterday morning he directed that steam
should be got MP them and about eight O'Clock ores
made The fireman went around them, examined
the pp and cocks, and for fear that Of the pipes
hour before the accident Mr.. Wood mined
and saw that There plenty Of water To each Of them
SAYS shs. the time n The scoiaeO ers could No. have
been much more than three or four pounds Of steam pres
sure the boiler.
Notw nbsanding Mr. Wood assertions the power with
which the boiler exploded affords convincing proof that
there must have been an immense pressure o. steam to
boiler shows that very thin and very much
rusted and eaten. The statement of Mr.. Wood Is
10 the effect that the boiler had been for some
years past in use in the disuery, and in 1864
was used 70 furnish steam to drive . small steam
engine Then, in consequence Of other boilers be
enes they were removed reset and ever since used as
heaters, as before stated.
explosion threw the bricks ana fragments Of the boiler
every direction. The end Of the ganary shattered
by the conclusion that fell, but without injurng any
portion of the boiler, Of the ends, forced
distance Of about twenty feet and crushed In the roof Of
the stable, where George Bell aged 48 years. residing at
the Of South Second and Sixth Streets work
engaged in cleaning Of the horses the portion Of the
boiler struck him crushing him against rail and causing
the horse fall upon him In this situation he found
n and ont WAS Oadlv niu
that be died in few moments 10 leaves wife ana
Another portion of the boiler was thrown dis.
lance Of about one hundred feet, crushing in one
corner q biacssmiths shop belonging to LawrsaSs
and First streets. Thomas shannon, blacksmith In
the employ of lawrence Fouks. was engaged In this
and started the door what the OF them was
when he was struck by the portion OF the boiler which
in dreadful manner He was also struck by piece OF tim.
ber He was taken ont and conveyed TO the ofics Of
Lawrence Foukt and from thence 70 bis residence In
where he died about half two O'Clock He about
forty years Of age and leaves wife and eight children
weighing about one hundred pounds, was thrown
q distance Of I'VE hundred feet falling through the
nesr q o and
streets, smashing thu roof and lodging in hall bed
room.
Another portion Of the boiler was thrown directly
North Firth street. and landed fy feet from
Its bed. Two workmen were employed few feet from
wbeIe Ieus IN saving log, ana n6n bot ocen lot tue
force Of the mass having been stayed by coming in
tact with tree these men must have been killed or ser
ouey injured.
Charles Ewett blacksmith in the employ Of Lawrence
Fouiks engaged in the blacksmith shop OF North
Fifth and First streets sustained several bruises BY falling
tm6ers Of tho shop at the time Shannon injured.
Daniel BAney, while walking along First street, near
the dislery had hand and one Of his legs crushed by
falling bricks.
Thomas sutherton, ship crpenter's apprentice, en-
poyed In the yard opposite the boiler was struck the
head by brick, and Knocked senscess. He was taken
to his home in Greenpoint
The bricks were thrown great distance-eome Of them
going far the OF North Seventh and FRS.
streeta
Coroner Murphy has summoned jury and will pro.
coed to hold inquest this morning at the station house
Of the Fifth precinct