Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-01
bASTER IN NEW YORK
MONDAY AFTERNOON
Wand Explosions in Tarrant & Com
Hpany'S Wholesale Drug House.
HUNDRED PEOPLE KILLED
Flames Were Three Hun
dred Feet High.
DRlplTlON OF THE AWFUL SCENE

New York, Oct. 29.-About 1890
O'Clock this afternoon, Lower New
Yofkswas startled by booming sound,
which it developed was an explosion in
cba building occupied by Tarrant Il
CQsyw holesale druggists.
s3I6rrant T. Co. "a building is at the
cdE4ef OF Greenwich and Warren
3He Fire Department Immediately
xeGpopded to call but had not
KSS36ed the scene when three ad-
dftlQhal explosions occurred, more
vi6I8pt than the first.
IA 3plumn of debris, smoke and flames
6h<lf4np 3G0 feet into the sky.
N dksons in the neighborhood say they
NIX buman bodies thrown up in the
GolHfnn when the explosions occurred.
Xpr explosions occurred in rapid
tj12<ssioG.
ny I'D Sixth Avenue elevated structure,
.SAl0h passes the building, is de-
III n 35hed at that point. .
indows in the neighborhood and
1QrI blocks around we're blown out by
lconcussion.
He force of the explosion was heard
am felt clear down to Wall street, and
k83}5 plate glass windows " were smashed
|Ef people thrown to the street, dis
lynB6e OF four blocks.
|4S ANIL O'Clock, it was said that there
1iFefs fully 160 persons in the building
lltttle time of the first explosion, and
{8x,n any, of them had time to escape.
said that 100 of the employees in
III 1pilding were gIils. They were on
difxssnt floors when the fire broke out
}he explosions occurred. 1t is hard
lo|9&s how these girls could have es-
N f6 young man, who gave his name
A. f{orry Ross, said that he was stand.
IiQ&Qb the corner when the explosion
.G{I9IifTed He was blown about 10
<&et When be picked himself up, he
aaidhe saw bodIes flying through the
lxADd landing IN the flames.
Y Il IQsH restaurant next door to the drug
et6fa there were about 200 people eat
{oE fheir luncheon. or these, many
EaFH injured, and it is reported that a
Ac0re 0r more of them lost their lives.
% w 70 II. As p. NJ, IL injured persons
had heen taken to the New York Hos
lithugraphing establishment close
ID I8fant's place caught fire, and the
flafn6s spread to the Irving Bank and
two buj ldings across the street.
The Warren street station of the
Nipth Avenue elevated road, directly
jufffpnt of the drug establishment,
was cpmpletely demolished, and a
number of persons who were standing
upon it, waiting for train, were
blowp to the street and received serious
injury. Several women escaped from
tho station. however, by walking along
the, plank platform at the odge of the
track.
n Several buildings at the rear of the
drug slore were blown down.
" The hames spread with wonderful
r8pidity, until the two blocks from
'Dhambers to Warren and from Wash
3pgtQn 10 Greenwich streets were soon
On HE.
John M. Elliott Of Brooklyn was sit
ting on the roof of the six-story build
ihf No. 66 West Broadway, a block
and n half away from the explosion.
HqlaH3s the force of the first explosion
was dNectly upward for matter of 30
feet when the column Of debris spread
and NIL downward, 1t took the roof
of the building, and he could hear
the cries and screams of injured peo-
.ple, Three minptes later. the third ex-
Ipl0sion came. This, he said, was the
worst of all. 1t shook the building
IVhefefhe was, and debris fell all about
FdiIceman Calvin was in the imme
diate eneighborhood OF the fire when
the hxHt of the series of explosions oc-
curged He said that number OF fire.
man were blown to death on the Warren
atfeet side Of the building. He added
that nv rescued one man, but no living
being pould have rescued the others.
P6lideman Calvin said that, in his
baliAf, not less than 200 persons will be
tQu6d'to have lost their lives. This
wst6n account of the suddenness of
The plosions, which rendered il i'm
possihle for anybody who was in the
bui kairg at the time to escape.
Hhe hrst explosion occurred at -, -
III 3u. 1t took the roof off the build
jRIt was followed minute and y
AsslEsster by two or three ,harper ex-
p(5Giops that sent columns of flames
anxi Woke high into the air. The ex-
pl09i9ns sent debris flying through the
hir'NbA into the street, where dozens
cfpH5aons were injured.
&4ha employees OF the Irving National
R8nk whose building stands directly
scros9 the street from Tarrant's place,
were busily engaged at their desks at
the tinae of the explosions. Every clerk
aud i6oial of the bank was thrown to
Az ~ by the force of the conclusion.
3bg That the building was about
R several Of the officials ran for
Re68ah, and had it taken out Of the
be- to a place of Ssafety. The
pll7nnd other employees then made
&ay to the sidewalk, and ran for
pitH6pf safety.
A&45y available physician and ambu-
Ianq6 8urgeon who could be reached
waa p4lled in service and the various
ofeewhioh we're not damaged by tue
SxrI Ions were turned into temporary
hV811fAls for the care OF the wounded.
fas only an instant after the first
W explosions occurred when the
a1{ ID structure caught fire. Fortu-
1@I|2 there were no trains in the i'm
Be neighborhood at the moment.
IA6 fuciure was in a blaze for a dis
pf half block in less time than
&es 10 tell it. Superintendent
fof the Manhattan Railway Go. \,
44S4Hg CT the trouble, hurried to the
q person; and with a gang OF
tr1 les, directed them in an effort
as much of the structure as pos
The damage was go great TO the
roaE " that traffic cannot be resumed
Wf Ne time to come.
H'4oz Weigand, who keeps store at