The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-17
BARCLAY STREET FIRE.
TESTIMONY OF MR. ERNEST GREENFIELD--THE
CAUSE OF THE FIFE STILL A MYSTERY

TESTIMONY OF MR.. ERNEST GREENFIELD THE
CAUSE OF THE FIFE STILL MYSTERY.
Fire Marshal Sheldon yesterday continued the in.
ves,isa,ion into the Barclay street IRE by examining
Mr.. Ernest Greenned Of the proprstors. who has
been confined since the IRE from injuries received
while escaping from the building. Nothing new was
elected from Mr. Greeuhcd's testimony, and the
origin Of the disas,rous IRE romans much OF
mystery as 1t over was Mr. Grcep1eid said that
at The time OF the 1re he sitting ut his
desk in the College place building, just at
the junction Of the Barclay street bulldog He arose
to show some ladies some samples, when suddenly,
without noise or warning OF any kind, q stream
oil hre came down on him. He stumbled over some
thing tho floor aud was struck the head by
something When he arose every tning was uark aud
the place was luli OF DUST He found he was Dsdly
burned ABOUT the head and lace, and several
weeks after the are the doctor took gum drop
from his ear Just before the disaster Mr. Green
Held said he had been down in tho engine room,
~ was his custom He noticed the fires were
already banked, and the engineer said IL was on ac-
count oil one OF tue forsmen having told him that
they were through work. He had never heard Of
there being any difficulty with the chimney. II had
been bu!h especially for the purpose eighteen years
ago IL must have been Two anu threc-o uartcrs feet
vide Ia The clear ana extended ton feet above the roo
IL VAS built by man whose namo he did not iemem-
Der, but who made specially OF buiding such chin
neys Itwas regularly cleaned every year. The hor-
zoulal aue buit ut the time with tbs CHM
ney, Uut mad been once heightened. The gas pipe
was not disconnected from the meter but was turned
IN outside the meier Six years ago NO had some
Work done with y view ~ strengthening the Barclay
street building out his builder and Mr.. ErsIltz. his
mason. said there was no actual need o II, Uut II
would make tue building so safe that he could load IL
with lead They built alone piers apd put iu iron col
umns u support heavy girdsrs III tho store
hrst and second lots A. tnis time he took the Col
sge place building, and me same builders made the
connection between tie Two. There WAS no explosive
material ~ the Uuiaing 10 hts knowledge The essen
tA OIL Was keps N vault No oil o! lemon or chic
rate Of potash was then In the pulldng. Tine pow
dcrcd on hand would not blaze. but only fash
Ike powder He mad been Ia tue candy business snco
ls&s; never rad any hro before. lu 1900 ho rcmem-
bsrea putting starch board nlisd WIN candy In u
hot stove, aud Immediately tho board few out oil the
window the steam keltios wore aiI open Kettles.
They used no vacuum pans There was an extra
furnace In the THIRD iot which was used only about
oLcs . month. He had dea what could have
caused the accident He heard NOISE ilke ex-
piosIon aud icll shock. The loss or the drn he
estimated at from S1300U0 TO sll0.0O0.
Georgo Hagemicr, ~ No lbs FIT street, one oil the
mandatory OF Ernest Greenhcld on the 2lst OF De-
worknen who was injured by the .Oove nre, was yes.
tsrdsy discharged lrom Bellevue Hospital, he mas
entirely recovered IRON his iniuros.