New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-14
A MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION.

n
A FURNITURE FACTORY AND TANNERY DAMAGED
by FIRE-sUPPosED ORIGIN IN SOME MATERIAL
USED IN THE TANNERY.
A carpenter at work on the first floor of the
six-story building in the rear OF No $50 East Thirty
third-st, occupied by ROux & Co. n furniture manu-
factory, felt a sudden shock few minutes before
o'clock yesterday afternoon, preceded by dull noise as
Of a smothered explosion. Immediately following IL
sheet of fire shot up before the windows facing the
yard. At right angles with the furniture factory Is
tannery OF the same height and the engneoom Of this
is in two-story frame shed. parallel with ROuxs build
ing. The workman saw, at glance, that the fire was IN
the engine she'd and be the stairs, calling TO the
engineer-the engne-rOOm OF the furniture iac-
tory being Immediately below him-that the build
ing was on fire. Instantly the engineer blew
the whistle and the mon work every floor rushed
out, not until, however OF them had closed the
iron shutters on the lower floors In the face Of the fe
and smoke. Thsfre shot upward in solid column en-
tering every window the fourth and fifth no0rs
alarms Of fire in quick succession brought the en-
gnes promptly to the spot and 10 twenty minutes the
nelghbOrs who had hastily begun TO remove the furn
ture their homes, quieted by the assurance
that the fire was under control.
In the engne-room on the lower floor OF the shed'
where the fire started stood Henry Bitter. r son OF
Henry Bitter the Of the tannery and OF the Dud-
ing He Is his fathers engineer lie says that he heard
no explosion but saw a sudden fame that blinded
him. It did not start around the engine, but
In the other end Of the shed. used as dry
ing room for skins. His father was about TO
enter that room when the fire barred the way Anxious
70 save what he could he seized few skins lying
and in so doing had his face aud arms badly scOrced
He was taken 10 the residence of DrSchuze az No lO2
East Thirtv-fftlst where he Law during the evening in
great pain. HIS wounds are serious ana ne seemed
C,SI ~ The suddonnpss Of the calamity Both he and
his SON the engineer who also had his bands scorched
nre was used in the tanning Of shoefkns for pocket
fine goods, Wulrn Is their line OF business.
4 third SOD. who mas the business cement Oh the
oncern also asserted his Ignorance OF the Of any
suri ,atice The hremcn ANXIOUS 10 find the con-
urction between this Story and the known origin OF the
fire. The heIce fury OF the flames, pouring
from one corner OF tie engine house, attracted
tner attention at once and with long hooks hedp OF
skins and gunny-bags was pulled from that corner,
were found 10 be literally soaked IN nud tnat was
etbcr beuzlne or naphtna. In the wet and muddy con-
~, ~ 10 r.1nraTts tge smell about them was very
sirong The engineer is loud IN his assertion at the
a. tc ot iu Roux's furniture shop the other side
OF heavy brick wall The trcmeu assert that tins story
is dispIOved by the most superficial examination OF ne
premises The tact Is substantial ed by the neghD0is IN
The surrounding houses, that an explosion preceded the
The promutness with which the fremen came pre-
vented the flames from doing much damage. The iuI-
niurc factory OF RJuX CO. was Hooded WIN wafer ana
the fourth ana NTH uoOfs were uInu out w VIc III
Tue actual loss W! not exceed few Thousand dollars
however; the property WAS Iuly insured MI huu4 mas
suffered many losses by nre IN very snort Time
His factory In ElghJcenth-st was burned down ABOUT
eight months agO lie moved 10 Tweny-thrd-st. where
four months later tho e,lh0 l"'V oNVL'oOA mn I
Tho bmdLug in which bis business has
been carried In ILrty-ihTdst Is owned Dy
N,ffbew Byrnes. 10 burned 20 the ground IN ISL
ON which occasion Buters taunery was also damaged
Mr. Bymcss loss Is estimates oy his OookkeePeI AT niue
uloyc 5000 including damage 90 machinery, July
coytrrd b insurance various city companies Neither
OF Messrs. Bitter could estimate thtlr loss last nlgl
The father placed the insurance ON the factory last night
M only $1,000 The loss on stock ana all may redch
$4,000 some damage was also dOue TO Tue front OF We
dWelune-hulsc an rty-tnlrd-St belonging TO MI
Bfter and 20 Mrs. Ke0ns clearinghouse, No llo Nos.
l4B ana IA suffered slight damage,
story wight 10 the effect That the are Orgl-
mated from chemical experiments carried on pJ Mf.
Witnessed by large crowds OF men ana boy pefcled on
the Elevated Railroad track ON IAlrdaFe, beyond the
reach OF the policemen.