The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-11
THE GREAT BOILER EXPLOSION.

The Day After the Disaster-vislt. To The
Scene Of the Aceident-Acti0n OF Coroner
Wiidey.
Walking up the Eighth avenue yesterday morr,n,
one might have observed . large crowd assembled on
either side OF the way a, the OF Twenty
street, viewing the scene Of the dreadful boiler sx
posion which occurred on Mondvy afternoon.
The premises lying between Twenty. seventh ana
Twenty-eighth Streets ~hep, the accident originated
presented an appearance OF the most utter wreck and
ruin. The entire roof Off walls thrown down.
noors and flooring annihated, huge beams and rafers
scattered about aud piles Of bricks and mortar and
broken machinery lying about IN directions
while all the mul,ifarous debris that arises
from such q catastrophe hespcd up on
tho ground floor, and suggestive Of the ruin
that had arisen. Tho boiler, which was somo Gfteen
feet in height and OF eight feet diameter had been stu
atsd before the explosion just the Of
floor OF Mr. wslohs mandatory, which occupied
the entire book OF the building between tho streets
above mentioned This boiler tubular and upright,
and in shape oonchoida,. II strongly
stractcd for even now 1t ba, not been broken 10 any
extent BY tho explosion, and its ROMANO exhibit great
strength and sodsy. II 10 sad tina, IL only work.
Ing up to sixty pounds pressure OF steam at the time
bars; hu, tbs unsccouutabe, Judging by its ap
parent strength and workmanship. The people who
heard tho expo that IL ike the discharge Of
SKY r3cl1"i npanei by pulling sort of sound,
ike That o! m engine letting or stein The explosion
must have been aSfi IA its force ma immcnss boiler
weighing gcbt many to1s weight ~a, lifted from
It's oed carried bldy up Into tho ar, destroying
entire building In Which II conalned
It's course, and after attaining TO attitude of
hundred yards, and In westerly direction,
Eignth avenue 1t dropped suddenly, vita Tremendous
,ipetn- increased ny us Yer cai GRADUATION, upon
house West y-oighth street. In is downward,
is upward hight, the boiler vas equally danaang,
aud resembed some gigantic she'll or destructive missile
of war; IL plunged completely through the roof OF Mr.
Hou, house, broke through the third, second and
first floors, and finally found resting place tue base
meu,. after tearing Tho building nearly to pieces.
rhe front part Of tho premises in within the boiler
save broken windows The inscription, Abrarn 81
Welsh, Iurnerv Mii'' cross beam that jus
sidew walk marks the of the disaster and on
side Is blacksmith shop, where the unsie
Of the hammer and ring OF the anvil be heard
al hours of day. and which yesterday was psiabo
enough. Looking within the broken WINDOWS, one saw
heap Of wreck and dis0rdered machinery: bI. this
standpoint would give but very FAINT idea o. tie real
extent Of the explosion Entering by an archway Ia
twenty seventh street, at the back Of the cry,
could see a. glance the ruin that had been effected
Tue ,urucry establishment had been divided in two
PORTIONS the rear beng completely destroyed and only
mass of crumbiing brick work. while the front
open like dolls house the side of thea
ire, and disclosed all the various foors with their
enls. The boiler hal been torn away In every paTt
ng' Inc steam sagne belonging TO Ia horz ,nal one
damaged aud part OF the cylinder and piston torn OIL
poron OF the inner casing OF the boiler with tho
psrtures for the tubes, all bent and distorted lay
the engne; and this was tho only fragment OF me
boiler left on premises The roof OF the adjoining
house had been suited and was bent down over The
ruins, the remnants Of tho different
loors ana their beams and supports
fallen walls and soped down 70 the Abyss at the bass
ment VII contained all the machinery, timber work
and original s,ructure OF the building. piled up IN
heterogeneous heap of disorder rne missing body
engineer, shaughnessy was found a. nine O'Clock
yesterday morning buried beneath tho debris In
he ba ement, his skull smashed In and his brains
scattered bricks and around. The scene
Of rui1 instantaneous and indescrbable Here
was broken lathe, an unhnged door, twisted out of all
shape; huge beam, a cnatr, window with sil its
panes Of glass destroy there heaps Of bricks
DIRT, aad states and roonng carpstng and ocioh, and
broken rafters piled up to the level Of the sree,h.
whole presenting picture or desolaon which can only
be Witnessed utter some sadden calamity like this boiler
explosion.
Ie mouse sos West Twenty eighth street. the residence
OF Housman, where the boiler fell, nearly rs
complete a ruin as tho premises Of Mr. welcn All The
smashed in aud tue partitions that separated tho
front par from the back cut away ~ II with giant
SC, the. Tho roof was kn)cked away completely; the
floor and the other stories beneath Including
the back par aud the IT, destroyed as Il
ana the crumblns fragments Of these floors with all
their furniture, were heaped In confusion the base
ment Of tho house. Tho death Of Ar Housman's two
chi dren must have been nearly instantaneous: Tor
gazing The scene OF the disaster, readily np-
have descended on the doomed building, sroy-
log everything IN ITS course The boiler itself nearly
.n!irc, and does not seem in the least damaged Some
detective lue or the top or bottom being weak. could
alone have caused IL to explode. II is wonderful TO
hink how IL blre / through the air such
distauce-some three hundred feet or moro
srai., ht line from the building In which IL had been
ixed bedcs the elevation which asconded In order
o gain such lateral direction. Yesterday crowds of
)eop ana about three O'Clock numbers of school chill.
returning from their academies lined all the
aalk in front and opposite the house OF Mr. Hous-
nan, where the two little dead children lying In
room up sta awaiting tho coroner's inquest; and In
'front.' OF Mr. Wechs premises equally large conccurse
curiosity seekers assembled, while ople also
troubled tue hospital folks at the Mount Sinai institution
10 The poor sufferers who had hoeu injured by the
accident Mary Bowling, Mr.. Housnnn's servant, Is
doing much better than was expected and the dociors
think she will cover while OF the others was also
ookine muca better yesterday morning
The expected at the station house 81 the
ilstrct the hospital and ut Mr. Housnlans residence
ii, day, but up TO three O'clock they had not made their
appearance.
ACTION OF CORONER WILDLY
Coroner Widey was yesterday notified 20 hold an |
nQu.son tho remains of the woman aud two |
children whose deaths resulted from tho EXPLOSION In |
Wes. Tweniyelghih street, the particulars or which !
we're fully reported In yesterdays HsRArD Later IN |
Housman, sos West Iwentycghth street, for The pur.
pose OF emranelng jury to view the dead bodies In
Irder AZ they mgns be buried The Jury would also
inspect the premises where tho explosion occurred and
the boiler which had ashtcd upon the roof or r
iousmRns residence and, crushing through various
lO0rs itbeddei itself In tho collar where could 30
further Tho Coroner ~ engaged IN secur ng the a.
endsuce OF tho necessary Witnesses aud Il il his prr-
1850 10 make most searching investigation az 10 tho
Of the explosion, which resulted dsnsrorsiy 10
,aman llis Tue Investigation may not DO commenced
or two or three days.