New-York tribune., 1901-06-21
DYNAMO BURSTS, MEN FLEE.
THEY STORM LOCKED GATE AS FIRE
FOLLOWS DETONATION
WOMEN IN PASSING CAR FAINT: THOSE IN
ADJOINING BUILDING IN A PANIC
ONE ENGINEER DYING.

Fifty men fled for their lives when the rotary
OF one of the high tension cOnverters burst on
the basement floor of the Edison Light and
Power plant in the building extending from
No. "a Duane-st to No 331 Pearl-st.. last
evening Henry Kraemer, engineer. thirty
years old. of No 100 First-ave., was passing the
dynamo at the time. and pieces of flying steel
nearly tore his right leg to shreds He re-
moved TO the Hudson Street Hospital in a dying
condition.
The insulation caught fire from the friction of
the massive wheel and spread all the
Gocr. II seemed that the building would go up
in flames Jacob ShroebeI. Oiler. worked his
way to the street and turned in alarm. The
firemen extlnguished the flames with sand hut
not without difficulty. as the burning insulation
flew into the dynamos adjoining the demolished
one.
The dynamo which totally demolished
was situated in the southwest corner of the
building. near the Duane-st. entrance. The ro-
tary in the dynamo making thousands of
revolutions a minute when it burst. The iron
gate leading 10 Duane-st. was locked. and
scramble ensued as the frightened men tried to
escape.
There were two reports like the sound OF the
discharge OF n biz gun at three minute intervals
Madison-st horsecar was passing the build
ing at the time Five women in the car who
had heard the report and seen the flash that fol-
lowed. tainted. One woman jumped from the
car directly under the hoofs Of horse. She
sustained few bruises
Immediately after the rotary burst the men
rushed up the steps to the Duane-st gate and
finding il locked. attempted to climb over II
One who had the key to the gate. threw II over
TO Policeman Finn. who unlocked it, and the
men swarmed out Two men on an upper floor
Jumped 10 the sidewalk below when they hoard
the report. They escaped unintured
flhh round kraemer lying unconscious IN
,lo"t oi the wrecked dynamo his right leg bane-
e ~ si'euS' flnn tied his handkerchief tigbtI,.
a,, tie wounded limb and turned in b,,rr,
can Tor an ambulance. When DIR Ola - -
from the Hudson Street tJosntto, 'Ponded
Finn saved Kraemer from bIeodin- S"iu that
The dynamo that was der,oI,e, ued'h.
power from the Battery TO Efgbtb-s+ supplied
Sa'd that the electric lights did NOT o. - - was
"uui'iohaI power was supplied bv +ho ~
uyhafnos a few minutes after tbo
"hen the danger was over the epeirou
back TO their posts went
III the building at No. "A Duane-st direct,
opposite the Edison Building there were ono
n""uIed girls at work on the first floor. ocoupiAd
ny buckley & Warden. bookbinders When the
Spoi' was heard they made mad rush for
the street. screaming at the top of their voices
Mlchael Cannon a porter prevented them from,
rushns out, locking the door on the outside
Many OF the girls became hystericaI ard after
the excitement subsided they were sent home.
Don Shea, the superintendent of the. Edison
company said that the accident was probably
caused by short circuit. positive and negative
wires coming together and making an overload
ed current. One of the oilers present when the
rotary burst said that it caused by a defec-
tive insulation. or else overheated bearings This
however denied by Mr. Shea
Th" dynamo that was blown to pieces weighed
about nifty tons. The rotary was about twelve
feet in diameter. and foot and n half in width
There was nothing but pieces of the dynamo
about the floor. The ceiling and walls had 'orge
holes rent in them.