Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-10-31
Explosion in Wholesale Drug
House in New York City.
BODIES BLOWN UPWARD
Two Hundred Girls We're Eating
Lunch on Fourth FIoor-Many
Perish in the Holocaust.

fire department almost instantly rcspOlu-
ed to a call, but had not reached the
scene when three additional explosions
occurred, more violent than the hrSt. A
column of debris and smoke and flames
was shOt UP 800 feet into the sky.
PERSONS III the vicinity say they saw
human bodies thrown up in the column
OF debris when the explosion occurred.
-Four explosions occurred ID rapid sue
ceSS.On.
Windows in the vicinity and for blocks
around were blown III by the conclusion
OF the explosion.
Adjoining buildings were soon in dan
ger of destruction by the flames, which
spread rapidly.
Five alarms Of fire were turned in.
Escape Cut Off.
Up to 1915 p. N. eleven injured per-
SONS had been taken to the New \ ork
hospital. Inc police reserves from Old
Slip, Church street, Oak street and Eliza
bolh sta ions were called out.
The trst explosion occurred a 1912 p.
~ 1t took the roof off the building Ii
was followed a minute and half later
by two or three sharper explosions that
sent columns Of fame and smoke hlgn
into the air.
Dozens of persons passing at the time
were injured by flying debrls.
All the ambulances from hospitals
caiied 10 the scene.
In a restaurant next door there were
about 200 people eating luncheon. Of
these many were injured and it is report
ed that a score of them lost their lives.
At 1 o'clock it was said that there
were fully 100 persons In the building
at the time of the first explosion, and
few if any Of them had time to escape.
One young man, who gave his name as
Harry Kiss, said he was standing on the
corner when the explosion occurred. He
was blown about ten feet. When he
picked himself up he said he saw bodies
flying through the air and landing in the
flames. Three fire horses were SO badly
cut by flying glass that they will prob
ably have to be shot. One fire engine
was almost completely demolished by the
falling walls.
Tarrant's place, caught fire and the
flames spread TO the Irving bank and tive
other buildings across the street.
The Warren street station Of the Ninth
avenue elevated railroad, directly in
front of the drug establishment, was
completely demolished.
Blown 10 the Street.
A number Of persons who were stand
ing upon it waiting for q train were
blown 70 the street and received serious
injuries. Several women escaped from
the station. however, by walking along
the plank platform at the edge Of the
track.
Several buildings at the rear of the
drug store were blown down. The flames
spread with wonderful rapidly, until the
two blocks, from Chambers to Warren
and from Washington to Greenwich
streets, were on fire.
Three Terrific Explosions.
John NJ. Elliott Of Brooklyn was sitting
on the roof OF the ,seven-story building at
90 West Broadway, block and half
away from the explosion. He says the
force Of the first explosion was directly
upward for matter of thirty feet, when
the column Of debris spread and fell
downward. 1t took the roof off the
building and he could hear the cries and
screams Of injured people. Three min
utes later the third explosion cane,
which, he said, was the worst Of all Ii
shook the building where he was and
debris fell about him.
Policeman Calvin vas in the immedi-
ate vicinity Of the fire when the first
series Of explosions occurred. He said
that number Of tiremen were blown to
death on the Warren street side Of the
building. He said he rescued one Of
them, but that 20 living being could have
rescued the others.
Two Hundred Killed.
Policeman Calvin said that in his be-
lief not less than 200 persons will be
found to have lost their lives. This
was on account of the suddenness Of the
EXPLOSIONS, which rendered it Impossible
for anybody who was in the building at
the time to escape.
The force of the explosion was heard
and felt clear down to Wall street.
Heavy plate-glass windows were
smashed and people were thrown to the
street, four blocks away
The employees Of the Irving National
bank, whose building stands directly
across the street from Tarrant's place,
were busily engaged at their desks at the
time Of the explosion. The first OF the
explosions came and not q clerk or Off
clal of tie bank but who was thrown to
the floor by the force Of the concussion
Thinking that the building was about
to fall, several Of the officials ran for
the cash and had it taken out Of the
building and to a place Of safety.
The clerks and other employees then
made their way to the sidewalk and ran
for PAGES of safety.
Every available physician and amhu-
lance surgeon, who could be reached, was
called into service ana the various stores.
which were not damaged by the ex-
plosion, were turned into temporary hos
pitfalls for the care Of the wounded
Sure Many Escaped.
A representative Of the firm of Tarrant
q co. called at the Hudson street hos
pital this afternoon to inquire as to the
of the Tarrant employees had been &C
counted for except one man who is
known as George" Frank Sigler, en-
ployed by NJ. j. Brietenbach & Co., said
the fire was known five minutes before
the first explosion. He is sure all Of the
employees Of Tarrant & Co., and of Brett
enbach & Co. had plenty CT time to es
cape.
FOUR SONS ARE DROWNED.