The New York herald., 1871-07-31
WHAT WAS SEEN AT THE FIRST PRECINCT
STATY0N HOUSE.

The explosion had hardly occurred before a
HERALD reporter started for the scenes O DEATH
Walking rapidly down Broadway he met numerous
evidences Of the horrors Of the disaster. Men and
women passed him with white terror-strlcken
faces-sOme with the scalded flesh OF face and
hands hanging in shreds and dripping on the pave.
meDts, and with the blood oOZing from ugly wounds
and bruises. man was carrying In his arms the
lifeless body OF little child, whose dimpled face
and arms were masses OF 1acid and lIvld nesh In
the drug store at No. Whitehall street thirty.twO
of the injured were kindly attended to during the
afternoon. The name Of only one OF these was as
certained and is william Hullwidde. He keeps
dining saloon at the corner Of Prince and sullivan
streets. Both his wife and sister were on the boat
with him. and he Of course, did not know whether
they were alive or dead. His face was terribly
scalded, the mesh hanging in shreds.
Tie greater part Of the injured and killed were
first taken TO the First precinct station house, in
New street, where they were laid out In CHASTITY
rows upon the floor. The cOnveyances IN which they
were brought wera followed by immense crowds.
within the station house the scene was indescrba-
BILE. The police officers and those who lent helping
hands were continually arriving with fresh victims.
The living were laid on the floor in the back room
while their injuries were hastily attended to, after
which they were carried to the wagons and ambu-
ances which were to convey them to the hospitals.
Besides the Injuries produced by the hot steam
many were mangled horribly by the flying frag-
ments Of the fatal hoat. One woman from whom
the clothes were half torn, was mass OF raw and
lvid flesh. man and his wife were there together,
both injured, but not so badly as not to be able TO
talk and condoe with each other. Some one COM
ing In and recognizing the man laid hand on his
head, saying:-
"You got on easy, didn't your Yes, you did, yes
you dids'
The dead were the most horrible sight Little
children and babes had been brought in whom no
one could name, the faces wearing all the smiling
peacefulness Of q childish sleep. One was dressed
in pretty velvet suit and had light auburn hair
and fair compile xion. The eyes were closed, frnged
by long ashes that rested on the placid cheek one
leg was turned to a greenlsh purple, and the little
hands were imbued with blood, probably OF some
other victim. Another child. dressed In the white
pure dress OF babyhood, lay dead without stain OF
blood, but with the same calm smile Of dreaming
oblivion.
People in terrible suspense and expectancy came
In to see the Victims shrinking from the fear of find
ing some one near and dear. The thrOng was most
peculiar because OF its diversified character. 1t IN
cuded those Of every every character every con-
diOn In life. Around the dead pressed a dense circle
peering through the designations of bloody and
scaided flesh to find the real lineamcnts. An
old woman-a staid mafron Of 1fty-stooped
over to examine the stockings of young man, fear
ing no doubt that they were those knit by her own
hands. But they were not for she said, "No that's
not my son." Another man turned gold ring
around on a dead finger TO discover some marks OF
ownership or memoriam. Among the bodies was
that Of an old lady, with gray hair, whose name
was Matilda Mofrat. Leaning against the wall near
by was her husband an old man, with terrible IN
juries who answered to the question that was MS
wife, with unnatural calmness. eyes, that one"
Beside her lay the body OF young woman a'tireo
IN q black alpaca dress. with oversleeves OF whiec
muslin. Her face and form were fair to LOOK UPON