The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-22
fSplsssa Az TINE ASTORIA sAs wu,...


The nuilains CeaSlsssiy Dessrsycx-Ne Isvcs
1890 Lest.
At eleven o'clock yesterday morning the village o.
Astoria was startled from s usual quo, by sudden sr
ploon, which shook every building In the tom aud
short time created no small alarm among ,he resi-.
dents Tho sound not unlike that by tho
discharge Of . heavy coiumblad. and gave uss 10
variety Of rumor TO It's cause. II was hoard With
great dstnctness the New York aida Of the ver by
residents In tho vicinity OF Ninety second street, and
Was BY them supposed 60 proceed from the large kero
sene oil works located Immediately opposite that section
Of the city. N
Great CONSERVATION was created in the public school In
Astoria the schoIs and teachers al leaving tho school
which Il sustained The schoolhouss In situated nos
very far from the or the explosion Instead al
sSs ia cs ,,a - zen ~ ~
town, which u situated At the foot OF Franklin street,
and dissAns from the Nnetvsscond street ferry aboat
four hnedred yardA The Ut IL the ignition OF
Gas which had BY some means escaped from the pun-
ner ana completely surrharged the purifying bat
how this escaped gas became gnitsd my stsry The
purifying located the rear snd Of the build
Ing furthest from Franklin street. and the wall
forced ccnpesey outward and fell 70 the ground heap
Of crumblsd bricks and mortar The explosion 70
have also expanded good part Of ts force on the side
walls and on the roof. or the former but little 10
carried away. Bricks and broken iimbcrs wsio
thrown int tho Air 70 considerable hsghi and came
around a IN
person injured by this accident There was no
one IN or very the building 81 tbs time Of thu
ploson, a. the works being small bot few persons
employed In them, and during the morning cssty
cxss for their being u work. The machinery Of tho
works except tho purifier which exploded II but slgh
ly damaged and not for the intense frgdity Of
tho weather. gas manufacture could be Immediately
sntned. Tho building, however,, ID . complete wreck
and viii have 10 be erected anew tho portions OF tho
front and sdo walls lett standing have boon severely
shaken TO admit of being further but upon. Tho pur
flying room forty by twenty feet IN size and the
entire structure about seventy feet long by thirty
nve wde II was-o ali buildings used In
tho manufacture of gas-only one story in
height. The damage done by tho explosion "
insurance the property. Tho works were
porary buildings viii he mt erected, and Ia con.
empated TO tho work within a farth.st
The town OF Astoria has enjoyed tho convenience gas
light for about thirteen years, tho building destroyed
yesterday having been erected about that time Tho
works into tho possession Of the present owners
about SIX since they having purchased them from
the corporation which originally erected them. Notwth
standing the explosion there was fortunately SUM-
Client IN the reservoir 'hoder, rs " technically
called 20 supply the until about half
O'Clock last evening" after which time they necessarily
had TO resort 10 the more primitive mode Of lamps aud
candles, in order 10 dissipate the som idarknes the
moonlight preventing total gloom. Mr.. John Clarke,
Superintendent or the works had narrow e-cap.from
injury when the explosion occurred. He wa at that
time his way 10 tho building aud had arrived within
thirty yards OF the main entrance when be heard tho
report and noticed tho wall bulgn ny outward. He
dacly retrsced his steps and escaped without being
by any OF the falling debris.