The New York herald., 1878-01-14
The Barclay street Fire.

The origin OF the hre ana explosion IN
Barclay street still remains q mystery, and
with the conclusion that neither gas, steam
nor kerosene caused the catastrophe those
making the inquiry appear lost in foggy
bewilderment as to the course they shall
pursue in their Investigation. II may, there
fore. be oppprtune to recall the facts of an
explosion that occurred not long since, the
cause Of which was well known, especially
as the explanation involved may assist those
making the investigation in Barclay street
to solve the difficulty.
It is not generally known that many SUBJ
Stances not of dangerous or infammatory
nature in the ordinary form in which they
are used, become highly explosive when re-
duced to fine powder, and thus diffused in
the atmosphere of q chamber. The Limo
leum Company had powerful denonstra-
ton Of this fact about eighteen months ago
at their works on Staten Island.
In the manufacture of linoleum cork is
reduced to fine, impalpable powder, which
in the manipulation is scattered and the
finer particles suspended in the air of the
room used for the epurpose.rAbou eighteen
months since, when the air of the factory
was highly charged with fine particles of
cork, some foreign substance, in the mill
caused a spark, when q fearful explosion
followed, which caused considerable dam
age. 1t is stated that on this occasion the
ceiling in the chamber where the accident
occurred was slightly injured. the force of
the explosion passing through hole in the
ceiling to the floor above, the roof of which
was blown off and the walls damaged. In
England, where linoleum is manufactured
on large scale at Staines. several explo-
sions from the same cause have happened.
The Staten Island explosion appears to
point to two conclusions that may be useful at
this moment--the first, that the spot where
the original explosion took place may not
be where its effects were most apparent,
and that an explosion may be caused by
substances that are not generally considered
within the category of explosive compounds.
TO carry this question one step further
and apply the above facts to the case at
present under investigation appears to be
the duty of those making the inquiry.
They will find that several substances used
in candy factory might explode under
conditions similar to the cork. But the
evidence so far given would point to starch
as the cause Of the accident. There was
starch room, and we are told that the mir of
that room was so charged with fine particles
Of starch that kerosene lamp chimney
was covered with it and took fire. causing
an alarm. 1t appears, therefore, that the
facts already known would indicate suffi-
cient probability of its being starch ex-
plosion to justify Investigation in this di-
rection.
Inquiry ut the large starch factory at
Glen Cove shows that SO far no explosion
has taken place at that establishment, but
that does not prove the impossibility or i'm
probability Of such an occurrence. Humid
ity and temperature effect the result, but
once let all the conditions be perfect and
light applied, and an explosion follows.
These suggestions may widen the field of
the present inquiry where the theory ap-
pears to be gaining ground that building
which has not been blown up by steam,
gas or kerosene, must of necessity have
fallen down.