The Jamesburg record., 1902-02-01
EXPLODING GELATINE.
One Thousand Pounds Blew Up
Above New York Subway.
u KILLED AND 100 INJURED
Fire and Flood Followed I'm the Wake
of Explosion.


of Explosion.
Twelve persons are known to be dead
with certainty that the list will grow
and others were injured at noon on Mon
day by an explosion above the subway
in Park avenue. between 10th and 41st
streets. New York. More than 1000
pounds of nitro.gelatine exploded with
one report, and, besides the loss of life and
injury to persons in the vicinity, almost
every window was broken within a
radius of six blocks, and several large
buildings near the subway were shaken
on their foundations and almost destroy
ed. Every attempt was made to abate
the loss of life, but with little effect, as,
subsequent to the explosion, several
deaths resulted from fire, water, and suf
location The number of fatalities can
not be known exactly, and many Of
those who were taken to hospitals are
expected to die.
The victims met death in almost every
possible manner. With the first explo.
sion. which was that of the boiler OF a
dummy engine, three men who were at
work on it were hurled out of the SUBJ
way, only to be caught by the second
explosion of nitro-gelatne and dashed to
pieces.
One man was thrown four hundred feet
over house-tops and mangled beyond
recognition.
The men in the vicinity Of the engine
who had escaped the first catastrophe,
were victims of the second, caused by tie
explosion Of an enormous amount of
nitro-gelatine, which was lying ready for
use short distance from the place where
the engine was in operation. 1t was due
to the concussion, and the sound of the
explosion was heard for miles.
Fairly lifted from its place was the
roof of the tunnel, and the men and
debris were hurled together for blocks.
Next came fire, which shot along the
walls, taking death to many of the work.
men who were unable to reach the street
or had been rendered unconscious by the
concussion.
A water main running by the side of
the excavation was broken. Water
poured into the death trap as quickly as
the fire made progress, aud those who
escaped the flames were easy victims.
The Grand Central Station, the Grand
Union Hotel, the Murray Hill Hotel,
the Manhattan and several other build
ings were badly damaged Some Of them
will be rendered useless until practically
remodelied.
The Murray Hill hotel was seriously
damaged by the explosion. One of its
guests was instantly killed and many
were injured. Ceilings fell, windows were
shattered and guests who were in the
corridors and in the rooms were caught
by the falling debris without chance OF
escape.
The cries of the injured and of frighta
ed children rose simultaneously in all
parts of the. hotel.
There was wild rush on all the floors
of the hotel for the elevators. The
elevator men remained at their posts and
carried down to the first floor load after
load of frantic passengers.
Firemen found that ] Roderick Rob-
inson, of Nelson, B. c.. guest, was still
in his room on the first floor and at the
southeast corner Of the building. 1t was
known that portion of the building
had been seriously damaged. The fire.
men broke in the door, and on the bed
they saw his dead body, covered with de-
bris.
The entire ceiling had fallen.
1t is said that 100000 would hardly
pay for repairing the damage to the
Murry I'LL hotel. 1t will cost great
sum of money to replace the hundreds
of ceilings and the thousands of windows
of plate and ordinary glass that were des-
troyed all over the affected area.
The condition of the Eye and Ear In
firmary was such that it had to be
abandoned for time.