The New York herald., 1870-02-15
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
Bursting Of Boiler In West Thirty.thlrd
Street = Miraculous Escape OF the
Operatiycs-An Exciting Scene
Three Persons Injured A
Brave Engineer.

Brave Engineer.
A terrific explosion occurred yesterday afternoon
In Deckers paper hanging factory, Nos oi6 ana OFT
West rhlrty-tnird street, which for time created
quite cOmmOti0n IN the ncighborhood, ana when
would have probably resulted IN great loss Of life
had 1t not been for the fact thas oil the operators
were ut dinuer when the accident took place.
IL appears that about Q quarter 70 one o'clock Mr..
Wright, bookkeeper In the establishment, happened
to 60 nt0 the engine during the absence OF the
engineer. who had gone 70 dinner, and noticed
that the boiler was leaking badly from sew
eral cracks under some OF the bolts. Anticipating
that "a explosion might occur he remained In the
place until the engineer, John Donneliy, returned
when he informed him Of his discovery. Donncly at
once saw the danger ana began TO draw the Ores,
but before he had completed his task the boiler ex
ploded with terrible force. the conclusion blowing
him distance OF several rods into the adjoining
yard.
A HIGH OLD BOILER
The engine room of the factory was simple shed,
In the rear OF the lnalu building and when the ex.
plosion occurred the engine, which was horizontal
onc shot through the roof OF the structure and into
the DIR at least 100 feet above the highest houses
IN the nelghDorh0od. In It's descent IL struck the
roof OF the three story building Nos $40, b2l and
623. Immediately adjoining the paper hanging fac
tory, and crashed through to the ground floor,
crushing to atoms every timber II came IN contact
with.
A BIG FIRE.
At the same moment that Donnelly was blown
into the yard the force OF the explosion dashed the
the fire from the furnaces through the entire
length OF the ground noor OF the factory,
The strength OF the concussion carrying with
1t oil the doors which divided the shed
from the factory itself. The consequence was
that In second the whole establishment was
wrapped in sheet OF name and beforeSthe engines
had time to arrive at the scene every noor or the
establishment was caught up by the devouring ele
ment.
When the engines did arrive the flames were
raging furiOusly. The engineer, Donney, had In
the meantime been rescued by police officer from
his dangerous position IN the yard, as were Mr..
Wright the bookkecper, ana q workman named
George nussey they being the only persons who
unfortunate enough to be in the engine room when
the boiler exploded. Several stfeams OF water
| were at once thrown upon the 1re as soon as the
nrenen could get well 10 work, but for time their
efforts proved uaavaiing and II seemed as though
the flames were destined TO stretch over the whole
block. FindinQ 1t utterly Impossible to conne them
me 70 stem the the o the coua
grafton ny playing" upon the adjoining buildings,
Dut all 10 no purpose for IN few minutes the floors
OF The paper factory began To fall In WITH terrific
crash and the names extended 10 the packing box
factory, No. 5la, which they soon completely
veloped.
The excitement in the neignborhood at this time
| was very great. Men. women and children. almost
| ali friends or relatives of persons working IN tne
factories, rushed pell nell through the street aud
e,deavored 70 get near tho burning buildings; ut
times struggling nerceiy with the ponce eater the
| 'ncsn and calling upon everybody they came In
contact WITH To know something Of tue iate Of tnose
| whom they supposed 10 nave been work.
| ing IN the factories when the fire broke
| our. Captain Cai'rey, VINO was present. mani
| tested ms usual cooiness and tact the
| OCCASION, ana managed ut the same time 10 quiet
fears Of the anxious relatives OF the operatives
| ana TO keep them from exposing themselves need.
ieasly the buildings. Indeed, had 1t not Teen
for sae energetic Efforts OF himself and officers
tire intelligence OF the accident was trst hinted
| aoout IN the vicinity there might have been Y
serious Joss Of le from the inpetaosity Of the nun
drcds who demanded ADMISSION wlthll The hr'
| ltneS.
| WHAT NIGHT HAVE BEEN.
I Over ten hours elapsed before the flames wer,
completely eXtiDguisDcd. and IL was nos until then
when all che operatives had put IN an appearance
tnat their trends became satisfied tnat Lney mad not
lost in the con1agration. There were Two very
| fortunate circumstances that prevented tho expo.
sion rom becoming very disastrous accident. Tnc
first wnIcn mas already been menlionea was that
| al the operatives were at dinner when the boiler
burst, tae second that when the boiler fell
| it struck part OF tue bulldog no. 5!9, whcn was
uged for the icnnery ana boilers the packing bO
factory, without exploding another boi.ef wnich was
located in H. Tnis portion OF The BUN ling was sort
ofhuuse IN ,tser OF the me hey nj as the ma n pld
lug, buf divided from 1t by brick wall. Tne Doler
winch exploded. IN lts descent through ting brlck
! enclosure. actually Struck the tubular boiler
| whlcl was used Tor the working OF the ma
| ch,nery OF the packing box establishment. ana
| knocked OF several oil the steam plpes tiad the
| tubular boiler oeen SO struck as TO have been ex-
plooed the loss OF life that would nave cnsued las
there was at the time some eighteen persons WORK.
| ing on the tnird floor Of the boiidinSl would have
TWO ISTREprD POLICEMEN
Quito an excitement was occasoncd during the
| 1ro by the rumor that on the third noor OF the
| packing box factory woman. member OF the
FAMILY OF Thomas Williamson, one OF the proprie-
1 tors had been forced back inGO her room by The
/ smoke and was unable to escape. Two police oni-
at once unteered to seek for her. ana after
| much personal risk reached the room, but found
| tnat all the family had escaped
IL Is stated that ne boiler only had nfty pounds
| head OF steam ON when It exploded and lilat It's
| max mum rate was sixty pounds.
/ BRAVE EsGIsEER
Donnelly. the engineer, was drcadfuliy scaded
about me head arms ana face. He taken to his
nome after the accident nnd refused to the hos
p,ta. HIS courage, manifested IN "drawiny, the
res at the risk OF his life IN order to prevent the
accident which ne loresaw IS deserving OF the high-
est praise, and his employers viii doubtless reward
! hlIn Tor IL.
TEE DAMAGES.
The other two men who were injured; Wright and
| taken to their homes 10y the police.
The building No. 510 and Jl7 was totally DESTROYED
| 81 900 IN the Merchants Insurance Company the
| building was owned by George w. Chapman, and
was fully insured. The third floor OF NO. 6lS was
occupied by Thomas Williamson as q hosiery cstab.
lishment. The stock was insured for $4,000 IN the
Flremen's Company, OF hartford, Conn. The first
and second floors were un0ccuped. The fourth floor
was occupied by MT IL, Ftzsimnons - shirt FUR
| ton OF this floor was occupied as dwelling by
Mr.. Ftzsimmons. His entire furniture was de-
stroyed. The building belonged to Mr.. Pearson,
were insured Tor $25,00o