New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-21
KILLED IN AN EXPLOSION.
FOUR MEN BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION
IN TIE WRECKED BUILDING

QUANTITIES OF NAPHTHA HAD BEEN
STORED IN 1.-THE SHOCK FELT IN
NEIGHBoRING HOUSES.
An explosion yesterday afternoon in the two
story frame building in the rear of No. 2ll Wal
worth-st.. Brooklyn, wrecked the building and
killed four persons. The premises were used by
George w Campbell for the manufacture OF rub
ber cement and hstters' materials In the manu-
facture of the goods large quantities OF naphtha
were used and it is believed that the explosion
was due to that. The occupants OF the dwellings,
in the neghborhood were all badly shaken up
Great excitement prevailed, as the shock was al
first supposed to have been due to an earthquake
The dead are
CAMPBELL George W. aged forty-fOur, owner and pro.
prictor Of the factory.
CAMPBELL Charles L.. his son. aged fourteen.
KNEE Joseph engineer, aged forty'seven 'ihs a' No'
7GI Myrtleaye
NCUTCHEON. John D., workman, aged hity'se'e"' No
G76 Kalbavc.
The dead were the only men at work IN the
building when the explosion occurred. lhe
bodies were all frghtfully burned, and were
identified with difficulty Campbell lived with his
wife and three children in the frame house
fronting on the same lot
Yesterday Campbell was making rubber cement
His eldest boy, Charles. had assisted him IN ms
abors since his school vacation began. IL was
a few minutes after o'clock, while Mrs. lamp
bell was sitting at a window in the rear OF
bcr house overlooking the factory, when Charae,
her stcp-son, came from the building. The boy
had been engaged all the afternoon with machine
in which he ground rubber, moistened with ben
zinc into Jelly.
I've been helping papa all day. said the boy
" Dnt tlc smell OF the benzine makes me very
sick"
Mrs Campbell told the boy to stop work, but
ho ro,,li,d that they would ne through in fit zen
minutos. H., then went back into the factory
and closed The door.
Fifteen minutes later Mrs. Campbell, who was
sewing at her machine heard her husbands
voice exclaimng: Joe, what's the matter
The machinery is stopped
His voice had hardly died away when 'he
explosion occurred. Mrs. Campneli was throw"
from the ciair on which she was sitting against
the bed Gaining her feet sh" hurried INTO 'ne
street There she met Thomas stewart h'i2"-
bor Willie another ncighbor ran to the nearest
Gre-olorm box Stew rt rushed through the allN
20 tho rear If rho house He held an axe in his
torls Wbcn 10 reached tie burning building 1t
was aboze from top to bottom. Twice he struck
. ,bo door with the aNe but it would not yield.
VI, ,bis time the heat had become 50 ntens"
that he was driven back, leaving the imprisohe''
victims 20 the har"S. .
R- This time Hook and Ladder Company NO.
had rcdched thc bnilding, and as the firemen
,usLod into tine yard Stewart warned them 10
look ont for the aphtha. The barrels were IN
th. yard in front of the burning building and
had lust taken fire. The tiremen Needed the
warning and waited until one of the engine
arrived. Several streams of water were
then turned on the burning mass Twenty min
utcs later the ircmcn were able TO break IN the
door of the factory. AS il fell forward TWO oil
,bc drerncn entered through the smoke and flames.
Near the entrance were found the bodies ol tle
Victims burned beyond recognition.
How lthe explosion happened is a mystery. Inc
flames spread to No. 2l3 Walworth-st., which Is
owned hy f.. F. Grow II is 4 three-st0ry frame
double tenement. Crow occupied the first fioor,
while the north side of the second hoor Is occupied
hv Iouis Hall and his family In the south side
nf thc same floor live the Misses Van Allen. On
the third floor lived Edward Becknell and Walter
IIowcs All occupants Of this dwelling werc
badly shaken up. The fire damaged the bulldnS
10 the amount of about $1,000. .,
In the building No. 200 Walworthst Mrs
lanes Plldallv was sitting in the basement, with
her child beside her in baby carriage. The baby
was thrown 10 the floor, and the carriage was
overturned by the force of the explosion. IN
sand ford-st, in the rear of No. 2il Walworth-
st., lives Mrs Eustace. She was also thrown TO
the floor. 80 ;,
c('ntchcon had been employed with Campbell.
for n number of years lie leaves "A wife and three
daughters, two Of whom married Knee
leaves wife and six children, who are said 10
BE- destitute
The factory was completely destroyed.