New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-31
4 MALT HOUSE BLOWN UP.

EXPLOSION IN EHRET's BREwERY-A LARGE GUAM
TITY OF MALT RUNED-Loss, $4,000.
An explosion Of malt-dus occurred yesterday at
noon in George Ehres brewery, in Ninety thrd-st,
between Second and Third-aves., by which property
valued at $40 900 was ruined. No one excent lit
TIC boy who was picking up ice n the street in front
down by a brick and bruised, but was not danger
ously wounded
ST. to Ninety-second-st; the main building, seven
stories high facing on Ninety third-st.. is sur
amounted by cupoa, thanked by two tall chin,
neys In the west wing 10000 bushels of malt
are stored in four great bins that extend from
the second t story to the roof The grain is lifted
the fourth floor are the two mills in which it is
ground between heavy iron rollers after which it is
lifted to the top of the house in other elevators and
discharged in;o the storage bins. The work of
grinding the malt is very dangerous and explosions
in this department of u brewery are frequent, de-
spite the greatest care. line dust that is of a
highly explosive character is developed in the proc
il flashes up like powder when ignited by accident
with great force. match carelessly thrown in
The malt or small pebble striking spark from the
and for all that Is known, did so yesterday in Nj.
Ehrets brewery.
busy of the grinding mills violent explosion shook
the building. The elevators conveying the malt TO
the top of tho bins sent their full length, the
tin roof that covered the entire west wing was
blown dozen feet in tho air and thrown, with one
of the chmneys, upon the roof of the adjoining
boiler-house, four stories below, crashing
through it into the boier-room. An ornamental
brick gable the front of the building
opposite which dust pipe from the elevator dis
charged its contents blown into Ninety fth-st.,
and the cornices and IRON work around the cupola
were twisted into unnatural shapes Tho force of the
explosion was spent upward. and the two miers,
who We're the only persons IN the mill ROOM escaped
| unframed. A flash of fire shot up simultaneously
with the crash and when the cloud OF dust that
accompanied ii had settled, the roof OF the building
was seen to be on fire.
The mill machinery Immediately stopped
ana the lire hyu. ants turned on, and when the
men arrived III answer to an alarm sent out by the
police the brewery employees had the flames
nearly under control The fire eXtinguishcd
without much difficulty, but great quantity of
water had been thrown upon the open malt-bns
and ruined their contents, which must be kept per-
fectly dry to be OF use in the brewing OF beer In
this way the prime pal loss sustained by the
owner OF the brewery. 1t was estimated Mt from
$4,000 TO $4,000, but until the bins have been
empted the exact amount cannot be stated. Tho
insurance companies, who hold risks To "a large
amount on the property took charge of the
damaged malt yesterday afternoon, and will
conduct the examination. The malt-house
Will not he used tor the present and
the old brewery in the adjoining grounds Is beng
put INTO condition To take It's place. The building
III which the explosion occurred was erected only
plosion can probably be repaired for less than
$4,000.
several explosions of the same sort Lave occurred
III Ehrcts brewery before, but of so scriouS n
nature. Hardly month passes that some brewery
does not suffer from this source. No prccautlon
however close, has been found sufficient urotcc-
ton against such accidents The name OF the bow
who was struck by piece of brick from the falling
gable was not reported by the police.