The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-09
FOURTH OF JULY CHEATED.
TWO BIG FIREWORKS FACTORIES DE-
sTROYED IN ONE DAT.

Pains, Near Coney Island, and CharIton's
on Staten Island Furnish Dazzling Spec
tacles to Suburba nites-A Workman
Hurled High and Shockingly Burned.
The Fourth OF July supply OF fireworks was
considerably diminished yesterday by two fires
that occurred. one near Coney Island and the
other on Staten Island. People living in the
Parkville region were treated to a brilliant
spectacle whom nearly all the plant OF the Pain
Fireworks Company. OF Coney Island avenue
and Avenue G. went I'D In smoke. One man
was probably fatally injured and the various
explosions created serious panic among the
seventy-nve or eighty girls employed at the
works.
The plant occupied about fifteen acres OF
land and tho buildings were situated in q
grove. They were mainly small one-story
huts about six feet square and about five yards
apart. There were twelve Of these buildings
and eight Of them we're destroyed. In two
larger frame buildings on the ground was
stored 900 pounds Of gunpovder.
The fire started about 3 o'clock. Richard L.
Leistman. an employee. was at work alone in
one of the sheds making large Roman candles.
In charging one of them he accidentally struck
spark with the instrument he was using.
The spark flew into a pie Of gunpowder and
deafening explosion followed. which was
heard plainly at Coney Island and Flat bush.
The force OF the explosion wrecked the little
house. and those who were working near II
saw Leistman's body shoot up through the
roof to height OF twenty 1--WE feet He struck
a branch OF tree and fell to the ground some
distance from the flames. Six girls who were
working In the next building to the one in
whichsthe explosion occurred saw that his
clothes were aflre. Running over to him they
tria 10 Eaat tI,n 40, No,
clothing.
The sight was too sickening for them to en-
dure long and one by one they started to run
to the.road. about 100 yards away. One after
another they sank faintiuG to the ground.
They we're picked up by the crowd OF en-
pployess who came streaming out Of the woods,
crackers which by this time were being dis
CHARGED In all directions.
After four storehouses had been consumed
and their contents exploded the flames
pounds of powder. and another Dig explosion
come over from Consy Island and the races
ana were In time to see four more storehouses
destroyed. while rockets and Roman candles
went sailing up among the trees and were lost
The frequency of the explosions led to all
ambuanSes that arrived from the norwegian.
found little to do. Dr. Pierce Of coney Island
dressed Leistman's wounds and the other doc
ns s.aea ' o hem s
6'npey Island and Brpoklyn EailrGad sens tie
%H 3fa HH a'5s% IN d09h haa sss
mainly to saving the buildings which had not
caught Are by the time they arrived
Mr.. Pain. President of the, company. who
at ei Sh:R ha
SS222n;M~ nj, Ihe Insurance AMOUNTS ,.I TO Only
trade which it will cause, Nearly all the fire
works destroyed were bsing stored to supply
the city demand The country dealers get
AccordIng to Mr; Pain the FIRE will not inter
a hs safb % The
rial intended for this purpose was stored in
the buildings nj y in the western Part OF the
5rosher had been LEFT behind ran back into
Richard up. brought him out to pavilion
which had been turned into an emergency hos:
BS Rna 1 nn1 se sTa a @
Sensy Hos oital and win probably die. :,
westerly breeze that was blowing. had begun
to the fsdp6tnGE n. bgtdnFs SeEs
arse P OF the two ma ,e eonfanips 66
pounds OF powder. Almost as soon as she last
Of the ls0 smnloyees had e" got outside OF the
first, startled the inhabitants for miles around.
sent skyward. and the explosion was followed
by u perfect fusillade-of firecrackers. ns one
ae Theee VI %e iS or o these mean the
magazine. in which were stored cannon crack
ers; torpedoss; rockets and Roman candles.
Three fire alarms were turned In. and am
balances from four hosnitals were sent for.
Engines from the surrounding districts re.
sponded. but when the frer.en reached tho
scene the constant discharge Of nrecrackers
and fireworks kept them at distance; Some
voad out ON IL
horses drawing the engines had to be removed
to distance to prevent stampede. The
fremen were also hamrered in.thcir work
by the lack Of hydrants. the hose having to be
stretched over to the Boulevard. about 1000
Part OF the, Nordingcr Charlton fireworks
factory; in Richmond avenue. Graniteyille,
Staten Island vas destroyed yesterdaT after
Cured in one OF the storage houses:The build
ing In which The explosion occurred was
about II feet long and / feet wide. and stored
in 1t were Roman candles and tlrecrackers.,No
one was In the building, when it went up;
The force Of the explosion and the living
sparks played havoc with twenty Ave other
buildings. covering an area OF three acres.
iron storehouses each two stories high and 70
BY 30 feet in size. They were partly fllled
With fireWorks re H for shipment a The oftice
zine and small charging and: storage houses
made up the rest
One by one cdcH Oh lIleSo DulluluRb WAS llTeu,
and explosion after explosion occurred. Fire
works shot into the air III all directions. Sky
rockets and Roman candles went OFF. and tho
place was enyeloped in dense cloud Of smoke;
When tho hrst explosion was heard the 10
employees In the several buildings fed in all
directions. Fifty Of these were girls; and they
ran screaming INTO the street ard the.adIoin-
ing lots. Thomas Brown, one OF the chargers
rushed from small building, with his clothes
anre. His companion threw him into brook
nearby. Edward C:Truyterr. machinst
| was badly burned about the face and arms
| Thomas Fox. another employee. was also
| burned about the face and hands but not So
| rously.
general alarm was sounded. and tho whole
| Of the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department
was called out The tiqmes:sxtended TO the
| hremen succeeded in saving it, At the time
OF the explosion a team Of horses was stand
| ing in one OF the StorehouseS attached to a
wagon :oaded with fireworks. Where they
| went with the wagon no one Is able to tell.
Mr.. Charlton said his loss on buildings would
| amount to between $4,000 and $4,000, and on
| stock between $40. 900 and $4,000 This Is
| the third explosion In the factory during the
present year. 1t was probably caused by the
| heat.