New-York tribune., 1899-06-09
FIREWORKS PLANT GOES UP
TWENTY-FOUR BUILDINGS OF NORD-
LINGER-CHARLTON co. DESTROYED.
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION UNKNoWN-ONE
HUNDRED AND TEN EMPLOYEES EscAfE
ONLY TWO SEVERELY BURNED.

ONLY TWO SEVERELY BURNED
Twenty-four buildings. comprising the princi-
pal part OF the fireworks factory OF the Nord-
linger. Charlton Company at Granitevile'
Staten Island. were completely destroyed b. a
series of explosions. and by fire, spread py ois-
charging fireworks. yesterday afternoon. There
were 40 employees In and about the buildings at
the time OF the explosion. and by what seems to
be almost n miracle. all escaped unnjured ex-
cept two men, and their burns are not serious
The buildings covered between three and four
acres of land between Richmond-ave and
cberrv Lane and were all one-story structures.
some built Of sheet iron and others Of wood In
tho finishing room. nearest to Richmond ave.
were fifty girls and women. Next came the OF
ncc building. In which was stored quantity
OF stock. Behind these were two storage houses
3Ox75 feet in size. filled with finished and un-
finished stock Scattered about were the otner
buildings. all except the carpenter shop being
small metal and frame buildings.
The factory was running at It's full capacity
william ] Charlton. the superintendent, nao
inst completed tour Of inspection at 2:2? p m
when the first explosion occurred In an un-
finished stock room This building. 12xl4 feet
was filed with rockets and roman candles
which had been charged and only needed the
Anai vrappers The explosion was heavy one
and in an instant the whole tract occupied by
the buildings was enveloped In dense, suifocat-
ing smoke and the air filled with explod-
ing rockets and candles. Explosion followed ex-
plosion with startling rapidity. the sharp crack
OF n small charging room being Followed Dy Inc
heavier detonations made by the mixing. the
magazine and the storage buildings None Oh
the employees can give clear account or what
happened, but all agree that hardly one minute
elapsed from the first explosion before the whoie
plant was enveoped in flames. superintendent
Charlton says that he was sitting with friend
in the Office and before they could reach the
door the buildings were all on fire
WOMEN EMPLOYEES FAINT.
The women employees were nearest Richmond
ave and they fed into the street. where num-
ber of them fell fainting. Some ran quarter
of a mile before stopping. and were found ex-
hausted In the roadway by the crowds which
were attracted by the explosion. The sixty men
were not less alarmed than the women, and they
ran in every direction. Some fell upon their
hands and feet in order TO escape the force OF
the explosions and the suffocating smoke. Many
say that 1t seemed that they were enveloped IN
sheets OF fame, and others describe their sensa-
ton as that Of being driven before sheet OF
flame.
There was no one in the stock room which
first exploded. and apparently all the others
managed TO escape from the buildings IN whicn
they were at work before the following eA-
plosons occurred, but nearly all had faces piack-
ened and clothing snged. No one saved any
clothing or other personal enects which 'heS
were not wearing at the first alarm.
Edward s Truvter machinist, twenty-five
years old. was the most seriously injured ne
was standing close to the buidng "n.1t VIII aar,e III
exploded and was enveloped in smoke and name
He was blinded by the smoke, and in trying 10
escape into a small charging room as IL ex1 ,,
ploded He was thrown down, ara cannon .eii
how he escaped but he was later found wander
ing in Richmond-ave. and was taken 10 MS
boarding place and then received medical atten,
ton. He is badly burned about the head ana
arms but his injuries are not serious. Tnofnas
Fox forty years old was also burned about the
face but no one else required medlcal atteho-
ance. - ao
with his clothing just bursting into blaze
Some of his comrades quickly threw MIN down
in q brooke and he escaped with Few srsnt
burns. N team of horses attached 10 a wagon
loaded with finished fireworks stood In the barn.
They broke away and escaped across the helds
with their load unharmed but the barn was en-
tirey destroyed.
They were too late to save the burning factory
buildings, but they saved the carriage factory OF
F. L. Vreeland in Richmond-ave., whicn ao-
Joined the carpenter shop.
HOT WEATHER MAY HAVE CAUSED IT
Superintendent Charlton estimated the loss or
his company on the buildings at about S3'ooo
and the loss on stock at between $4,000 and
100000. He said that ne did not know whether
there was any insurance. No explanation OF the
cause of the explosion was given by any one
connected with the factory. II Is thought that
the intensely hot weather may have had some
thing TO do with It,
The detonations when the storage houses ex-
nloded shook the ground for miles and were
heard at St George five miles away In the
nart of port Richmond nearest the works panes
OF glass were broken.
About two months ago there was an explosion
in the annex plant Of the company. and two per-
sons were killed and three badly burned