New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-17

fLE IN CROWDED STREET INJURED
MANY OTHERS KNOCKED DOWN.
PIECES OF GLASS AND CHINA
Thrown LONG DISTANCES
PANIC AMONG SEVERAL
HUNDRED MEN, WOMEN
AND CHILDREN.
There was a terrific explosion at 8 O'CLOCK last
evening IN the three-stOry building No. 400
ufand-st The building is on the southeast corner
OF Grand and Clinton sts The street in front of
the place was crowded so that it was almost I'M
possible TO get along at the time, and one boy
Killed and twenty people were injured. None of
the injuries is fatal it is believed although sew
eral OF the victims suffered terribly from their
wounds
Thomas McCabe occupied the first floor as
croekery-store. The place was packed with glass
ware of all kinds. Thomas X. Law, "a dentist.
and his daughter Anita lived on the second floor
Robert Parr his wife Mary. his daughter Alice. and
Mrs. Alice Keil, lived on the top loor. At the
time Of the explosion Emmett Dolman, a dentist.
was visiting Mr.. Parr McCabe closed his store
promptly at o'clock. He left two lights burn
ins one in the font and one in the rear. With
IN fifteen minutes after he went away the whole
house was filed with gas but no one knew
whele it came from. Mr.. Law and his family
were at dinner, and the odor was 50 strong that
it was nauseating, and they left the table and
went to the window facing Grand-st to get fresh
air. Parr, who is the janitor of the building
when the odOr became uHbearable on the top floor.
started down stairs with his wife to see if they
could find leak in any of the pipes. When they
reached the first door they were nearly over
nv h0 nd cto the
gasping for breath, and Mrs Parr fell down
partially unconscious d few feet from the hall
door.
THEY JUST ESCAPED IN TINE.
The explosion followed their exit Immediately.
1t was preceded by deep rumbling noise which
seemed TO come from the middle of the street
and which lasted for second. Then there was
a terrific crash, which sounded like a sharp
crack of thunder, and bright
blush fame shot through the front of
McCabes crocllery store, and reached nearly
across Grandst. The buildings in the neighbor-
hood were shaken violently. and those who were
close by said that 1t seemed as if there was an
upheayal OF the street. People rushed from their
homes into the street in terror fearful that the
roofs would fall in upon their heads. The air
was filed with cries and grcans, and there was
~
the place of danger About thirty people were
knocked down in the street by the force of
the explosion and every one for the moment was
too badly frightened to give any assistance.
Fragments of glass flew in every direction. Some
Of it was picked up block away
In front of McCabe's store in Grand-st., and
for about ten feet in Clntonst., was plate-glass
window nearly half an inch thick. This was
shattered to pieces. A large amount of tho
crockery in the store was demolished, and the
fragments were blown into the street with great
force.
Mr. Law and Mr.. DOlman were
looking out into Grand-st from an
open window, watching the crowd pass
and wondering where all the gas was coming
from. They were both raised bodily from the
floor, lifted across the room and were khocKeu
down. Mr. Dolman was struck by the hylhg
glass from Mr.. Laws window and was badly cuu
in the face His back was also severely wrenched-
Mr. Law received a severe shock but soon re-
covered On the top floor were Mrs. Alice klel
and her granddaughter. Alice Parr. small child'
who was sleeping ia cot. Mrs. kiel felt the
building shake and rock, and jumped to the bed
side of tie hid. As she leaned over to PICK
I'D the little one, there was crack IKE pls'ol-
shot over her head and the ceiling came down
upon her She was knocked down ana remained
unconscious for "A moment. Mrs. hlel was In
such position that she received the full force Oh
the ceiling and the child escaped injury.
SHOCK WHICH WAS FATAL
Morris Jacobs. "a young man who lives at No.
Il5 Ridgest. was on his way home from work
lIe is clerk in a Broadway store. lie was
passing the store on the inside OF the walk
close to the store window. lie was suddenly
tt., Ia Ia Of In
Blood gushed from deep wound in the back of
his neck. and he lay in an unconscious condition
for about five minutes. Then he got up and SAID
that he was going home, as he did not want MS
family TO worry about him. A handkerchief was
tied around the wound, and he said that he dld
not think that he was seriously hurt. lilo
picked his way slowly through the crowd and
some one came out from a liquor store and gave
him a glass of brandy. This strengthened MS
nerves for moment and he started brlskly away
After walking two blocks he suddenly stopped,
threw up his hands and fell dead IN the gutter
A dozen people rushed to pick him up, ana MS
body was taken to the Eldridge-st station.
deep indentation at the back OF the skull told
what had caused his death.
As soon as ID became evident that there was no
further danger from exl tsive material, the people
who had run away hastened back to ald those VINO
had been Injured Several men rushed INTO lhe
house and carried Mrs Kcil and her granddallgh-
ter to the street Mr.. Law assisted his daughter
Anita and Mrs. Dolman out of the bullulhS; lDsc
T. Aialllan has "a confectionery store at NO. 81
Grand-st. She is assisted by her daughter lMereSd. M
They lett the store few minutes before o ciocA
IN 90 to their home at Ri lngtOn ana Suholh so
MS, ,yere near vOuug Jacobs when he was struck
is re was living through the air he struck Teresa
and tbs with tie shock, made her lnsenS'onji nrji
Mrs Nolkin was thrown about twenty ltcl, az"
TeIl uuon her daughters body. She WIS con
sciouS. but so badly injured in the spine that sne
was unable to move, and if she had not peen ell
med ininrv but had fallen near her, Teresa
would have been suifocated.