The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-12-29
Horrible Holocaust.

afternoon IN the immense candy manulac
tory of Greenfield & Sons, No. 63 Barclay
street, which extends to College Place. The
boiler, which was in the basement, burst
tearing away the entire front and scattering
the wreck in all directions.
Within few minutes after the explosion
the wall, five stories high, fell into the street
where was gathered multitude of scream
ing people, and flames burst out in all di-
rections.
With regard to the humber of persons in
the building at the time of the explosion no
definite estimate can be had tonight, though
the proprietor thinks there were about 11O.
Those employed in the factory were princi-
pally young girls and boys from eight to
twenty years of age.
Owing to the approach of The holidays a
double force was employed, one working
during the day and the other at night. The
force, which usually consists of over hun
dred is changed at five o'clock, and the fact
of the explosion occurring at ten minutes
past that hour renders it still more difficult
| to know how many fell victims.
Several girls were seen to jump from the
top of the building into the fire. The great
est sacrifice of life however, will be among
the young girls, many of whom are from
eight to fifteen years. They were employed
selling and asserting and packing candies
on the first floor, over the boiler. None of
those escaped so far as known, and at the
very lowest calculation there must be forty
or fifty dead bodies in the ruins.
The bookketfer who was on the Barclay
street side of the building was blown out
through the window to the street and badly
cut on the head. Several persons jumped
from the second story and escaped with
slight injuries, the fall being broken by
policemen and citizens on the sidewalk be-
low. Thirteen wounded persons, of whom
ten are under eighteen years of age, have
been taken to the hospital so far.
The flames spread rapidly, destroying
other buildings, and were not under control
until $3.50 p. IN.
The factory building was in the form of
the letter L. and in the angle were situated
the Grocers' Bank building and D. D.
Thompson's brown paper warehouse-both
five stories high. The latter fell to the
ground, but the bank building was only
slightly damaged. At 65 Barclay street,
frame building, occupied as dwelling and
cigar storej also fell down. The building
occupied by Sug & Knapp, engravers, on the
opposite side of College Place, caught fire
from the sparks but the flames were ex-
tinguished with trihing damage. Among
the other buildings injured are those of E.
W. Little, fancy goods, 241 and 243 Green
wieh street, and Charles Westervelt, hats and
firsJ 337 Greenwich street. Their loss is
about $4,000 each, and Greenfield & Sons
estimate their loss at 100000. The loss to
Tompkins warehouse cannot be ascertained
tonight, but the total losses will not be less
than quarter of million.
News of the explosion spread over the city
very rapidly and the widest runors and
great excitement prevailed. Some Of the
evening papers got out extras with very ex-
aggerated reports Of the extent of the calam-
ity, which increased the excitement.
Many persons having or relatives
working in the factory sought the scene of
the disaster, the hospitals and police stations
in search ofmissing ones, and their anxiety
and grief were very touching Mr.. French,
who lived in the frame building at 65 Bar
clay street, over thirty years, fed with his
family in time to save their lives, but
afterwards remembered having left $4,000
in United States bonds in book case ON the
third floor. Mr.. Megill of engine No. 32 and
roundsman Coffee ofthe First precinct police,
volunteered to 60 in for the bonds. The
flames and smoke bursting out of the
building they climbed up on an awning and
entered the windoW, securing a package of
paper and came out. The package was then
found not to be the bonds. A second time
they entered through the flames and smoke
and brought out the bonds in safety.
The fremen will keep stream of water
on the ruins all night and will have the
streets cleared and will be ready TO commence
digging out the debris tomorrow. 1t is
feared the walls 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 worlimen.
Midnight-Up to this hour there has been
no means Of ascertaining the number of the
lost which is variously estimated from
twenty to seventy.
The explosion was a most terrific one and
a great portion of the whole front walls Of
the building fell with crash. Several
persons were passing along the street at the
time and it is feared some ofthem are buried
in the flames.
The building caught fire Immediately and
the flames literally flew to the roof. The
scene was a terrible one and dozens of girls
who worked upon the several floors were
seen rushing wildly and helplessly to and
fro and were soon enveloped in fierce flames.
One of the Delaware and Lackawanna
express wagons was passing at the time,