Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1900-11-03
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION IN NY.
LARGE NUMBER WERE KILLED,
Were Four Terrific Explosions
Wreck of the Huge Building,
Filled with Men and Women,
Crashed DOwn-Big Fire Followed.

| by Tarrant q Co., wholesale druggists The
fire department Immediately responded to a
call, but had not reached the scene when
three additional explosions occurred, more
violent than the first.
A column of debris and smoke and
flames shot upward 300 feet
Persons in the vicinity say they saw hui
luan bodies thrown up in the column of
debris when the explosion occurred. Four
explosions occurred in rapid succession.
The Sixth avenue elevated railroad
structure is demolished at that point.
Windows for blocks around were demol-
ised by the conclusion and houses across
the street were probably damaged.
Calls were sent for ambulances. Five
! alarms of fire were turned in.
Could Not Escape.
1t is said there were fully $50 people
in the building at the time of the first
explosion and few if any OF them had time
to escape.
Three fire horses were cut by flying glass
am will probably have to be shot A
fire engine was almost completely demol-
ished by falling walls.
1t was said that 100 of the employees of
the building were girls. They were on
different floors when the fire broke out
and the explosion occurred.
Restaurant Smashed.
In restaurant next door to the drug
store there were about 200 people eating
their luncheon. OF these many were in
jured and it is reported score or more
of them lost their lives.
Up to l2:45 p. m. II injured persons had
been taken to the New York hospital. The
police reserves from Old Slip, Church
Street, Oak Street and Elizabeth Street
stations were called out.
The first explosion occurred at l2:12 p.
m. and took the roof off the building.
The explosions sent debris flying trough
the air and into the street, where dozens
of persons were injured,
All the ambulances from hospitals south
OF Fifty-ninth street were finally called to
the scene.
Blew People Into the Street.
A lithographing establishment close to
Taran'ts place caught fire and the flames
spread to the Irving bank and to two other
buildings across he street.
The Warren Street station of the Ninth
avenue elevated road, directly in front of
the drug establishment, was completely
demolished and number of persons who
were standing upon it waiting for a train
were blown to the streets without any
serious injury. Some women escaped
from the station by walking the plank at
the edge of the track.
Several buildings at the rear of the
drug store were blown down.
The flames spread with wonderful rapid
Iity. The two blocks from Chambers to
Warren and from Washington to Green-
Nich street were soon on fire.
John NJ. Elliott of Brooklyn was sitting
on the roof of the seven-story building
at 66 West Broadway, a block and a half
away from the explosion He says the
force of the first explosion was directly
upward for a matter of 80 feet, when the
column of debris spread and fell down
ward. 1t took the roof off the building and
he could hear the cries and screams of
persons.
Three minutes later the third explosion,
which he said was the worst of all, came
It shook the building where he was and
debris fell about it.
Policeman Calvin was in the immediate
vicinity of the fire when the first of the
explosions occurred. He said number of
firemen were blown to death on the War
rem street side of the building. He said
that he rescued one of them, but no liv-
ing being could have rescued the others.
He said that in his belief 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 any being in
the place at the time to escape.
The force of the explosion was heard
and felt clear down to Wall street and
heavy plate glass windows were smashed
and people thrown down in the street for a
distance of four blocks.
Cash Was Saved.
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 first explosion. There was not
a clerk or official of the bank but was
thrown to the floor by the force of the
conclusion.
Thinking the building was about to fall
several officials ran for the cash and had
it taken out of the building and to place
Of safety. The clerks and other employees
then made their way to the sidewalk and
ran for places of safety.
Did Anv FacaneP