New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-18
4 GIANT FORCE Fatally LET LOOSE. z.
EXPLOSION IN DYNAMITE FACTORY on SMALL
IsLAND-FOUR PERSONS KILLED.
hy which fOur

EXPLOSION IN A DYNAMITE FACTORY on SMALL
IsLAND-FOUR PERSONS KILLED.
A terrible explosion, by which four men
were killed occurred Saturday In dyna-
mite factory artificial iset called Black Tom, be-
tween Bedoes Island and tho NewJersey shore. The
factory, which owned BY r. W. Warren or Jersey
CITY, consisted Of small wooden buildings standing
on dock, and about Is feet apart One OF these was
used as q cartridge packngroom and the other for
grinding the ingredients OF tho powder and storing
eycerne which enters into the composition OF tho dyna-
mite At the time OF the explosion which took place In
the packing house. there were six men on the Island
Two OF these Patrick L,yerty and Charles Smith, both
of Jersey CITY, grinding nitrate Of sofa in the
grinding house and escaped. The others, James
Iayerty son OF Patrick Iavery aged II, Alfred Hop
kins OF Hoboken. Alonzo Lowe whose home was at No.
325 Prospective, Brooklyn, and George Brown fore
man. who lived at No. Sixthst.. Jersey CITY, were
either instantly killed by the shock or burned to death
Upon hearing the noise Of the explosion Layerty and
Smith ran out and "a the pacnghousc all in flames.
Fearing that the fire would communicate to the gyce-
rne stored the Grlndingbouse they hurried to the
extreme opposite point OF the island and made signals
for help. Lavery much weakened with fright
grief for the loss Of his that he fell down three
fines asd had TO he helped away by his companion,
VINO aerward back and recovered their coats and
his own dinuer-pAi. When lug returned, the hre was
blazing up from under the dotK into the gycerde
house. but fortunately 1T reached no c0mbusti-
BILE material there Tue two remained "a, at
Il
help for about an hour when the Central Railroad
stea uer Lucy Foster aud took tlen OIL IhcJ 10
not appear made efforts to inform the police
OF TIE accident for nothing known OF 1t generally
until late in the afternoon.
Smith, one OF the SURVIVOR, says the cause OF tho ex
poson the placing OF the powder In boxes near the
ire in order to thaw it, hu order had been received
from the works at Hell Gate for 800 pounds Of the
powder which TO be delivered at tne Battery Satur
day afternoon. In fastening to I'll THIS order tho
grew CARELESS and PROBABLY by their neglect lost their
lives OF the disaster reached the jersey
City police ABOUT p. Officers Ray. Blanchard and
Lambreycr immediately sent 10 the Island, which
they had considerable difficulty In reaching. They
found the house destroyed aud large sack OF
satpeter burning the gycerUe house. This tney
threw into the water The bodies OF the victims
OF accident found under the burning DEBRIS,
horribly charred and contorted. Yesterday they
lay OF Speers MOrgue In Jersey City, where
they were viewed by Coroner Rhinehart, who APP
pointed the inquest for next Monday During the after
noon tue friends OF the dec 5asod identify the
bodies That OF the boy Lyerty readily recognized
by its small stature. inc other bodies mere
masses OF charred bones but the friends OF the dead
size Brown leaves wife aud four children. Lowe
also leaves wife and child and Hopkins married
man.
Mr. Warren. the owner OF the works on Black Tod
Island, went to Baltimore Saturday morning, saying
that he would return TO night. Tue dynamite manu-
featured him used almost entirely He'll Gate,
and in the Bergen Il tunnel. 1t appears that
there woIs about 800 pounds or the powder pack
nghOuse at the time OF the accident. In tho grinding
house there were 1900, pounds OF prepared nitro
gyeerne. The noise OF the explosion as heard the
blank cartridge. Mr. Waren's loss Is estima+ed at