The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-19
BOILER BLOWS UP; SCORE HURT
RAIN OF SCRAP IRON FALLS on
SHORE AND RIVER,
j. u. McD0naId's Air Comprising Plant
Wrecked - Fireman Morgan Killed
Many Children Hit by Flying Debris
-Boy's Toes Cut OF achs In Danger.


Wrecked - Fireman Morgan Killed
Many Children Hit by Flying Debris
--B0y's Toes Cut OF Yachts In Danger
With a roar that cos Id be heard for miles,
boiler in the plant belonging to j. b.
Mcdonald, the subway contractor, at le6th
street and the North River, blew up yes
terday afternoon. Instantly the ajr was
filed with flying scrap iron which rajned
down in chunks, large and small, upon
river and shore. There was regatta on
the river near by and the neighborhood
was dotted here and there with Sunday
outing parties made up largely Of youths
and children. Upon them the iron hail
descended and many were injured.
The plant was heavily damaged. OF the
four men who were in 1t two we're severely
| hurt. James Morgan, the colored fireman,
was 80 badly burned that he died at A. M.
| Daniel Barry, the engineer, was also
pretty badly hurt. Ayouth In a partyunder
a tree had the toes OF his left foot cut Of.
The open oatboats Comanche and ]. T.
Wills which had sailed a race, were passing
the home stake boat of Andy Marshall's
boathouse, which is about $50 feet from the
boiler house Clouds Of cinders and coal dust
|
dark for a few moments as II a thunder
squat was about to break loose. Pieces Of
piping from the boilers and corrugated iron
from the house and other debris fell all
around the two boats but no one in them
was hit
On the south OF Andy Marshall'sa number
Of young women were in an open pavilion
watching the boat race. The dresses OF
some OF them were ruined with oinders and
coal dust. One of them tainted. As soon
as the debris ceased falling, Engineer Barry,
with the blood streaming down his face
and as black as SCOT and dirt could make
him, staggered from the ruined boiler house
Headed by David Garrjck, number Oh
men who had been RSalt GshipqiR the fheeyy were
warned to go back. as 1t was said the other
boilers might blow up. This warning kept
the crowds of hathers and others along the
shore front way for some time and gave
the rescuers chance to work
Engineer Barry's first thought was for
the remaining boilers, and he insisted on
trying to get to them but was too weak
to walk. David Garriok and several other
volunteers drew the fires, and then helped
Barry and Morgan to the bath house across
the track, where several women from
Marshall's attended them until the ambu-
| lance surgeons arrived.
! Morgan was found by the volunteer party
among the ruins in helpless condition. and
| frightfuly hurt. His head was crushed
| on one side, and the steam had parbeiled
| his flesh almost from head TO foot. As soon
| as his wounds we're dressed he and Barry
we're taken on naphtha launch to the Fecre-
| alton pier at l20th street, and from there 70
the j. Hood Wright Hospital.
The steam dome OF the exploded boiler
blew Goals quarter Of mile away.
Some Of the clothing Of the mon landed on
the telegraph wires, and pieces Of oorru-
gated iron we're twisted around trees.
The boiler which blew up was one Of the
four set up in corrugated iron house.
| 1t was sed to pump water. The other three
are sed to compress air for the drills in tho
section of the unfinished subway. Two were
locomotive boilers adapted to this usa
and two were stationary boilers,
The explosion came without warning,
and in the words of one of the men in the
building, it seemed as though the whole
business just went up in the air,
The first people on the scene were mem-
beers of the West End Yacht Club, whose
clubhouse j. at roth street. The club
was holding regatta, and the last race
was being finished when thd explosion
took place. Pieces of iron dropped all
around the boats and clubhouse Several
Of the yachts were struck and one party Of
onlookers in a naphtha launch barely es-
! capped n 200 pound cylinder head from a
steam water pump There were crowds OF
children bathing just below the scene Of the
accident and many on the heights Of La
fayette Boulevard.
The boiler ho,ls. was shrouded in smoke
for a short tim., When the air cleared
a general rush was made f"r the spot. A
woman spectator. Mrs. W.reock. who
lives at the foot Of West l5sth street. had
the presence of mind to telephone Police
Headquarters and Capt. Halpin Of the i52d
street station and twenty-five policemen
were soon on the spot,
DR.. Norton of the }. Hood Wright Hos
pitaI was on an Amsterdam avenue car
and heard the explosion. He hurried to
the boiler house and sent in call for ambu-
lances and nurses
Several who were only slightly injured.
had their wounds dressed on the spot and
quickly left for home. Five children who
were more severely injured were carried
to Edward Keenans bathing pavilion at
the foot of l5sth street, where four trained
nurses and two doctors had established an
emergency hospital.
One piece of the boiler weighing 800
pounds came down through the branches
of tree about 200 yards south OF the plant.
There were six young persons sitting under
the tree. All escaped injury except Edward
Altene ser, Is years old, Of 307 East Seventy
first street, The huge mass Of iron crashed
down on his foot taking of five toes. He
WIS hurried to the hospital on an Amstele
dam avenue car. His foot will have to be
amputated.
Another boy, Edward Emore, is years
old, Of ii2 West Third street, Yho was
swimming some distance away. was
severely cut about the head and face by
pieces of iron. Those who we're treated
at the hospital were
James Morgan, 30 years old OF $50 West
l2eth street. coored, fireman, burned about
the body and face. condition serious.
Daniel Barry, rs years old. Of $40 West
Forty-thrd street. an assistant engineer.
cut about the head, face and body.
John Amato II years old, of 2528 Seventh
avenue back injured and internal njuries