The New York herald., 1866-08-29
THE EXPLOSION At NARRoWssuRc.

The Streets All an Fire-FearfuI Devasta-
tion Wherever the Fluid Spreud-Iouses
Burned-A Lake Of Firc-An0ther Victim
Death Of @. q. Williams. the Father Of tho
Chiidren-Fuii Details of the Accident, &c.
NARIowsBuRG n. Y, August 2s, 1868.
Al about two O'Clock on Sunday morning train Of
some forty cars loaded principally with coal oil and
hides, stopped at the Narrowsburg station 70 wood and
water Many OF the cars contained tho oil in huge
tanks two on each car holding probably fifty barrels
OF oil each in open bulk, the rest being In barrels
upon box cars. Al the end Of tho train was what
is called 'caboose," rough carriage for second
class passengers. After stopping here . while the
conductor James Frcdenburgh, distinctly heard
the whistle OF an s'extra" freight train which
was following, closely approaching He hurredy or.
dcred the engineer tart the train Immediately" and
obeyed but pulling out the valve too far for heavy
train, to railroad phrase the train 'broke, or,
in other words the coupling which bound some Of the
parted and portion Of the train stood still on tho
track Discovering the accident the engineer sig
nailed TO back up. which he did, while the conductor,
and passengers in the caabooso ran up 70
make the connection. Just they were doing so the
other train upon them, but having s'slowcd" for
the purpose Of stopping at tho depot, had very little
and simply ran the engine under the Gala
boose, and nearly covered itself up with the debris
RYpiosIoS.
Al this moment the conductor approached with his
lantern to hook onrhc coupling, whcn nsantaneousy,
the explosion took placer Mr. Fredenburqh thrown
somo twenty iect from t1espot down an embankment,
and is much injured by burns and bruises.
THE SPREAD or coSrLAcEArioS.
when the explosion took place tho petroleum
thrown from the tanks IN every direction, and with IL
thc rcnorseess fame, until II spread on all sides
Directly opposite the spot where the first explosion
occurred, enc sde stood three comfortable country
ages-,wo OF them belonging 10 Mr. A. s. Henlrioks
os IN in
which he and his family resided The most distant
occupied by Mr. Hendricks while tho lower part Of the
Other occupied joiaers shor In the upper part
lived Mr. Charles C. Williams his wife aud two children
the latter aged respectively about tSo and half and
suc. quantities that before Mr. Williams had time TO
become thoroughly awakened the fery brands fall
ing in his sleeping room. Then other explosions were
heard in quick succession and WAS tho impression of
all that their houses had been struck ana set fire by
lightning Nj Williams sprang from his bed, seized his
two chdren and shouting lara wife to follow him, rAu
down the insicc stairs 10 the stoop porch with steps
which led down by the side Of the house In bis
element he evidently never that the whole street
through which he plunging-was one living of
blazing oil half knco dccpand onward he went, dashng
into tho re in almost nude sateh having nothing nut
his night garment In travelling through this sheet of
flame one or his children dropped from his
and he went back and PICKED II up His determination
and strength sustaining him he reachrd spot where
the Arc had yet spread and foil He was picked NJ
by bis negbbors, and with his children was taken to
hotel by where, has been previously stated, tho
children both died and have since been buried
rolSG WE'LL
Nrs williams, who Is represented as very cool, due.
woman, took more comprehensive vew OF ,hc f';ua
tor OF affairs and instead Of following her husband
threw herself the baustradc into Slr Hendricks
g,ren aud after running rome twenty rods FELL where
she "a, soon found. and having nothing hut her
chc.nke a blanket was procured and she removed
the house where her husband had been akcn and In
the conrss OF couple 81 hours was osi;ssrd o.
except Ly the ea,ag OF her feet Ivy brcsea glass
aud sharp stones and the natural ruIis Of her acoonchc
AssrnxR sI-1x
Mr.. williams feet and legs were horribly burned So
much that the flesh peeled IRON the bone while tho
doctdgs dressing them He Yae better the first
paIl Of to-day, and bopes were entertained OF his
recovery bu, after lingering IN tho utmost toiturs until
four O'Clock this afternoon he died III
BY this time tho flames had communicated 20 the Erie
a,road Cotnranys carpenter shop hide house mud tg0
hand houses. Fifteen cars OF the tram we're In
b,azc and sixteen tanks vomiting forth thor de6rctivc
and devastating lava The houses and adjacent trees
were smouldcriug ruins situated at about nifty rods
distant from the depot small but beautiful lake. into
which the oil IN small rivers the name following
purc names until tho whole surface covered, and
smooth. lurid iigh, illumined the entire village
THE TRAIN
WbiIc tb,a swift destruction was taking place. Mr. 4.
X Gordon Superintendent Of the division, Mr. G. g.
Munray D. Cutler and ew otner brave spirits ordered
tho train 10 bs detached and the not on fro To bc
mo, sd an 10 turn out, n nlort distance below. The
engineer who was much excited hardly co,nprc
hended tho situation Of an.rs a n,s' pa, ~ ast com
Pied while the viiiarer who were oil out by Tits time
went vigorously 10 work 10 ex;ngish The nrc bofofe
onsumcd The entire village.
wArER
III was seon aeccr;alued that 10 trow water upoa the
flames was ei earthly ayathai the fierce roaring OF
the counasiaiion seemed mock them in their frtic
cnorla. A practical petroleum expert came upon the
prpuad and set everybody 10 work with shcvcs trOv
ing dirt sand mud anything OF that nature upon the
fre much the rsk Of their ivee and soon had tho salts
faction Of sccng the devouring elem mt s'cenb TO their
oiiors.
Besides the cars oil, hcnscs shops aud store, which
were swept away, u ~erc IA no'urai, the trees,
shrubbery gardens fn OF tng were actually
burned 10 crisp by the burning oil. The f'cs of the
track were entirely consuned and the ion rails were
bent and twisted In every conceivable shape by the
traordinary heat. Men immediately put on the
work. and yesterday the road was again IN running
order
Will rETrOIrrN Exrt0DEY
II " pretty unanimously agreed that the fntroeGn OIL
of scf IL not II an explosive character bf that her-
II 4 cor.in gas generated from thai, coming In con
tact with nrr, will explode, aud al once com
muaicaia- io the oil Itself. Tie pople along
the route of the Erio Railroad arc higyy incensed
against thc company for permitting so dangerous an
sticlc 10 ls transported open and caftcss
ncr through the numerous and largely populated eiiies
and vagea through which IL has ~ pas y reach this
CITY and threats ~ petroleum are brady hntcd
II y conceded all sides that IL mo-, firm the con
sion that the explosions took place but rom the gas
oinng in contact With the fame OF the conductors Ian
term and that tho mere accident of runnng INTO the
train had nothing 10 do with the nelnIhoy results
which followed. People residing ave miles aSsy from
the distinctly heard the srcccssys Shoks and
acrwar seeing the brilliant illumination, hartrssed uf
their horses and down TO wnss- the spectacle.
besides the ioss Of llfe the actual money var OF the
property destroyed will nearly reach 500 ODo