The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-04
Heartrending Scenes and
Miraculous Escapes.

street cars anu pressing nCO SerVlCe I'LL HdnHeT vi
vehicles, while many reached the locality on foot
EIGHT HUNDRED MEN ON HAND
At the time Of the explosion all the wOrkmen In
the mill were busy at their respective duties and,
as the nail factory had commenced running to-day,
many men who had heretofore been out OF employ
ment secured work, and all were happy at the
thought OF a steady job, which would keep up for
months. About eight hundred men were at work
in the immediate vicinity of the boilers, which
were situated directly between the rolling mill
and the nail factory. They lay facing the north,
and this seemed to be the direction In which the
force OF the explosion principally expended ITSELF
although several batteries were completely ami
hiated and destruction was complete at the rear
and on all sides well as In front. All the de-
partments had their full quota of workmen as
orders were unusually brisk, and it was necessary
to run full time in order to fill the contracts.
THE TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE
without the slightest warning, at once tre
mendous report filed the building. 1t sounded
like the discharge of battery Of artillery, and the
earth some distance from the scene tremDled as If
1t had been Jared by a shock of earthquake. Iron,
brick and wood were torn from their places, and
in another moment the walls Of the new additions
which had been built TO the rolling mill were hurled
to the ground and the unfortunate victims who were
around the boilers were buried underneath. Those
who were in the other parts OF the building became
panicstricken twas fearful scene; great lusty
men, barred to the waist even in this cold, cheer
less February day. came rushing out like stricken
deer, and, though 1t would be hard to find more
elegant specimens Of physical development than
these men, yet they trembled in every limb as
would frigh tened girl amid roar of steam and
in the clouds of dust.
SCENES OF SORROW.
Fathers could be heard calling on sons, seen like
gl,a xJnxr
search OF their offspring, while grown up boys and
others under age. with looks of horror and anxiety.
ran hither and thither, some searching for their
fathers or friends Others seeking for means OF eS-
cape from the terrible cage Pieces OF iron weigh
ing several pounds crashed through the TOOL, nythg
earth and the bricks OF the ruined building rained
down like dangerous showers on the outside:
Those who were at the scene or the horror found
themselves confronted with women. men and dell
cate children, crying and sobbing, seeking fathers
who were them perhaps buried beneath tons OF
falling brick and friends and relatives who found
their loved ones in some cases dropped
ON THEIR KNEES AND THANKED GOD.
Others again, whose people were taken out cut,
bruised or manned, filed the air with groans and
cries, and one woman, clasping the mutilsted body
pavemen ut and tainted. By this time the panic had
somewhat ceased inside the building, and groups
Of men began to gather round the spot w th Inc
building had fallen on the place. and on top OF
the debris men for the moment stood horror
stricken they thought OF the poor victims under
meath their feet. 1t was only for moment, for,
although sick at heart thin king of the terrible sight
they must soon reveal about two hundred men,
PAIN DEPICTED ON EVERY FACE,
began the work Of getting out the dead. Wiling
one side, heavy beams were lifted and carried of
as If so many jack straws.
THE FIRST CORPSE RECOVERED.
After the first beam raised there was re-
vealed the blackened face and distorted features
OF man, already dead, who had been pinned to
the earth by the fatal BEAM Tenderly he was
lifted up by those around, and as he was carried
out these strong men cried like children, while
women sobbed as though their hearts would break.
The search was renewed, and one after another the
bodies were brought forth--bodes OF men who but
few minutes before had been alive In all the go-
riOus pride OF strength and manhood, but now
CRUSHED, BLACKENED,
and in some cases mutilated by falling walls until
firm was present, and by prompt measures sue
ceeded in doing all that could be done to get the
bodies out in order to save any that might pos,
siby be alive. The work went on, and when SIX
bodies had been taken from the ruins men mignt
have been heard saying, "Thank God, there's no
morep' But there were more, for lew mo-
ments afterwards the body OF poor Sheehan, last
recovered, was taken out, and from the express
sion Of agony which his distorted features bore he
must have died terrible, lingering death. Five Of
| the men killed were married and have families,
and the bodies OF the fathers and husbands were
| the bereaved ones looked upon the mutilated re-
mains 1t was affecting in the extreme.
THE DEAD.
| The following Is the list of killed-four OF them
| were employed as coal bumpers and the balance
| were employed in different departments OF the
| works.
i~Charles Fay.
| 2-Barney McCauey.
3-Mike Sneehan.
| 4-Patrick Howley.
| 5-ThOmas Mccarthy.
| 6-Mike Reynolds.
| Anton Backus. III
The wounded number over thirty none OF whom,
| with perhaps one exception, will die, as the
| physicians assert that the injuries received in
| many cases are less serious than at first supposed.
| Men who worked 400 feet distant from the Doll.
ers were struck down by flying missiles, which lell
| in showers on all sides. On Sarah street, three
| blocks distant, woman had an arm broken by q
| flying brick. AS there were over eight hundred
men within hundred feet OF the boilers 1t Is almost
miraculous there were not more casualties.
| NAMES OF THE WOUNDED.
| The following Is a list OF some OF the wounded
whose names could be procured. Some are dan
gerously hurt, while others are only slightly in
Thomas Boyle, hurt by splinter.
| Charles Ward, head severely cut.
| James g. Ward, head cut and hurt internally.
| Robert Blatchford, hurt internally.
| Adam Young, leg ana arm broken.
| John Corbe jaw broken and badly cut
Nicholas Long, eye crushed in and face badly
Robert Dulze head and legs badly burned.
| Edward Kinker, severely hurt.
| Tom Mahony, leg crushed.
Jacob Brobeck, back and spine injured and
| burned.
John Nelson, head, face and body burned and
bruised.
Tommy Grant, badly cut by piece of the boiler
| Mrs, Keyser, arm broken.
| John Bowers, leg crushed.
| william Walls, lace cut by splinter
George Ross back hurL
| Robert Fahey internally injured.
| Joseph J. Ellis, hand crushed.
| Mike Murray, arm burned badly.
| BUILDINGS SHATTERED INTO RUINS.
AZ stated above, over fifty feet OF the new bricl
| addition was blown to atoms; the e1d OF the nal