New-York tribune., 1867-09-10
BOILER EXPLOSION ON THE WEST SIDE.

BOILER EAPLOSION ON IHE HESI oIDE.
FOUR PERSONS KILLED AND MANY OTHERS IN
JURED--THREE HOUSES DEMOLISHED.
At $3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, the
large upright boiler in the Of No 25s West Twenty
eghthst exploded with terrible report, demosnng the
building in which was situated and shatterng the sur
rounding buildings The boiler was lifted high in the air,
accounts say from COO to 900 feet and passing
Eighthave feOn the roof of Mrs signund Housemanns
dwelling, No. 3Os West Twenty ighth-st., crashing
through, the roof to the basement, killing two chl-
dren, and seriously ipjurlng two domestics,
who were carried down with the rubbish
At the time OF the explosion the engineer Jacob Madden
and fireman. Edward Brady, in the boierroom and
supposed TO have been instantly killed number of
the wOrkmen in the adjoining buildings were seriously
scalded and injured by the flying fragments. They were
taken to Mount Sinai Hospital
An alarm of fire was rung soon after the catastrophe
and the arrival OF the remen, Chief fEngneer Kings
land get them at work clearing away the ruins Of both
buildings. under the superintendent Of Engineers
shannessy Bates, and Sullivan. The worked Well,
and in a short time had recovered the body of the fire
Brady having been blown toward the front of the
building thus escaping the most of the debris OF the
fallen building The fremaI's body dreadfully
scalded and mutilaed 1t borne to the residence Of
the widowed mother in the Of No 22 West Twenty
eighth-st
the mean time the working party at No 500 had been
still more successful After clearing away small portion
Of the rubbish Mrs Maria Webezah the wet nurse was
found standing upright and pinned up TO the chin in
mixed mass of plaster ath boards, and brick Strange
as it may seem, although this with the othefs
had been carried down from the third story she was
comparatively nrAalPea, 4aYins sustained but few
Severe contusions :. Z = 49, s:-'''r~ g ~,
short time aferward Mary Bowling, domestic, was
found She taken out and transferred
the Mount Sinai Hospital The bodies of the children
hail 1,v tod
They are Dora aged 10 years, and Henry, aged four
months. Mr.. and Mrs. Housemann were absent fgsm
home the time Of the The domestcs men
toned above and the children in the nursery In the
rear of the third floor, directly in the path of the
boiler. The remaining dOmestics were in the
front basement and as they could recover from
the fright occasoned by the advent OF the strange Wis
ior ran into the street II time aferward be
fore they would venture into the house The building is
owned by Mr.. Housemann, and lately rehtted and
furnished cost OF $1,000 The portion crushed
by the boiler is in the rear about y feet IN length and u
nearly the entire width Of the building. The immense
weight and vncty of the boiler are shown by the fact
that beams snapped short on while the brick work
in the interior is completely 1atened. Tho boiler
rests upon pile Of rubbish nearly level with the
first floor.
The following is a list Of the killed and wounded Ja-
cob Madden dead he resided at No $40 Wotst, where
be lives a wife and children. Edward Brady, aged 20
years dead he the only OF his widowed mother,
and she was entirely dependent him for support Dora
Housemann, aged 10 years, dead Henry Housemann,
aged four months. dead Mary Bowling, aged Is years,
domestic she is suffering from severe contusions, and
is evidently injured internally, as she vomited
blood at intervals she is considered in very
dangerous condition. Her parents reside in Manhattan
Vile jeremiah Cassidy. aged 80 years, native of Dub
lin residing at No 2 West Twenty seventh-st, has
number Of confused wounds and is badly scalded Frank
Hays aged 40 years. native Of Bavaria cabnetmaker
residing in Thirty secOnd-st., between seventh ana
Fighth.aves has number of confused wounds and is
also scaded John Jung, machnist aged 10 years, re-
siding at No l56 West Thirty yrsts, badly scaded and
bruised Mrs Maria WeDerzah, aged 70 years. native
Of Prussia not seriously injured. In addition to the
above named. number of workmen we're somewhat
scalded and bruised, but not so severely
as TO prevent them from going home
The boiler was situated in a 2.story brick building
about 20 feet in length This of utterly de-
molished This together with the front building,
owned by Abraham r. Wech, turner in wood The rear
OF the front building was badly shattered The loss OF
Mr. welch amounts to about 81 900 The upper floor OF
No 25s West Twenty-eighthst is occupied by Mr. D. d.
Brassington manufacturer OF stair rails, etc. His STOCK
is considerably damaged. No. 257 West Twenty
seventhst occupied the lower floor by MI Frederick
Becker hinge maker, and the upper floors by John
Mitchell sash and blind maker. The extension OF thls
bnildne in the rear two stories in hight, demolished
and the rear of the buildings either sde front
ing on Twenty seventh and Twenty-eighthss, badly
shattered Mr. Mitchels loss on machinery and stock
| amounts to $1,000. The buildings are owned by Mr
Erastus Crawford who estimates his loss at 500 The
boiler was Of the upright kind, manufactured by Byron
Densmore of No 1858 West Forty hirdst and was put up
IN June last at cost OF O 1t was considered perfectly
safe at higher pressure than usually carried Exactly
how the explosion occurred will probably never DC
asceaned the only persons who could impart any IN
formation he subject fare buried beneath the runs
The bottom OF the boiler part that gave way and
the sudden rush Of steam naturally forced 1t upward Ihe
story of several intelligent persons that the boiler at
taed hight OF at last COO feet appearing Tor momen'
about the size OF hat and then descending with
the velocity almost Of lightning. The distance from
where the boiler started the house OF Mr.
ia fnlly 800 feet II almost incredible that mass OF
iron weighing nearly three tuns should have been hurled
sucb distance The affair created intense excitement
IN the neighborhood, and large multitudes gathered
around both buildings Sergeants James aud Russell,
with a platoon OF policemen, remained on the ground
until Late last night TO enforce order Not until
nearly midnight did the throng entirely disperse.
The search for the body Of the engineer was kept up by
Gangs OF frefen, working under the orders Of Chief
Engineer Kngsland but up TO early hour this morn
| ing IL had not been found. Mr. and Mrs Housemann
were completely prOstrated with grief last evening at
their sudden bereavement Mrs. Brady also seemed
overwhelmed at the loss OF her 1t is but short
time since her husband died and the loss is thus rem
dered doubly II s understood that Mrs Madden
is visiting friends the country and is Therefore as
| yet not aware OF the death Of her husband