New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-31
EXPLOSION WRECKS A BASEMENT.
TENANTS IN A wAVERLY PLACE APARTMENT
HOUSE BADLY FRIGHTENED.

TENANTS IN A WAVERLY PLACE APARTMENT
HOUSE BADLY FRIGHTENED.
Occupants OF the fashionable apartment house No.
lO6 Wayerley Place rudely disturbed at o'clock
yesterday morning by the sound OF an explosion In
the basement OF the building. which shook the
structure from the cellar TO the roof. The report
OF the explosion accompanied by the noise OF
breaking glass and shattered doors and windows
For an instant 1t seemed II the whole house must
give way and collapse. An investigation showed.
however. that no damage beyond the basement floor
had followed the shock. and the house speedily re-
sumed it's Sunday quiet
In the basement, where the explosion took place.
there was a scene of destruction The ceiling in the
boiler-room was torn down and doors and windows
we're broken blown altogether from their fasten-
ings Everywhere wreckage was scattered about.
and the gaslghts In that part Of the house were
extnguished. The trouble was caused by the burst
ing OF the water Jacket of a small stove which
served TO furnish hot water 10 the apartments on
the floors above.
John jackson and his wife. Nette. the colored
jantor and janiress of the establishment had built
fire in the stove half hour before the accident.
This stove Is in the boler-room az the the rear end
OF the basement. with a window looking out on the
back yard and door leading 20 the hallway. Jack
son was about to put more coal on the fire. and his
wife was standing close beside him In the doorway
when they both hurled backward by the
rife shock OF an explosion and blinded by
the room ana made 1t darA as night Both half
stunned made their way out OF the basement bleed
ing from wounds in the face. which. fortunately,
proved not have been serious. Their wounds were
dres sed by DR.. T. J. Sar.abJus. physician living
the first iioor
DR.. Sarlabous's apartments are directly over the
scene cf explosion. As all OF the windows In his
rooms were open. however. the force OF the con-
cussion which was great. was not destructive to
any of his belongings. None OF the apartments on
the other floors were injured IN any way. although
several OF the doors to the dum5waiter shaft were
blown open by the force OF the conclusion, which
followed the course OF the shaft to the roof.
Detective Schwartz. OF the Mercer-st. station made
an investigation. and found that the stove had
bcen smashed In many pieces and that the cell
inR and doors In the boer-room and halfway had
hoen demo ished He searched the debris for traces
OF a bomb or other explosive. but could find none.
According 70 the theory os the detective. bomb OF
somc sort must been left In the coal accidental
lv and this must have been put In the stove The
servants In the house ncllned TO believe that
tho explosion the result of mischief on the
part OF some one perhaps some discharged empoye
As the police could make nothing of the affair
fire Department and Chief Inspector Murray made
an examination OF the place II took him only a
momert 10 come to tho conclusion that there was
nothing OF mystery surrounding the affair He said
that the stove which Is known as double. bodied
stove with "A Jacket of water around Il. had
blown up through the imperfect circulation Of the
water after Il had become heated II will about
5000 TO repair the damage done.