The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-01
GETTING Ar THE CAUSE.


The Investigation as 10 the cause Of the fire was
continued yesterday By Fire Marshal Sheldon. Five
Witnesses sworn, tho testimony OF each being
given in full below
George b. Engsh who lived. at No. So Barclay
street AZ tho time OF the lire, ana resides 80
2l9 Grccnw,cs street, testified follows No Gj
barclay street was tnreo story and attic building;
had iived there Tor nearly twenty years; No. %
Barclay street was formerly a four story Hat
dwelling house, II was rebuilt about 1852 1888 tho
west wall was taken down and new wall put up; the
cast wall was taken down fur as the third floor,
where the beams rested; / remember that tho east
wal OF No d. the part that lett standing and was
Lut upon, leaned IN toward the interior OF tho build.
ing ana the new wall above was built again tho wall
OF No. o. appiug over the old wall about width Of
Urick; No. 90 rad u brown stone front
and was originally used as dry goods store
there was constant jar my building
caused by the machinery IN the candy store; Tho
Jar and vbraton had been during tho past year
than ever before; have had occasion so upon The
root OF my house very frequently, and such times
noticed that ths brown stone front and the gable
OF NO. 63 had separated, SO thai thore was quite
space between them at The time oil the accident was
IN barber's shop ~ the corner OF West ana Vescy
streets hoard the noise ana was aierward t0d that
the candy store IN barclay street ire; rau 10
my honse ana found Greenicid's aud the adjoining
store no 81 botn on ire; The rear VI my place
also III numes the clustering IN my hall anu all
my housc VAS down, aud IN my pacy yard lay the
part oil the west wall OF No o. mass OF lre do
not know what TIE condition oil the wall OF
no %, above my house, was at tho tlmc my family
had escaped before my arrival; did walls
ial bu IRON VIVA. could gather all walls, from
the Groccis Babk my house, tell toward Greenwich
street. there was great deal OF machinery In Green
hed's buiding; had been III there and remember
cing that the floors were sunkcn toward tho coptre
A GREAT BLOWING
Michael BcrKery, OF No 81 Carmine street, who was
In the employ OF alessrs. d. d. rompkns Co., Of No.
u Barclay street, said IL was in our store inc
VI the irc Mr. P.att one OF the lrm, ana friend
wero also there; was In the Office when the front win
Greon ne.d's was blown IN, us suppose, tho
glass falling IN the oilce; 40 not remember bearing
any Ia or crash IN tho street. but there was "a grcas
biowins' ight into our Office, worse than any storm
had ever secn; cloud vi dust and steam came In
upon ran out across The street, ana irst the
dust thick one could not anything but some
fire starting up IN the store oi No. 63 that the
front oi that buidng was lying in tue street, ali the
floors some OF the boys tho second story were
visible; havo recollection Of ecng the west wall
oil No. % 1t that un,e; some men put up u
ladder and scucd two boys, and another jumped 10
the street, our building (No. 6l took hre very coon
the Two upper foo.s we're Oh fire when irst crossed
tho street, asked Mr. fiat II he Wished save any
thing, when he said, ''Save tho ordor book !" our
carmaE j. r. Haock, had taken II before my return
was about iocKing up when noticed that the storo
Was on ire ia the rear that the skysht had Ucen
brokcn or blown IN and thai tho amos driving
through; knew nothing about the upper part Of
building as Ne had 10 access To II, occupied the
basement and nfst floor, have been with the aim
about Fix years; formerly used the upper part OF
the but not Tor three years past IL has oeen
used Tor storage purposes by tho Grecnnclds, and
some wool had been stored therc although not great
deal unil las. May; Mr.. Rich used that tune:
there were No sui ports TO the middle OF the door vi
our buildina
1hco. d. Plat, OF No. 1870 MeDonough street
Brockyn, acting member OF tho urn Of Messrs. u. d.
TonpkIns go. OF No. oil Barclay street, testlned:-i
was In store whcn this ac,idcDt occurred IL was
ABOUT ave minutes alter ave O'clock heard Ia pretty
quick Succession three reports hhc sharp claps oi
tnpndcr II was my UeIlef That trccnucas boiler ind
exploded; office window ncxt No 90 was forced tu
and this was Immediately followed cy rush OF dusl
anu wind, winch presume was caused by tho falling
o the front wall OF No. o. WITHIN three Jour min
ucs VAS able TO see IRE, thoI beng the roar or
our store; Inc skyhght was broken aud The ire was
iaiilng through our store ON are very quickly
alter The accident occurred; wncn went oil tue
store did not cross the srccl could that front
OF Grccnheid's building Was down; saw some boys
taken nom the second h0or on adders thore then
Are on the irst and second h)ors Of No. 80; THINK
the front OF our building Tell before O'clock, cor
tainiy MOI later than quarter past six
JouS y. sOs's ExP.gILScE.
John !. Son, Of No. IS Barclay street, who was IN
the Office Of Messrs ID. d. Iompkius & 20 at time
OF the accident, sad:.l talking with Mr.. Plnti
and nrst heard loud rGmbnDg noisc which was fvi-
lowed by the bursting 10 VI tie Office tndOw q nd
cloud OF dust, Nr Patt was knocked over on top OF
mo; got up aud ran out OF the once, went TO the
middle VI tnc store, benind this Office stood there "A
lew minutes, when second explosion took pace ut
Tho rear, ana Drc came down through tho skygbt
uto tho thcn made my escape 10 the street. ran
across TO The opposite sdc and saw that whole OF
tho front OF rcunield's tore was out: thor. ON
the ir5t second floors; ladders were up and saw
the nrcinen helping people ou OF Green acas building:
also saw several persons on the ROOT OF the build
ihE al tle TINE ana heard the bremen tell them 10 20
back returned to No. 81 ~ ina Mr. Plat; met MIN
coming out with his ovsrooat his arm wont into
Tue oncc 70 see aDOut the LOUk5 At tnis a
came ana inquired how he could get up stars an iron
bar was gwen niin wncn no broko lock and won't
up; heard tha lac reached tho people rom the roof
oi Grcenlold'n building anu brought them down
TN oG8h NO. OF alter lott the Office stood on the
oprosiic side OF the street some time then went
10 my own Office ard remained there nrh,le. stoou
there when the mont Of No Cl tell; should think II
was over an hour from the time OF tho arst txposion
I'll thc time tbc 'front.' OF No6i elI; this was alter tho
CrDcers' Bans caught hrc.
wnAT A SEiUfBOR saw ASD nisARD
John H. Jofdan, OF NO ~ orcen~ich street. corGor
OF Barclay street, snid ~ IA my place "a, tie time
occurred No. % barclay street; WAS en-.
gagged writing; had looked Of my eiock shortly DC.
lore ana II was FIVE minutes OF nyc O'Clock. should
think u seven or git minutes alter noiccd the
time that heard dun, heavy tLud did not hear any
sharp noise; there Is boiler under building, and
4 thought n had cxpioJed; looked 10 zee u my coil.