The New York herald., 1879-02-04
EXPLOSION IN YORKvMLE.

AN EXPLOSIVE MANUFAcToRy BLOWN TO
PIEcEs-HoUsEs SHAKEN AND WINDOWS
BEoKEN-NARRow ESCAPE OF TWO BOYS.
The one story shanty on the south side OF 10th
street between First and the river. was blown
to pieces yesterday morning about nine O'Clock oy
an explosion which shook the ground for blocks
around and startled the residents of Yorkvihe as
they were probably never startled before. The
building stood in large open lot and occupied
space of about fifty by twenty-five feet. and was
divided into two The owner Of the building
was j. NJ. Martin Of the Harlem Steamboat Company.
who rented it last summer to Charles Hamacher, a
manufacturer of explosives. At the time OF the
explosion there were two boys in the building,
named respectively William Mailer, fourteen years
old. and Bernard Dunn, same age. The proprietor
left the budnsa little before nine O'Clock and had
been gone about half hour when the explosion
Cured; According to the stories OF the boys the
laboratory and storeroom for chemicals, the front
one being the workshop.
NARROW ESCAPE.
Both the boys were in the workshop working on
the cartridge table when the noise first
heard. The noise was very great and the force
and carried some feet into the air.. descend
ing again on the house. In the front
room about the middle Of the floor stood large
hogshead. Fortunately for the boys, at the first
alarm they had run to spot this and when the
root came crashing down again they crouched be-
side the hogshead 1t sufficiently strong to bear
the weight of portion of the roof, and afforded a
space in which the boys sat. They were doubly for
tunate in being protected by their wooden tent for
the force of the falling roof started commotion
among the cartridges already made and set them
popping in every direction.
ON FIRE.
The noise is described by outsiders as like volley
from q regiment of soldiers All was quiet again In
few moments, but the upsetting of the stove
menaced the boys with a new danger. The flames
spread rapidly in the old and rotten timbers but the
Fire Department which had been summoned at the
first ALARM soon arrived, and quenched the fire be-
fore it had reached the boys. When the latter
liberated they home as fast they could. Both
OF them were black from head to feet, and young
Dunn seriously bruised about the body and face
a MYSTERY.
Mr.. Hamacher, when asked later in the day, could
not account for the cause of the explosion. 1t
might have been caused, he said by spark from the
stove or by stone thrown through the window.
The houses in the neighborhood were thoroughly
shaken and hardly pane of glass was left unbroken
John Page, twelve years of age wandered into the
ruins after the explosion and picked up cartridge.
He attempted to pick 1t open with pin when it ex-
ploded and blew of three Of his fingers.
The only chair in the establishment blown
the street into the retort house Of the Harlem
Gas Company.
About q year ago explosion occurred in the
same building then used for the same purpose. The
then proprietors Messrs. Leonard and Robinson,
blown up, and Leonard lost the sight OF OF
his eyes. He then went out Of the business, which
assumed by Hamacher. The building valued
ct about $500 and is total loss.