Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-12-26
A SHOCKING DISASTER IN NEW YORK.


EXPLOSION AT A CANDY FACToRY-A
FIvE-SToRY FRONT BLOWN OUT
COLLAPSE OF THE BUILDING-FOR-
TY OR FIFTY GIRLS AND BOYS
CRUSHED TO DEATH IN THE RUINS
MANY OTHERS UNACCoUNTED FOR
SCENES OF TERROR-THE DEAD
WOUNDED.
~ NEW YORK, Dec. 20.-An explosion
occurred at ten minutes past five O'Clock
this afternoon in the immense candy
mandatory Of Greenfield, at No. 65
Barclay street, which extends in the
shape of an L to College Place. The
boiler. which was under the sidewalk on
the Barclay street side, burst, tearing
away the entire front and scattering the
wreck in all directions. Over one hun
dred and fifty girls Of all ages were en-
ployed at the time in the building,
besides a number of men and BOYS.
The walls fell within a few minutes after
the explosion. The policeman who was
on duty near the building says he saw
the front of the building, five stories
high, fall into the streets. 1.-The street
was filled with swarming people There
were about two hundred at work.
rushed to the police station. gave the
fire alarm at the box at Church and
Jand Barclay streets. Several girls
jumped from the top Of the building INTO
he fire.
Several boys were blown through the
roof" Fifty-six wounded and one
dead were reported at Chambers Street
Hospital at 6.45 O'Clock. A number
were also sent to Bellevue and other
hospitals. LII estimated the wounded
will reach 125 of the 275 employed in
the factory; but few escaped uninjured.
The number of dead is uncertain until
the wreck is cleared away. The fire
was under control at $50, and by Gas
only a dense smoke surrounded the
ruins.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Mr.. Greenfield, owner of the factory.
could give no idea how many was in the
building at the time of the explosion,
but thought about ITO. Of these about
fifty escaped by College Place entrance,
and small number got out through
skylights and walked over roofs and got
down the skylights of other buildings.
The bookkeeper, who was on the Bar
clay-street side Of the building, was
blown out through the window to the
street and badly cut on the head. Sew
eral jumped from the second-story and
escaped with slight injuries, the fall be-
ing broken by policemen and citizens on
the sidewalk below. No fair estimate
IF tho loss IF 1ifo I< -
The parties employed in the factory
were principally young girls and boys
from to 20 years of age. Owing to
the approach Of the holidays double
force was employed, one working dur
ing the day and the other at night.
The force is changed at O'Clock, and
the fact of the explosion occurring at
ten minutes past that hour renders it
sUill more dificultto know how many or
who are the victims. The Barclay
street angle of the bailding has fallen to
the ground, as has also Nos. G5 and 81
Barclay street on the lower side, and
No. 81 on the upper side. No search
can be made for those buried in the
ruins until tomorrow.
EXCITEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
News of the explosion spread over
the city very rapidly, and the widest
rumors and great excitement prevailed.
Some of the evening papers got out
extras with very exaggerated reports of
the extent Of the calamity, which in
creased the excitement. and large
crowds hurried from all quarters, to the
scene. The police kept the crowd blocks
away from the place. Many persons
having children or relatives working in
the factory sought the scene of the dis
aster and the hospitals and police sta
tons in search Of missing ones. Their
anxiety and grief were very touching.
THE DEAD IN THE RUINS.
AT the very lowest calculation there
must be 40 to so bodies in the ruins,
which are still reeking mass. The
tiremen will keep streams of water on
the ruins all night, and will have the
street cleaned and be ready to COM
mence digging out the debris tomorrow.
1t is feared the wall of the bank building
is damaged, and this will be examined
before work on the ruins is begun, as the
building might fall on the workmen.
-RzEH. = =. ezzz-