The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-11-01

stroyed and Only Two OCT OF One Hun
dred and Fifty Escape Many Fireman
P-risked In the Flame.
New York, O.t. 29-One Of the
most disastrous explosions IN the
history OF the cltv occurred about
noon today IN the Tarrant Chemical
Company building 81 Greenwich and
Warren streets. The force OF the
explosion wrecked the adjoining
buildings along both Greenwich and
Warren streets aud NUN Der across
Greeuwi ST. eet.
The police believe that the mum
Der Of dead will exceed 80 persons.
For some time after the explosion
Injured persons appeared in the
stree ts from all parts covered With
blood. The block wrecked is bound
ed by Warren, Washington. Green
wlch aud Murry streets. Many fire
men are believed 10 De buried in the
ruins. 1t is reported that small
fire on the third 4 Dor OF the building
caused the disaster. Chief Krupp
AID fifteen me1 of the FIRST Il re bat
TALON are reported to be lost in the
ruins.
Explosions, whose reverberations
w re heard ID away. blew up the
building. The number OF lives lost
will probably be greater than in the
Pa k Place borrow. The policemen
and fireman could get DO accurate
Idea for long while after the flames
oroke ont as TO how many had been
killed. 1t was thought that many in
other buildings also lost their lives.
Four alarms were sent out. but at
first the fremen were helpless to
cope with the a .mes. Explosion
after explosion occurred aud at each
one the Il 4mes and debris shot upln
to the air away above the roofs OF
the tallest sky-scrapers. The shock
shook buildings for blocks away and
every window in broad area sur
rounding the scene was smashed
Persons IN the streets who were q
block away from the wrecked build
ing were badly cut by flying glass
Many were thrown down and bruised
Horses stampeded and created 8 gen.
eral panic IN the street.
Then there was a general roar OF
nurry'Dg engines. ambul ances and
patrol wagons. With each succeed.
ing explosion, there was an increase
IN the rush to the scene OF the ex
! plOsions; but those who ran found
hat even though there were nc
.,ollce lines to stop them, they could
not get near the flames for they
We're beaten back.
1t is known that there were lo(
persons employed in the Tarran
building, 100 girls and 50 men. 1t
doubtful if more than two of thes.
escaped, for the explosion came with
u IN suddenness that no one who wa,
Ia the building could leave it afte,
the first shock.
The first xpiosion occurred at II:
30 o clock, Up to that time no smok
gave evidence Of the disaster tina
was coming. The first explosion
ripped out the roof, and with a grea
roar the flames belched into the sky
Mingled with them was q mammoth
cloud of black smoke that curled up
ward like huge dark balloon whel
the fl ames went down. The air wa
filed with flying debres, some O
which did not come back to the eartl
again for over five minutes. AT this
the first alarm was turned in, but be
fore the firemen arrived, there wa
another explosion even more terri6
than the first. Again the flames ros
toward the sky and ieaped up
ward higher than they did before. |
was the luncheon hour, and tn
; street was filed with persons goin,
out to take midday meals. The f rs
and second shocks knocked then
down and they were covered witt
flying glass aud debris. Stunned an,
bleeding they ran panic stricken
from the scene. Women with tori
dresses and hats blown eff, screame,
out IN pain, and the men Thought o
nothing out to make wild dash 70
safety. 1t was just after the frs
fremen arrived that there was
third explosion. The men who wer
nearest the place by this time wer
knocked down and many were dragg
ed away unconscious.
Then came the worst explosion o
them all. With roars like three grea
bombs, and each succeeding the 9th
er at an interval of two seconds
these explosions came, wiping away
what was left of the Tar1aut build
ing and causing the north side O.
toe block in Warren street between
Greenwich and Washington to col
apse like an egg shell. Severa
buildings in Greenwich street RUM
ing toward Cnam Ders also fell, ant
some OF those to the south aud to
ward Murray street went down. a
least ten buildings were blown dowr
in the series OF EXPLOSIONS. Simulta
neously with the shocks the pillar,
of fire again jumped into the air
shot through the dense clouds o.
smoke, and remained as if suspend
ed for many minutes. 1t was sale
that twenty men of fl &c patrol were
in one Of the buildings when it col
aosed.
The flames leaped to the elevated
railroad structure and soon it was
afice. The engineers on the locomo
tives put on air brakes, reversed
their engines and backed out of the
way.
The fire rapidly spread south along
the west side Of Washington street
destroying the four story brick build
lngs occupied by Phillips & Son, at
No. 265 coffee dealers; P. Ruhlmau
4 Co., at 26l, spice dealers; Henry
Lehman, at 1853, commission mer-
chant; Van Arsdale, Pencil s. Co.,
265, also commission merchants, and
Evans, Smith i Co., at 267, coffee
and spice dealers.
When the Tarrant warehouse,
which was five stories high, IN Wash.
ington street, fell, the mass Of wrech
age crashed across the alley and car.
ried with it the three buildings near.
OF 70 - II <La a..