New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-31

a power much greater than dynamite, to the cause
of the explosion at GreenleaPs candy factory, IN
Barelay-st in 1877, by which many lives were lost.
Mr.. Gresham, at the time, had an Office in one of
the buildings destroyed
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION OF THE MYSTERY.
TRACING THE INVENTOR OF THE AsPHALTUM Ex-
PLosIvE-HIs ACCOUNTS OF ITS DESTRUCTIVE
PowER-REucENcE ABOUT TIE BARCLAY-sT.
DISASTER.
The candy factory of E. Greenfield g. Sons,
at No 60 Barcay-st. burned down after an e1po-
son on December o. 1877 The incidents OF that re-
markabe cOnagraton still fresh in the public mind,
from the fact that the cause Of the ex-
plosion was and has remained ever since
mystery The Investigation before Fire Marshal Shell
don developed large amount Of contradictory evidences
some witnesses heard noise OF an earthquake; one
gentleman from the deck of North River ier1y-DOat
saw column Of fire shoot up hundred feet in the air.
Mr. Greenfield was standing his store directly be-
meath "a skylight, when he felt rush of air and fire
so strong, indeed was the force Of the current OF
air that q gumdrOp blown INTO his ear, and
il was several days before II could DO extracted.
The buildings crumbled and FELL causing many deaths
The cause Of the catastrophe remained profound eng
ma until single thread evidence has been discovered
and traced to a possible solution Of the mystery
During tho latter part Of May Of this year. the daily
papers announced the sale torpedo, the invention
of one James Gresham, Of this city, to the Rus
Government.
powder of which the torpedo was made. This powder
was manufactured from asphaltum treated by process
which was exclusively the secret Of the inventor, and
was said 20 have ten the explosive force Of dyna
mite Several facts which came into the possession OF
TRIBUNE reporter led to the belief that there some
connection between the BaTolay-st. explosion and the
asphaltuIn powder of Mr. Gresham, who had
m office in one of the buildings destroyed
Inquiries were made by Fire Marshal Sheldon, but
nothing his books did not show the name
Of James Gresham being an occupant OF any OF the
buildings that were destroyed Mr. Gresham's name did
not appear in the pages of the City Directory and 1t
seemed for a while that he was not in existence In
conversation with W. Schroeder the inventor OF the
air-ship the information obtained that Mr. Gre
sham had been manufacturing his powder in Philade-
pha Mr. Schroeder testified tOthe terribly destructive
nature of the powder and said that peculiarly OF II
was that il exploded downward and outward.
Joseph Green tobaceonist, OF No. 70 Barelayst'
was asked if ne knew Mr. Gre He replied that he
did When had my at No. Go Barclay-st," said
Mr.. Green, previous TO the fire, Mr. Gresham would
come in very often and smoke cigar and SIT and talk
He had an Office in the neiShborhoOd somewhere AT
the time of the explosion he sitting in my store
smoking. Since theni do not see him very Often but
sometimes in and talks of his inventions do
not know where he is to be found"
TIE INVENTOR OF a DESTRUCTIVE POWDER
About an hour after this conversation the reporter
was walking down the north side OF Barclay-st going
toward the North River when passing in front of Mr.
Green's store. q tall gentleman, apparently about
twentyeght years Of age, well dressed with hgnt har
ana mOustache, and avery intelligent expression OF
counenance came Of the and spoke to the re-
porter:
"A Are you looking for James Gresham"
Yes, sir; are you Mr. Gresham Z"
swhat do you wish to see him for z" the evasiye
answer.
On being told that the public felt interested expert
mens and inventions OF different kinds, and would be
particularly glad if he would say something about his
the gentleman Acknowledged himself TO be James
Gresham and after remarking Mr.. Green pointed you
out TO me you passed thought you were after work.
am ovcrrun with applications for work. you KNOW" led
the way into the part Of the store Here the follow
ing conversation took place:
"Mr. Gresham, will you tell me something about your
powder and where yOu make 1t
"Imanufacture the powder at Port Monmouth, N j.,
and sell il to only purchaserthe Russian Govern
ment. You must know that am mechanic, and an
especial of my work the putting Cd OF these
asphaltum roofs. About four years ago discovered
the manner Of treating esphaltum In such a
way as 10 make it explosive by means OF
electrical heat. Asphaltum Of itself is harmless
and Ordpary heat will not explode it, see," and taking
little black piece OF asphatum from his pocket he
held 1t ia the blaze Of gasignt "Nothing but heat
generated by electricity win explode it, While L was
experimenting, being blown up several
times Look at my hands," and Dir. Gresham exhibited
his hands Large and distorted fingers fully Illus
trated dangerous nature OF his experiments Mere
yhttlings from this little chip of asphaltum, placed
on the track are sufficient to lift streetcar several
feet in the air, even though it may be full Of people,
Mr. Gresham" asked his listener " DO you suppose
that any your powder under the street car which
was lifted from the track in the manner you describe in
University-place, several days agOP
Perhaps it was" he replied. 81 read the account
OF in the papers, and thought the time that it might
have been my powder"
Mr. Gresham then spoke Of several inventions that he
had IN contemplation which vet lay in his brain IN crude
ideas that he hoped at very distant day TO put into
practical shape.
Among other things" he said, have been atten-
lively studying the phenomenon OF the mirage and
believe that within year will have an instrument
completed by which can photograph the deck OF ship
5000 miles distant principle of my machine is the
same as that Of the mirage, which reflects in the middle
OF the Desert of Sahara the image Of lakes
and waters q thousand miles of 1 have also
been experimenting with one Of my torpedoes
at Newport, before Secretary Thompson, and it
was complete success This torpedo Is made after a
different model from the one sold in May last TO the
Russians use construction Of all my torPedoes
the asphaltum powder Ny powder is not patented for
feel perfectly confident that the secret OF making it
viii never be discovered aud why then should trouble
myself about patentsP
CLEw TO THE CAUSE OF FHE EXPLOSION.
Mr. Gresham asked several times where he wast in
December OF 1877 and although he evidently desired to
maintain silence on the subject, he mentioned Incl
centaIy that previous to the fire he had an
Office at No 65 Barclayst and was in the cgarstore of
Joseph Green at moment OF the explosion. He mani
tested decided repugnance to the subject, and when
asked IT, by any possibility, his powder could have had
anything TO do with the explosion said;
My friends sometimes have Quzzed me as being the
cause Of the explosion, but it is all did
sometimes have Of my aspaltum in the yard but
at the time Of the explosion 1 don't think had any