Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-01
GAS EXPLOSION
Wrecks Seven-Story Factory
in New York City.
Fire Follows and Does Heavy Damage
1.-Two Seriously Injured.
Daring and Heroic Rescues and Many Marrow
Escapes from Death.

| New York, Jan. 31.-The explosion,
this afternoon, in the cigar box factory
Of the W. w. Wicke 90. in East 31st
| street, by which over 20 persons were
| injured was followed at O'Clock to-
night. by one of the fiercest confiagTa-
lions New York has witnessed in many
years, causing an estimated loss Of 81
| 500 600. The burned area took in about
one city block.
The seven-story factory Of the
William Wicks Co. manufacture
ers Of cigar boxes. labels ana
ribbons. at 4Ol to 4l9 East list
street. was shaken. this afternoon by
an explosion in the shaving tower"
which wrecked the tower and demol-
ished the roof Of the engine house The
explosion is believed to have been
caused by gas accumulation.
The force of the explosion was ire
mendous and completely wrecked the
tour. The brick work fell on the en-
gine house. crushing il and the explo-
sion cracked the big smoke stack. 100
feet high. over the engine room.
Nearly 500 persons were at work in
the Wicke factory at the time OF the
explosion. Three hundred and fifty of
them were women. In both buildings
panic ensued but only two persons
were seriously injured. A score or more
were slightly hurt, by being cut with
broken glass or struck with flying
splinters. The loss caused by the ex-
plosion amounted to several thousand
dollars.
Fire resulting in damage to the ex-
tent Of 81 800. 900. started anew i'm the
William Wicke COS. building. tonight.
Within half an hour the entire build
ing. extending half the length Of the
block in 3lst street. to the East river.
was a mass Of flames and the firemen
casing their attempts to save the
building, turned all their attention TO
the adjacent structures.
number of persons We're injured
during the first rush and spread Of The
fire.
Roundsman Quinn. Sergeant Haupt-
man. who was promoted for bravery at
the Windsor Hotel fire. We're in com
mand Of a squad of 10 men at the
scene when the fire started. They at
once saw that the Wicke building vas
doomed and turned their attention to
the tenement house at AGA East 21st
street directly opposite the burning
factory This is a five-story tenement
occupied by - families
A policeman carried out Mrs. Sarah
Mcdonald. who lived on the second
floor. and who had given birth to
babe only few days ago.
Engine Go. p. which had attached
lines Of hose to the hydrant a the cor
ner and almost underneath the walls
IF the burning factory, was in a dan
gerous position. The firemen, forced
back by the heat, We're compelled to
abandon the three big white horses.
Some firemen ran in and cut the traces.
one Of the horses was so badly burned
that he had TO be shot The Wicke
building was at that time burned to
the ground.
Just before the cOmpanys main
building was burned. a ladder against
the south wall on which was Fireman
Peter Coyle. was seen to be on nre.
Shouts of warning notified Coyle of his
danger and he began to descend Be
fore he was half way down the walls
fell ana took the ladder with it. Coyle
was thrown TO the street and both his
ankles We're broken.
The water tower. hook and ladder
No. :, was stationed about the middle
OF the block on 3lst street. but the heat
was so intense that after the horses
had been taken out the men We're COM
PEELED To abandon the tower. In few
minutes il was twisted by the heat
and was a mass Of ruins.