The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-03

A CALAMITOUS EXPLOSION.
bursting OF the Better in N New ork Candy
Factsry-IIarrswtRH ~csne..

BursIinE of the Better tn IN New \ oFk Candy
Factsry-HarrswiRH scenes.
The terrible explosion and subsequent
fire in the wholesale candy factory in
New York are described by hrcmen and
others a. follows: Thomas Mulvey, de-
tective officer Of the Twenty-seventh
precinct, tells the story Of the explosion
in the following words | was investi-
eating n case Of petit larceny, and pass
ed mp Barclay from Greenwich street,
and had arrived within twenty yards OF
Greenfield's place when received 3 ter
rihle shock As an explosion occurred,
aud bricks and dcbris scattered around
me, and the front of Greentield's build
Was heavei into the street. ] WAS
shaken up and bewillered, and cannot
distinctly recollect anything that occur
red between the shock Of the explosion
and the time when / had sufficiently re-
covered myself 10 see flames coming up
out Of the cellar, or FIRST door, cant
say now. Then thought of Grccndelds o
place, and knew that there were mum
Der Of yeung people and vorkmen thHe.
| was daEed, ~ tospeak, but ! was an-
injured. and the arst thought bad was
1.-THE policemen and firemen ought 10
be here. and waking mp turning down
toward Greenwich street, found my legs,
and while running. an officer in uniform
ran past me. pulling out his fire key.
He got to the box first at Barclay
and Washington streets and pulled the
alarm. Then knowing the want OF pO-
lice and the necessity Of having surgeons
II e. la Ntm mttl ~
report the telegraph instrument was set
10 work, and summons was made for
ambulancer and aid from adjoining
precincts.
A reporter approached Chief Fisher,
who stood, lamp in hand, covered in the
dust and smoke. o The chief said
THANK God we're safe. The first l
suspected OF the walls caving in, WAS
while | and nv men were ia GO aud G7.
| had given the order 10 play Gu the
ruins, when suddenly there was
tremor. turned TO Capt. Munroe. who
said Get the men out, chief; the
building is coming down gave the
order. and the men jumped to the rooI
When we got there, the roof was sway
ing, and shouted to the men TO keep
mp their pluck and run for their lives.
Capt. Munroe was the last 30 leave the
toppling building"
William Ryer, of Truck Company 10,
said When we first got 10 the build
ing il was all ablaze Captain Munroe
ordered US boys TO raise the ladders, and
encouraged us to hurry mp. We raised
five ladders and took two ten-foot ladders
on TO the buildings The word was
passed 10 break and open all tine win
dows. We rushed to that part of the
fire where the bank stood, and forced
the windows open. While raising the
windows we heard boys voice shrek
ing as il in pain. Turning round We
found n boy crushed uhder an iron
rafter. Schwab and Culby ran up, aud
we lifted the iron beam off the boy, and
carried him in my arms down 10 drug
store in the vicinity, where l left him. /
returned 20 the fire. At that time there
were a number Of men, boys, and girls
on the roofs, and we passed down about
sixty people. We had a miraculous
escape a moment later Truck and Lad
der 10 and Engine 20 would have been
exterminated Captain Munroe was
leaning on the wall when il gave way
he Just missed death. That run on the
roofs of Nos. 65 and j7 will never be
forgotten by the lads.
Capt. J. II. Munroe, ex-chief oi bat
talon, said "When we got here the
buildings we're on fire. We raised the
ladders To the awnings, on which stooda
number OF men, girls and boys. or
dered my lads to fall IN line and take
the people of. We must have taken
down about thirty people. Then
ordered my men TO jump for the roofs.
The people stood there apparently
dumbfounded. Some men were lying
fat, as if paralised. The firemen were
taking down the people the best they
could. think about forty men and
women were lost altogether.
Fireman Gilmartin, Of Engine Com
pany 20, said +" ] went mp the ladder.
There were GIT or ten at the window.
The first one got hold Of ran down
with TO the street, and dropping him,
told him TO 20 ahead. The poor fellow
naoaned and exclaimed, I'm the fire
man have leg and arm broke, and
can't help myself. / then picked him
up, and carried him TO the coffee store
across the street, and laid him on some
bags I helped second and third pef.
son down. AS soon as they got down,
they ran away. AS was carrying down
William Thomson, of 126 Mini street,
Brooklyn, in my arms, mdn jumped
out OF the window and struck me on the
shoulder, knocking the poor child out of
my arnne, ,sand felliuB me TO the sidewalk.
What became OF the boy don't know.
returned to the ladder and saved Cor
man Peter. of East Fifth street, and
Mr.. Stark, of the same street"