The sun., 1870-02-15
A FRIGHTFUL EXPLOSION.
THE BURSTING or THE ROLLER ~
DECKER g. CO.'S FACTORY.


An Enormous Mass Of Iron Blown over the
Hou-etop--Paliira Through nm Adioin-
ing Roof-The Burning Of the Worlds
Fearful Destruction Of Life-Grent Loss
Of Preperty-whe Licensed this Old
BeiIert
The frightful explosion yesterday afternoon In
Thirty'hird street. rhould be Thoroughly investiEa
ted. The boiler OF Decker q Co.'S paper factory
exploded at 1910 p. NJ, and set FIRE to the buding,
which was speedily burned to the ground. The adj
joining building, No. 513 also partially burned
On the return OF John Donnelly the engineer, from
his dinner he found the boiler leaking. He set to
work without delay TO endeavor to prevent any acct
dent. William Wright and George Dussey were In
the engine room at the time. While the engineer
was inspecting the boiler II exploded with tremen-
dous detonaton, and the entire boiler was carried
through the roof OF the building and after rising
SIXTY FEEr rs THE An
fell through the roof Of the adjoining building, be-
longing to Chamberlain & Roe, and after striking
the inside wall Of their boiler house, fell to hori
Eontal position, carrying away small scaholding
and several steam pipes II was marvel that 1t did
not result In two explosions for II II had allen two
feet to the right OF where II lay, II must have
smashed In the conicsl boiler belonging to Messr.
Chamberlain & Roe. Mr.. Trout, their engineer, who
has been nfty years In the business, had a
MARVELLOUS ESCAPE.
Mr. Trout says that he WIS standing in the spot
where the exploded boiler now lies, when he heard
the explosion, which was quickly followed by storm
Of bricks and other rubbish lie took the hint, and.
ss he describes II himself, went on deck"
Mr. Trout is old salt but says that he never be-
fore had such a narrow escape.
rHg SUFFERERS.
The escape OF steam that followed the explosion
dealt destruction on every hand William g. Wright,
aged Is. son of Sergeant Wright OF the Nine
teenth Ward police, and brother-in law Of Mr..
Decker, was employed by him as bookkeeper, md
was In the engine house at the time OF tho explo.
sion. lie was fearfuly scalded about the face,
hands, chest aud arms, aud Immediately taken
to Mount Sinai Hospital, where although he re.
ceved every succor, died at about o'clock yester-
day afternoon. John Donnelly, the engineer, who
was very badly seadsd In tho face hands and arms,
borne the street to his residence No. b0i
West Thirty. third street. George Hussey, paper
staner employed about tho building. was in the
sine room at the time, and became another victim.
Hu-sey, who badly sealded about the head,
hands and chest taken in ambulance to
Bellevue Hospital. Mary Kelly, employed in tho
hetory, was In the building and was knocked down
by the force of tho explosion, but managed to es-
cape.
VISIT TO TIE BOILER.
Our reporter paid visit TO the building In which
the boiler was lying, and amer passing through the
store and engine room Of MessrS. Chamberlain n
Roe's building, entered the boiler and the
exploded boiler. By cxamn ming the plant lie reader
the position 10 which the boiler lay. The
crown plato entirely torn up, and lay thrown
back BY the force Of the explosion. There were
several engineers standing By examining the boiler
aud all had various opinions as to the cause of the
accident. The general impression was that the
water in the boiler having .v1poraed the rlaie be-
came red hot, and the ensineer, on his return at
tempted to feed II with cold water Ii appears that
this
BOILER WAS OLD,
and originally came from the Washington Iron
Works in Newburgh The Inspector OF Boilers Mr..
Mclaughlin. Was on the spot and Informed our re-
por that he tested the boiler last August to carry
20 pounds Of stern. and that II was n good boiler
Decker & Co. got tho boiler about three years ago
10 had then been in use considerable time.
SCENE or THE EXPLOSION.