The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-10
BENzINE ON THE SIDEWALK.
Two BARRELS OF IT, STREAM SAYS,
JUST BEFORE THE CRASH

Two BARRELS OF IT, STREAM SAYS,
JUST BEFORE THE CRASH
Fire Marshal Mitchell shows tho Inaamma-
bIiity OF some or Rossnfsid's Com pounds
Move Witnesses who Think an Ex-
plOsiou Caused tho Disaster.
All the testimony In the inquest in the Park
Place disaster will be in to-day and the case
will then DO given to Coroner hanly's jury OF
experts to fix the responsibility for the death
Of the sixty-two Victims. Almost all OF yestsr-
days testimony was evidently given for tho
purpose OF showing that Rosenfeld used q
great quantity OF benzine In the manufacture
OF his bronzing compound.
James Irwin, a painter in business at 60
Park Place. was the first witness. He had
occupied quarters In the Taylor building
formerly and had always considered the build
ing safe. He had on several occasions seen
barrels Of benains going into the building and
noticed steam coming from boiler in the
cellar.
The three next witnesses described the ac-
cidsnt. John G. Klein had heard a terrible
rumbling sound underground" Just before tho
building fell. To Joseph Parker. a picture
peddler tho noise OF the crash sounded Ike
an explosion OF dynamite. George NJ. s.
Houghton. q publisher al II Park place. heard
q peculiar cracking noise more like the
breaking Of wires than the noise OF falling
building. The upper windows Of the structure
bnlGed out first. as Mr.. HouGhton saw 1t. and
in few seconds the front wall foil out
Thomas Farley and Michael II. Slevin. two
fire Captains. said that many OF the bodies
which they holped to remove from the ruins
had been badly burned. This was in contra
diction OF the testimony Of several OF Tuesdays
witnesses. who said that very lew OF tho
bodies were burned
George A. benjamin. on expert In explosives.
as he announced himself. was sure there
had heen an explosion. and he proceeded to
explain how 1t nni happened. 1t had I'M
doup;edly taken place while some OF Ro-en-
folds bronzing LIQUID. in which benGine piayen
part was bcing made. In answer 10 Col
Townsend questions Mr. Benjamin said that
nonne had asked him to make an eIamination
. Cf tn ruined building. and that he hau oone IL
only In the interest OF science.
men. was recalled. He swore that The benzns
used BY the. establishment, was brought In
Ths next t. W u"n 81 'G. 5ui a Str cam tailor of
245 Greenwich street. said he had seen two
as few %nass S."ra the hsse
Ia rels nad ESCAPED the attention OF Al the
other yiSnesses Stream said the barrels sa. were
and haa Ioseplsld's name on it bss sides
examination. and Col. Townsend wanted 10
him Stream said he hadn't been asked about
| II. and besides, there was such crowd around
TOO to 'h nervous sni To remamber sVerythne One
lurymRn was curious to know why Stream hat
T. noSe the 6p5rs s The b wp ss.
"BuI YOU took partieu!sss notice Of the bar
""Oh. that was because the. explosion, re-
minded me of them" was the witne s reply.
roborated testimony already given. that but
few Of the bodies taken from the ruins were
James Mitchell. the, Fire Marshal was the
hi sad his d.y t. nnY a into
Of suspicious fires. and to submit the results.
when Ts ho sa 10 he the on, CT a.
but his assistant had taken SAMPLES from
the the a q,nS TS. Fire MarsS.i then oHensS
whS he 1d r. ss hd
ii i~uid S Sranze another bsonzs powder and the
third the bronze mixer all taken from Eosen,
sd no ps But sa hs
should say that "a explosion caused tile dis
as!er. .s ,., IT,, ~.
p"ured some OF the ii1uid bronze into saucer
to @e to Is som o 1ss
bronze miHer and rubber cement which had
Deem lOunu In tue CulQb. htlu OoCu UuEued Win
| II steady fame The Fire Marshal referred to
a fire in a cleaning establishment on Third
avenue whore benzlne was used. In that case
an explosion occurred without the slightest
warning.
| the testimony taken before me WAS that
Rosenisld had been 10 the habit Of purch.si rs
not care to have i known how much he
bought. The first fire noticed was over Ros-
| cnfelds basement. and this fire 10 my mind
wa caused by an explosion In the basement"
| Coroner Hanlv said he would leave the test
ing Of one OF the iron caps found in the ruins
| to Juror Dixon. Tho result will no announced
to-day, whom the inquest will probably end.
| The total amount OF the con tributions to tho
! relief fund received at tho Mayors Office is
$2l.349.57. The Ii hoRraphers' fund amounts
to s5.195.55. making grand total OF !27.145 II.
| The Relief Committee will! meet to-day to de-
| eide how this money shall he arpropria tsd.
These subscriptions were received At tho
Mayors Office yesterday: RChe X BRO. $50;
| through the Stats /etun9. S2l3. %: n. ~. 81:
| guests OF the United States Hotel. Asbury
Park. tlO.82: through the h'es.. s.: through
| tho World $6s1.7l: Arlington Club Of Harlem.
SIS concert by FIVE little boys. Harry Williams.
Fred IooE. Willie Marsden. George Plaisted.
Leo Bank Note Company 500 SO; COLLECTED hy
| Arthur A. Hyams. sl9: "A. d. c.. 81 Park Ridge
| Sunday school. Bergen county. N. j.: 81: en-
| ployses OF James Leach. Sl4; collected By F. l..