The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-10
TERRIFIC BOILER EXPLOSION.
Three Persons Killed, six Wounded
and One Missing.
NAMES or THE SUFFERERS
The Boiler Blown One Hundred and
Fifty Yards.

An explosion Of most frightful nature occurred in
the three story brick building No. 2oS West twenty
eighth street. near Eighth avenue yesterday afternoon
The premises above mentioned were occupied by Abram
r. Welch as a turning and scroll saving establishment
and extends through entire block from Tweny-sev-
enth 70 Twenty sighth street. In the centre OF the
premises between the building fronting Tweny-sev-
snth and that facing weny-eghth street, there was
space Of about fifteen feet, part Of which covered
bya wooden roof Under this roof and in . sort of
vault cellar stood upright boiler and stationary
engine, used In driving the machinery OF the establish
ment. About three o'clock yesterday afternoon
this boiler exploded with q tremendous re.
port hurting BRICKS timbers and rubbish high
into the air and shaking the adjacent buildings to their
foundations. About two-thrds Of the boiler-a portion
OF about fifteen feet In length and four five feet
dameter-was thrown in obque, westerly direction,
and crossed Eighth avenue at altitude OF about one
hundred and fifty feet. When Immediately over the
residence of s. Hausman, No. Sos West Twenty eighth
street, the monster projectie descended with fearful
velocity, and striking the roof OF the building
passed through every floor OF the house. resting finally
the basement kitchen. Tho house No. sos is
! we'll constructed brown stone front build.
ing, Of three stories in height standing
the southerly side Of the street. The shop from
which the boiler commenced its terrific flight is also
situated the south side of Twenty eighth street. the
former building being located about tive houses west of
Eighth avenue and the latter about six doors
east Of the The portion Of the boiler which
tered the premises OF Mr.. Hausman is estimated
weighing about Eve tons and is tubular ndrical
form. It will DO seen, therefore, that this immense
OF metal must have traversed a distance
Of about one hundred yards in air line
from the turner's shop to the place where it fell
crossing Eighth in its passing through
the Hausman building made clean sweep OF every
thing from the roof to the basement making a sort of
well or hatchway down through the building Of about
twelve or fifteen feet in diameter The entire southerly
paIl Of the premises demolished, and the heavy
tmbers Of the floors wrenched of snapped In twain
~ though they pasterers la:hs The boiler 10
standing on one end rs 1t descended through the build
ing, destroying bedrooms and parors, with about six
feet Of Its length in the back parlor on the
nrst floor, the lower end resting in the base.
ment In the room on the second floor
At the time Of its descent were Mary Bowling, the
chambermaid In Mr., Hausman's family, Mary Weber
sah, wet nurse Dora Hausman, aged twelve years. and
her infant brother Harry, aged three months These
four persons carried down with the avalanche of
debris TO the paror floor, and little Dora taken out
dead from among the ruina Mary Bowling found,
after much difficulty, beneath the rubbish, and
was conveyed, frightfully injured, to the Jews
hospital, on Twenty -eighth street. Mary Weber
kitchen and crawlcd from beneath the splintered
beams bricks and mortar severely and bruised bu,
without any serious injury. The infant found be-
tween seven and eight o'clock with s head smashed
IN. No other persons were in the house at the time,
Mr.. Hausman, who carries business in Reade street.
being the time in his store. and Mrs. Housman being
out shopping. largo plate cap Of the boiler forced
Ns way through tho roof OF the house opposite that Of
Mr. Housman but fortunately without damage to life
Hub of he OcCupanta
The rear portion Of the Hausman premises
totally destroyed and the parlors filed with mounds Of
bricks, broken rafters. planks, lsshs and mortar
Returning to the original Of the disaster
awful wreck presented ITSELF The rear wall OF the
building occupied as q scroll saving shop facing
Twenty eignth street, reduced TO mass Of rubbish,
and the back wall Of the house fronting rweny-sev
epth street was IN similar condition. large portion
of the roof suspended like huge wing over the
chasm beneath and heavy roof Of the sh cd which
sheltered the boiler and engine hung like twisted rag
above the nnsghy mounds Of debris that bad fallen into
the Enclosure, filing up she vault cellar in which the
boiler had stood. The engineer and fireman are both
believed have been tho boiler at the time OF its
explosion and the body OF the latter found 10 a
mote part OF the cellar, beneath the rubbish. When
taken out he quite dead. Al hafpast ten O'Clock
last nsht the engineer had been found, though
almost entire vault had been excasnted oy tho nre
men, large number OF whom were Tor hours industr-
ously empoyedi the work.
Scenes THE VICINITY.
Most OF the wOrkmen employed IN the factory were
residents OF the immed locality OF the catastrophe,
and the neghbors became apprised OF the
occurrence a tremendous crowd assembled about the
building The heartrcnding IN the extreme,
many persons the hrong were relatives OF those
known have been at work in the shop Wives brothers
sisters about the entrances both Streets
and endesvored to their way through the and
gateway leading the interior Of the building, in
qu IT Of hose whom they, in large number OF
Ia tsnces 100 truly anticipated might be included
among tho killed wounded. strong detachment OF
police under Captain Heddep, OF the Twentieth pre-
b. y detschment from the sixteenth precinct under
Captain williamson, in restoring order and enabling
those whose aid available In endeavorng to recover
from the rex the remains Of the sufferers. Al one
children had cousresaied around the scenes Of the
double disaster, and great difficulty was experienced
ns ra s a aa Of sss ans
tbe rcmen aud others who emerged from time 10 time
from tho stiniUg ruins 20 obtsin fresh air.
The H. lat of he boiler Eighth avenue was OBJ
served by large numbers OF persons, who were at tho
time that always crowded thoroushfare, all OF whom
are snguary unanimous Ia describing It's appearance
Que person who stood on the corner of Thirty nnh
street saes hat resembed black stove pipe" hat,
carried by strong gust OF wind, Mt an elevation
OF about hundred feet Another described IL as "a
length OF stoveppe" and says tnat went 'end over
descriptions Are without ,oubt very probable, the
boiler - Of the form Of acy'nder expanded con
and u''S %smulou. shaking OF ne ground was DIS
Snc,lg no'eed, ny persons ten blocks dis,ss;
r. he sceneo: TIE occurrence. The upward rush Of
a deuris the moment OF the explosion was accom-
PANEL by "A shaft OF flame, anu ieccy column OF
steam OF immense volume Until near sht. lat
uirht arce crowds Of persons ated In the vicinity
anxo ally pcenng through the shattered windows at the
un.ightly ina within. where the nremen were busly
engaged with cks shovels and lanterns in clearing
away me debris in the search FOR tho remains OF the
missng engineer. II ia considered probable BY many
am IN urfnrtnna man has been blown atoS,s and
not he reco, ered whc others assert that be was
not on the premises at the time Of the accident
MINES or Tue KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The 70 lowing tue names OF the persons who were
killed az 10 ured:-- -,
Body bruised aud terribly scslded Taken TO his resi-
dsnce, 242 West twenty eighth street
Dora Hausman, aged twelve years sku tinssneu, anu
oh ders bicast fractured. Taken out dead. Al