The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-10
The Five Commissioners Determined to
Probe the Case.
SUMMING UP THE LOSSES
Hasty Departure Of Suspected Men from
Jersey City.
INTERVIEW WITH A STRIKER.


pIoson in Jersey CITY and Hoooken Though their
iabors have not been than half completed they
have already footed up an aggregate OF $4,000 The
claims range from 50 the lower section OF the city
81, 900 on the Heights.
THE DAMAGE
The following items taken from Officer Thompson's
notebook will give idea OF the claims OF residents
In the vicinity OF the explosion embracing
palisade avenue Prospect street. waverley
street, Reservoir and Oakland avenues:-Ma-
jor Harris, $4,000 Colonel W. L. Rogers.
$4,000; Mr.. G. f. Staples 81 loo "a low nglrel; Mr.
Heppenheimer 1000; Mr.. William Taussig, $1,000;
Mr.. Hamlin, $3.50; Mr. Abraham Coierd, $500; Mr.
Charles J Roe IS, o0o Mr. p I. Cumberson, s., $50;
Mr. Baker, $780, Mr.. Petgrcw, 81, 500, Mr. Mortimer,
$1,000; Mr. Rogers $500: Mr.. Hammcrslcy, $1,000;
Mr. Mcguire $500; Mr.. j. g. McGeorge $3.50; Mr.
Swan, $780, Captain Robinson, 500; Mr.. J. Wright,
500; Mr. Benson, $500; Mr.. Bookstaver, So, $50;
Methodist church. Ravine road 81 600: Mr.
Bence, $50; Mr. Hail. 800; Mr. Wolf, $ll5; Mr.. John
Fcilcr 800
ln the lower section OF the city, especially Grove and
Erie streets, the labor appraiscment rs tedious
ind the damage comparatively fight The total amount
N tho Second precinct viii be about SO 500 Many
frivolous claims are presented, and charges made
or all SORTS Of glassware, from kerosene lamp up to
nrgc square OF plate glass. o'Suivan's building ut
he OF Twelfth and Grove streets, damaged
ing, s75 Cars drug store, $50; Park House,
$780, ex-Freeholder o'Gradyis store, $500; Mr.
Jacob Wagner's saloon, $500; Mr. Patrick Gro
INNS store, 500; Freebooter McPhilhps' store,
500; public school, $50; umbrella factory. 5000;
Sheriff Laverty's house, $780, st. Nicholas church,
$780, Mr. Robert 0'Beirnc, 500; Mr.. 7. J. Mcdonald,
$500; Erie Railway paint shop, $780, Mr. Casey, $780,
and many others These buildings situated long
distance from the scene of the explosion The minor
foo mn far vary hn,
on the block from Fourteenth to Fifteenth street. on
the east side Of Grove street, more less shat
tered.
LIGHTS ExTIyGUIsmED.
Mr. Carr standing in his drug store at the
Of Eighth street. when the shock came The lights
were cxtnguishcd, and tho large plate glass in the
windows shattered Halt dozen drug bottles tumbled
from the shelves, of them striking him above the
ankle. In his CONSERVATION he cried out, "My God,
Pm shot!" The injury inflicted very trivial, how
People were stupelod, oven at tins long dis
lance that they could comprehend the nature OF
the disaster for long time. A woman ascending the
stairs in tenement house momentary para
yzed, and imagined that the ice box had tumbled
from the upper hallway. How the house OF Mr.
Abraham Cocrd, which stands the slope Of the hill
In an almost direct line with and contiguous 70 the
magazine escaped complete demolition y ono OF the
mexpicable features of the catastrophe The marble
mantes torn from the walls, but the framework of
the buiding, which is OF recent construction, cling
together firmly. 1hc house OF Mr. Michael Mcguire, at
the OF Palisade avenue and Prospect street. is
literally dsjonted. The sides Of the peaked roof have
parted company, and the sunlight beams IN
from one to two inches in width The
staircase torn away from the wall to the width Of
two inches making IL perilous to ascend. The
work OF the building was lifted from the brck ounda
ton aud settled down again two inchcsout Of place.
Tho bed in which Mr. Mcguire was lying was placed
close to the window. when a storm Of bricks dust
and glass swept across i, Mrs Mcguire recsiveda
severe cut the top of the head Many other houses
have yielded from the perpendicular.
AUTHORITIES.
Meanwhile the city authorities are moving with COM
mendabe prolnpness Mayor Sicdler Is IN frequent
consultation with Chief of Police Champney. The
thonties are puzzled the question liability for
the damage. Lawyers differ on the question whether
the injured property damages from
the CITY or from the contractor Mr. McAndrcw the
Fire Commissioners held meeting yesterday morning
aud discussed the subject at great length. IL was
from the Fire Commissioners TO store the explosive
compound violated any OF the conditions under which
such permission granted, he Is wholly liable for any
damage that might result from an explosion. The
general ruling of the Supreme Court OF tho State has
been that where statutory officers act within the scope
OF the power delegated to them by the Legislature the
city cannot be held responsible like the
present Powers delegated by statute cannot be used
city be no, responsible. then tho question arises
IS CONTRACTOR M'AyDRgw RESPONSIBILITY
IL not he cannot be made liable Hc had permit
from the CITY erect the magazine, and the quantity
of powder TO be stored in u was limited by the Fire
Board to twenty quarter casks OF twenty-five pounds
each at time The conditions fulfilled lar
rs the construction OF the magazine concerned,
determine is whether the contractor
Piled with the condition in regard the quantity
IN storage. some OF the commissioners hold that tho
contractor is liable IN the OF Vaughan Jul
lone Chief Justice Tindal gave as his opinion that
~ Whoever introduced powder explosive materials in
building il responsible for the damages occ.suned by
the Introduction Of such dangerous substances. II
person mixes things together which alone per-
iccily innocent bat which liable TO explode
ng into contact he responsible Tor the conse
quences, and " an explosion onsues he must make
good the damage
Alter carefully viewing the subject aud examining
the statutes bearing on the case, the following reso-
luton was unanimously adoptcd;-
Resolved That this board meet committee Of tho
whole "Wednesday evening May 10 at o'clock.
stances with the explosion which occurred
and mat IN eo@sancs " s %
city clerk and he Is hereby requested 70 T.
visa1e have said nvcstishtlan and that an
oreeumstanees connected Herewith DO requested DO
present and testify.
This course is after all tho practical IL the
only solution OF the difficulty. Not only viii the aucs
ton Of responsibility b. thoroughly sitcd, but some
eew may be obtained TO the pcrpctraor OF the ncndsn
Outrage.
And Just tins point proper rccur to the e.
fort, beng made by tie Chief OF Police, who asserts
with confidence that he 10
OK rnE TRACK oY rnR PERPETRATORS
He says that McAnirew told him that hc bad
directed Mr Oakley to remove the three kegs OF
gyccrnc IN the magazine and that he neglected 10 do
H. III my order had been obcved, said Mr.. Mean
drew, 'there would have been no trouble at all One
OF the employ OF the company stated that he aud hs
family had noticed man who sat at corner tho
the day winch the disaster took place He de-
scribed the man as Of average size, hight complexion
and smooth face. winch bore marks of smallpox re
was dressed in brown suit. lie - missing. but
Is stated by the police that he with several others
have lett for baltimore The keeper OF the magazine
George Byrnes who was reported n4issing,
MONDAY, and nc did not look al all though he had
been injured by the explosion Tho story concerning
his death fiction. When asked concerning the
powder which tho stotchouse at the OF
explosion he sad tha there were four kinds " 10
his knowledge. These rcndgock the vulcan pow
der, and several kegs Of ordinary black powder and
quantity Of powder the nature aud name Of which
to him unknown. all slowed away In boxes
Mr. McAudrcw, IN answer 10 the question whether
he had received any information which would aid the
police IN their Search replied, ~ have just learned
that shortly alter ten O'Clock on Saturday night the
Waterman who was duty at tue magazine went into
the tunnel about lao feet GRAND,
aud 1 OF opinion that during his alb