The New York herald., 1879-08-09
EXPLOSIVE STARCH.

ITS DEADLY PROPERTIES PROVED IN A CANDY
FAcToRY-Two MEN SERIOUSLY AND ONE
SLIGHTLY INJURED
Battais e. Ode, manufacturers Of confectionery
occupy the five story brick building No. 141 Elm
street. What are known as the drying rooms
the second floor. All around the walls OF these
rooms. from the hoor to the ceiling. Is wooden
framework. built to receive trays upon which the
candy is nodded and put away to dry. These trays
are about two inches deep and filed with starch.
The mould is made of starch. because the melted
sugar does not adhere to it, and it be used
and again If sifted occasionally In the
centre OF each drying room is red hot
stove. maintaining temperature Of 160
degrees. The men whose business it is to carry in
the trays. place them the drycrs and remove
them again after certain time, very little
clothing while at work. owing to the extreme heat
There were four men at work in one of those rooms
ON Thursday afternoon ut half-past Ave o'clock
August Rene, foreman Of the manrfactory; Baptisto
Benie. Giuseppe Willeini and German named
Carlos green hand at the business. The latter was
standing on pair of steps holding IN his half
dozen trays. which he had just taken from one of
the top frames when his foot caught against some.
thing and he let the trays TAIL terrific report,
companied by fash of fire, followed Immediately.
The bookkeeper in the Office below knew at once
what had occurred and rushed up stairs Fortunately
the door OF the drying room was open when the
plosion occurred. giuseppe Wtlleini. who
the door, WAS blown feet the hall and
badly scorched about both arms and the breast.
His injuries. although painful. are not considered
serious He Is seventeen years OF age and resides ut
No. l43 Eldridge street. August Rene. the foreman,
also burned severely about the arms and breast
but will recover. Baptsto Bene, who standing
nearest the stove burned head to foot, his
evelids, eyelashes ana part Of his hair being sinsed
oh. He suffered the most agonzing pain, and it 10
feared will not recover. The German, Carlos who
stood upon the steps escaped uninjured.
THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The bookkeepcr explained to HEnALD reporter
how the explosion occurred. 1--WE this starch,
you see, he said, "to make mouds. The tenn
perature Of the drying room is, or course, very
high. and the starch becomes dry and when II is
it burns like powder What is it likeg Lightning is
about near to it as anything can think Of There
Is no doubt in my mind, In the mind of any
other confectioner, what caused the explosion
in Greenfelds factory, in Barclay street. In 1871
The same thing occurred there that occurred here
The men who work III the drying room know the
explosive nature OF starch, aud correspondingy
careful. Carlos had no business IN there. 1t
all n minute. There hre."
handful from starcn box and then at open tur-
mace in an adjoining room he gave startling exhi.
bition of its properties The starch gently thrown
toward the glowing fire reachod 1t IN cloud. and
exploded or flashed like gunpo wder. the only differ
ence being that the light was a bright yellow. A
handful OF starch thrown bodily the embers
burned as slowly As u handful of flour. nt
The injured men removed to St. Vincent's
Hospital Rene is twenty Ave years old, and lives at
No. 50 West Third street, aud Benie is forty We
years old. and lives at No. IS Thompson street.