The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-09
PRICE TWO CENTS
AN EXPLOSION IN NEWARK.
THE BURNING or THE CELLULOID
OOMPANY's WORKS.
Narrow Escapo Of tho Forty E-picyees-
Several Persons Injured BY the Falling
Walis-A Loss by Fire Of si75,OOO.

Narrow Escapo Of tho Forty Ewpioyees-
Sevsrni Persons Injured BY the Failing
Walis-A Loss by Fire Of $4,000.
Just before 0 o clock last evening a watch.
man Of the Celluloid Manufacturing Company OF
Newark, on going Into the drying room, saw
that a portion Of the stock was In flames The
hames were not large, and we're supposed 70
have originated from spontaneous combustion,
as the materials used In tho composite known
as celluloid arc highly com mbustibie, being
camphor cotton wool, ether, sulphurlo aoid,
and starch. The factory had a special Ore ex-
tinguisbing apparatus, which enabled them TO
turn volume Of steam from their boilers into
any room which might be in flames. The vatoh-
man Immediately put this apparatus In opera
tion, and sounded an alarm, which drove most
OF the employees into the streets. The drying
room. however. was very small. only ten feet
square, and the heat OF the burning celluloid
was Intense, so that the steam which was
poured in became rapidly super heated,
anu IN the course OF seven or eight
out the south and west sides OF tho building.
with great Violence. There were but four men
, Of the forty reg,lGrly employed remaining in
tho bullding ~ the Time Of the explosion, and
most Of these are known to have escaped dam
ger by lowering themselves from the windows
on the unihJured sides OF the building. Some
who were overtaKen In their flight by
the falling walls were seriously cut and
for Mr.. Hyatt the secretary of ,se dnmpav n, ,e.
who was reported to have been buried In the
ruinsI a. be was believed to have been In tho
nulldinR and no one had seen him leave IL, but
y was later ascertained that he was safe Next
y was said that Harry Kearney. a plumber In
ing In the cellar when the walls fell in place
where he must have died from sunocation, but
no p, M,ce Of n% his re- remains were found, and
seen alive and uninjured Among those most
seriously Injured were Charles Lockwood, who
was taken to st. Michaels Hospital with a broken
leg; Alonzo +. How, Andrew l.. How, Michael
Dover, WIN. Cole, Jacob Myers, Geo. +. DAVIS.
James ONeil. John Stevens, and LaOan Denner,
all Of whom received incised wounds or bruises
OF varying Importance. None OF them, however,
ar are fatally lnJnr d; MT Lyons, the bookkeeper
deavors to save the books and papers.
Tho Celluloid Company was organized two years
owned by Col. Marshal Sererts Of New York,
PRESIDENT OF the company, Cyrus w. Field OF
itallsts OF the two cities. Their machinery was
valuable, and the materels on hand were costly.
NO estllnste OF their loss approaching definite
exceed tl000O0 and their insurance amounts TO
10000. The celluloid manufactured Is a COM
poste much used for ornamenting leather ware,
Tor imitation coral Jewelry, and for the gums Of
false teeth. The company occupied under lease
line four story brick building, with French
roof, owned by DIR. Coler, on Mecnanic street.
IL was valued by Dr. Coer AZ $3OOOO, and was in
s9red for shoCo. The nre, which stread rapidly
after the explosion, made IL a complete ruin.
West Of DIR. Coless building was new, cheap,
brick factory owned by MIR. Demorest, and oc-
cupied by several small manufacturers. The
thin walls OF the factory were badly shaken by
the explosion, and many Of the persons en-
ployed on the second floor including some wo-
men, jumped from the windows In their frantic
fear.
Subsequently the building was DESTROYED By
IRE II was valued at $1,000, and was insured.
Among the tenants were Thomas Bates, manu-
facturer OF fancy leather goods. loss 5000; l..
A. Plummer a Co., manufacturer of stationery,
loss $500 Mayheld Ross, ens elers OF cl tn
loss 5000; B. w: Demorest lightning rod man
ufacturer, loss $4,000; Mcclure, Richardson q
Tompkins, saddlers, loss $4,000; Sidney H. Ohm
sted, iron manufacturer, loss small; Philip
Myers, locksmith, anu the Denny Glass Manu-
facturine Company, losses very small.
On the east side Of Dr. Coles building
was Dan BIyants stables, which were de-
stroyed by are. The stables were nns ones,
and were well filled with good stock. Two
horses were burned To death, and the odor of
their flesh was attributed by many to the human
beings who were supposed to have pershed. A
number OF carriages were burned, and the eu-
tire loss will not be less than $1,000, only por-
tion OF which Is covered by Insurance. Tho
total loss IS $l75,00O.