New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
BLOWN UP BY GASOLINE.
yoSKERs TENEMENT HOUSE WRECKED
BY AN EXPLOSION.

MANY PERSONS CUT BRUISED AND BURNED
OTHER HOUSES SET ON FIRE-sEvERAL
FAMILIES MADE HoMEIEss-A SEARCH
OF THE RUINS BEGUN. But NO
LIVES KNOWN TO BE LOST.
An exnos,on which shook the buildings IN
the business portion Of Yonkers. ana ra'ue"
the windows and doors in houses WITHIN rau'u'
of half a mile occurred at I1o last e'eHihe'
The explosion demolished a two-story 'ehe"en
house at No. John-st and SET Hie ~ nv
adjoining houses. Il was caused py qua"''
of gasoline becoming ignited from " e'o'e w
the first floor of the tenement-house. Near '"e
house a tank containing one hundred gallons OF
raso,ine was uncovered few days ago by some
workmen who were removing the ruins or the
hat factory which was destroyed by nre se'era'
months ago. When the gasoline was discoV-
cred the tenants from the houses on what Is
known as Chicken Island went with palis ana
cans and took the fluid away. Some OF them
soaked wood in the gasoline and used 1t 10
light fires in kitchen stoves. Others stored 'he
liquid away In the cellars OF the houses
II tho first story Of the house at No. John-
., lived Joseph Duncan with his wife and child.
~ o,a eide and James Tolgate. Joseph White
and man named Hime, in the apart
q, one Of tn ,se families that the explosion oc-
CURED They were probably starting a fire
with the gasoline. as the heiehoois S"" p"'
fuls of II taken into the house.
rh. fron, was blown out of the tenement
house the roof fell in. and Immediately fames
sbot up through the ruins and spread rapidly
IN the houses in the rear and on the east SIDE
The Fire Department was called out, ana the
Arennen had hard fight, as the fierce names
were fed by the gasoline in the apartments, but
after an hours work the fire was under con-
troll
When the explosion occurred. the tenants,
who had just eaten supper. were all at nome
Besides the occupants of the first floor there
were in the house at the time Alexander Craw-
ford. his wife Mrs. Caroline Nichols and four
children Mrs. jeremiah Davis, and man
named Dumont. How the people got out Is
difficult 10 understand. but as far as can De
learned all got out alive. Mrs. Nichols tnre"
two Of her children out of rear window. ana
managed to get down the rear stairway WIN
the older children. They were all more or less
cut and bruised, and they were removed to ST.
Josephs Hospital Mrs Davis was burned fright
fully about the face and arms, and was TAKEN
In an ambulance to the hospital.
In the house adjoining the tenement on the
east side were Claude Darden and his family.
They were eating supper. and Mr. Darden was
blown across the room. sustaining slight In
juries. The ceiling fell upon his wife. and she
was severely injured. When the flames spread
to the houses in the rear, the families were
obliged to leave all their belongings and nee lot
their lives. The families thus made homeless
were those of George Beckston, William Jack
son. Mrs. Sawyer and Mrs. Wray
BY the time the flames were subdued nearly
all the tenants were accounted for. but fearing
that some had been carried down In the ruins
the hremen began search 70 make sure
whether or not any had been killed.
The police have begun an investigation OF the
tenement district to discover whether any more
families have gasoline stored in their houses
The demolished building was owned by Wihan
r Mott. OF Peekskll The damage Will amount
10 about $9.OU.