The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-21
NEW YORK.
%Ie Barclay Street Fire.

NEW York, Dec. 2I.-Early to day the
mothers, fathers, sisters, and friends of |
the wounded and missing beseiged the |
porters room of the New York hospital |
making inquiries for those whom they
sought and pleading for admission. The |
resident physician on duty since last |
evening, deeming quiet necessary for the |
newly arrived inmates, gave orders to only |
admit few of the applicants, directing
others to call during the afternoon when
the wounded would be in proper condition
to converse. Three of the number have
been enveloped almost from head to foot
10 bandagcs and two haditheir hair burned
so close to the scalp that with their swollen
aud blackened features they resemble
negroes. Three mothers have been stand
ing at thedoor since this morning making
vain inquiries for their missing children;
at last when one of the stricken creatures
was on the point of leaving in despair she
encountered he- daughter at the door;
the meeting was touching and after long
embrace they separated aud the young
girl was afterward permitted to 60 up to
the male ward when she impaired news OF
the safety of d brother TO one of the
manned patients who had worked with
| her in the shop.
| The number Of lives lost by the Bar
clay street explosion and fire, is still uade.
| termined, sut it is believed 40 bodies now
I lie buried beneath the ruins. The re-
moval of the debris which was begun at
O'Clock has proceeded so far that the
street is clear to the outside Of the side
walk in front OF the ruins. On the oppo-
site sidewalk, lying under blood stained
| taurpaulin, are the bodies of man and
boy which were taken from the ruins oD
the sidewalk this morning; when found the
bodies were lying in front of the doorway;
| both had been evidently struck with a
heavy stone Gaping which still lay across
the boys face, and which it was necessary
to lit before the body could be removed,
One body was recognized as that of
VIM. FL, Bradley, of 10 Eckford street,
Brooklyn, the other as probably that of
William Bennett, newsboy. The mother
of the boy keeps news stand at Barclay
street ferry, aud sent him yesterday after
noon. as usual. for the last editions of the
evening papers. He did not return aud
was, it is now evident, passing the factory
at the time Of the explosion. Two hun
dred workmen, besides hremen, are now
digging in the ruins. and a strong police
force is needed to keep back the great
crowds pressing down upon them. The
ruins could not be more complete than
they are, for scarcely fragment of a wall
is standing. and indeed none whatever on
the ground occupied ny the main building,
a space of about 100 feet square.
: The evening Post says in addition to
!, about eighteen missing persons whose
4 names were reported to the police last
: night, these were reported this msrning,
+ Josephine Shepard. age %, Augusta Lin
dener. lad. Durham about 40 years. wild
i over, without children: Phillip Hertbach
The engineer in the factory has not beer
seep since the explosion; his wife says heI
husband, on his return from work Monday
night told her one of the tubes of the
boiler, or some pipe connected with it, she
was not sure which, had burst; that ht
had spoken to Mr. Greenfield saying th(
break was dangerous and might cause al
explosion If it were not repaired, and thai
Mr.. Greenfield told him they must try
TO get along with it as it was until Sunday
: owing to the pressure of business. Mrs
u Hertzbach said her husband was greatly
at disturbed in mind on account OF this, Otter
h referring to it during the week aud sayinl
Ie be was afraid every morning to 60 to hi
.e work. Yesterday morning when be lef
home he told her he never expected to se
Il her again. Hertzbech was 35 years oil
and lived on SD street. Two men VIII
rescued two girls say they had been toll
by workmen 10 the starch room on TIL
> second floor that the fire was caused by tn
lupsetting of kerosene lamp in tha
y, room; they asserted that finely powdere,
ID starch used in the manufacture of gun
ID drops was explosive. and that the explo
et sion was caused in this way; they did no
believe the boiler exploded, asserting tha
if it had it would have blown up the side
walk beneath which it was situated.
Il A man named Stein says he went dow
= to the boiler room only about five minute
5fore the fire occurred to obtain a can
= water. Hertzbach. the engineer, was the
at his post and raking out the fires. Th
following summary includes the names 9
the principal losers and their insurance
Greenfield a. Sons. $lS0,000, insuTaDet
g 1927 900; D D. Tompkius. $l50.000 il
surance, $780, estate of s. w. Wells