The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
CHURCH EXPLOSION
CAMERA BLOWN UP WHILE TAXING
a PICTURE OF THE OHANTRFA

Photographer Injured and Several Window
or the EdiHco Built By Catherine LoTii-
lard woife Brokan-A High Explosive
Sold by Mistake for FinAhiIEht Powder
While one Of tho Pach brothers, photogra-
pliers, and an assistant were taking n picture OF
Grace Church chantry yesterday morning tho
flashlight powder exploded. The church was
filled with smoke in n moment and, before any
one knew just what had happened, two other
explosions occurred. Tho report Of tho first
explosion was heard several blocks from tho
church. The noise from the other explosions
was heard in Wanamakcr's store. on the corner
below, and in the st. Denis Hotel. on the corner
above. Coincident with the reports OF the ex-
blossoms came tho sound of breaking glass.
Then somebody yelled "Firei' and the police
man stationed at tho lower crossing at Tenth
street and Broadway rang an alarm. By tho
time the fremen reached the church 1t was
known that there was no fire, and the cause OF
the eXplosion:was explained. Mr.. Pach had been
engaged TO take u picture Of the interior Of tho
chantry, which adjoins the church cdifce on
the south. He and his assistant. with photo
graphic apparatus, reached the chantry shortly
after 10 o'clock. The only other person in tho
building was Miss Thomas, the assistant or
ganist and ringer of the.chimos. The camera
was placed in tho west end of the chantry.
When 1t had been properly focused, the powder
that was to fur lish tho fashlight was ignited.
Mr.. ,Pach and his assistpnt stood at the cam;
than the first explosion %. urred. Then as
the powder continued to blaze. the two other
and his assistant jumped away. from the flying
pieces OF the camera and the pieces OF broken
glass that fell from the windows directly back
of where the camera stood. Then they clapped
their hands to their cars. Miss Thomas, al
though she had no means Of showing how
many more explosions were to follow, or how
powerful thoy might be, ran to tho two pho
!ographers, thinking they might BIO seriously
Both men. she found, were quite deaf. and q
stream of blood was flowing from Mr.. Pach's
right hand. Miss Thomas saw that the cut
extended from about tho centre of the palm
over and across the entire back of the hand.
just then tho sexton ran in to see what had
happened, and Miss i, Thomas told him to get a
New York Hospital, and was told TO telephone
to st. Vincent's Hospital, as Grace Church was
not in the district covered by the New York
But said the sexton through the tcle;
ph9 so,r "a man AM is pie bleeding dnsgy to depth Shmi down nov r, here 70
out OF our territory. Notify st. Vinccnt's."
This w9s gone, and DR.; Edward L. Par
ington's private physician, was also summoned.
He responded at once. reaching the church Just
Tineent's II spitai arrived ed Dr.. Partridse ad:
yiscd that Mr.. Pach go to the hospital and have
his hand properly dressed; It was found that
that the patient had lost n quantity OF blood.
Tho injured man was taken to the hospital,
where the hand was dressed. Later he was
sent home. Neither Mr.. Pach nor his assistant
had fully recovered their hearing Inst evening.
Crowds Of Christmas shoppers, mostly wom-
en- and children, thrOnged the chantry us soon
as the explosion were heard. When the fire.
men had cleared out the crowd, the extent of
the damage to the building was ascertained.
1t was found that seven small panes of the
stained Fl IS windows in the west end of the
cnantry had been broken and twcnty.four panes
of ordinary glass on the outside of tho stained
glass. A the pieces of the stained glass can
be easily replaced, it was estimated that the
repairs would not exceed a cost Of $3.50.
The chantry was built in 1879 by Catherine
Lorillard Wolfe, at n cost of $50, 600. Each of
the cathedral glass windows cost 81. 900. The
real cause of the explosion is not definitely
known, 1t is ,conjectured that the supposed
f1ashlight powder was, in reality, some high
| explosive, sold to tho photographer bv a drug,
gist through mistake, or that, in some way,
an explosive got mixed with the flashlight
powder. Mr.. Pach's camera was ruined. 1t
was from a piece of brass torn from the camera
that the photographer sustained the injury tc
his hand.