New-York tribune., 1900-10-30
SCENES AND INCIDENTS
EXPERIENCES OF .SOJIE WIT.
NESSES OF THE DLSA.STER.
A CLERGYMAN'S REMARKABLE ESCAPE
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION VARI-
OUSLY DESCRIBED.

The Rev. Martin Luther of the Wilson Me-
mortal Chapel Forty-seconG-st. near Tenth
ave-, who was within block OF the scene when
the explosion occurred. had a narrow escape
He was on his way from Franklin-sr. ferry to
attend the noon meeting OF the John Street
Methodist Church. He was in a very excited
state as the result of his experience. and was
suffering from wound in the head. caused by
trying to hold a horse which had been knocked
down He was kicked In the head
My experience" Mr. Luther said was one
which shall never forget. came up Franklir-
st. from the ferry and turned down Washing
ton-st. to Warren. had Just turned into War
ren-st. when the first explosion occurred. When
the second and terrific crash came I was in the
middle Of the block between Greenwich and
Washington sts
Just before the great explosion was di-
rectly opposite the Tarrant building. looking
at the fire and the people escaping down the
fire ladders. Had L remained in that position a
few moments longer I would have been killed.
consider my escape an act Of Providence
When first arrived on the scene there was
a dense black smoke pouring out of the win
dows Of the burning building As looked men
and women were being assisted out by the fire
men and were coming down the ladders Then
there noise from the interior OF the
structure and a white smoke began TO pour out
Just before that 1 left the front Of the buiId-
ing and went down the block Every one on
the escapes seemed 10 have been rescued. and
far I could see there was no one on the
escapes when the explosion occurred
CUT OFF FROM ESCAPE
Who can describe the scene? As looked
one man appeared at the upper windows His
face expressed both agony and fear. The smoke
almost shut him out from the view of those in
the street
Go up to the roof. For Gods sake. go up
the crowd shouted
''The man left the window. 1 do not believe
that he ever left the room in which he was. for
il was but few moments later thst the big
explosion occurred
Before the first explosion everybody was try
ing to get a good view of the fire. but after the
crash there mad rush TO get out Of the
way, and this rush was a stampede when the
second explosion came. 1 was looking directly
at the building then. IL was sight that I shall
never forget, II seemed to me that the whole
building was carried up into the air. only 10
break into thousand pieces and come down on
the people and houses bringing death and de
struction. There was a slight sound before the
explosion, and then. with flash and noise
that shook the ground. the building went VI
MAD STAMPEDE OF PEOPLE AND HORSES
The crowd stampeded down the street
Women and men fell over one another. and. u
add TO the excitement Of the scene. the truck
horses became UnmanageabIe. There seemed
TO me to be great number of trucks near BY.
1t was the noon hour and many of the horses
had their feedbass over their heads. At Green
wich-st. they blocked the highway. Those that
had fallen were kicked and run down by the
others trying to get past. 1t was awful All
All UraS 7 tria rO of
horses that not injured. but which had
fallen. I made an effort TO get the animal on
its feet. but was kicked in the head.
while all this going on, there was per
feet rain of timber. tin and glass pouring down
upon the streets L might say. literally. that
people were falling all around me. OF course.
not all of these people were killed. nor were
they badly injured. but some of them seemed to
be seriously hurt. Right after the explosion
it rainsd destruction for. II seemed to me. i've
minutes. Every place that afforded shelter was
sought by those who but few minutes before
were trying to get near enough 70 see the fire
I saw a number of girls struck and a number
of men knocked down.
Il cannot describe the scene nor the force OF
the explosion. l saw a team OF horses fully two
blocks from the scene of the accident feIled by
a large piece of timber ten inches thick. and
such was the force Of the blow that it split
into pieces.
Il waited no longer. for I feared that there
might be another explosion. I went at once TO
the John-st church. where 1 gave thanks to
God for my deliverance."
SURVIVORS TELL OF NARROW ESCAPES.
Among the many people who had narrow
escapes from death when the series Of explosions
occurred was J. l. Purdy. coffee merchant, OF
No. ISL Chambers-st.. who had been attracted
by the fire and was standing at Chambers and
Greenwich SITS. looking at it.
First there was a rumbHng noise" he said.
and then the ground began 20 quake. and then
came a terrific roar. Everything near me
seemed to have blown up was stunned and
dazed. still had the power of motion. and I
started backward. Just as did so a great mass
OF brick and other debris fell with a crash. COW
erng the place where had been standing many
feet deep. It seems to me that every one who
was any closer 20 the fire than myself must
have besu killed. 1 don't see how any could
have escaped. A number of fremen were stand
ing on the Ninth-ave elevated road when the
first explosion occurred. and remembered that
they were all gone when looked again.
John Mehorn, driver for Selby's Express
Company, at No. % Warren-st.. was standing in
front of the place when the first explosion oe-
CURED He was knocked down and badly
bruised he managed 10 get on his feet only to
be knocked down by the second explosion.
"AH the place was wrecked he said and I
don't know what became OF the horses. Two
of the drivers, Barry Sullivan and Thomas
Shuck were injured They were struck with fly-
ing bricks and a window sash nearly went
through Sullivan"