New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-26
FACTORY BLOWN TO BITS.
ONE DEAD, THREE DYING.
Fneporks Mandatory Wrecked
Family Nearly Wipad Oat.

With report heard for 1afles. the fireworks
fscto-- Of Joseph spezzio. at Gardner and
Ne-E-r aves williamsburg. blew up yesterday
sf.cr.oon. causing the death Of one person and
fr. J.--E several others so badly that three more
viii probably die It was reported at first that
more than a dozen had been killed. and ambu-
lsnces from six hospitals with fifteen doctors
hurried to the scene, The dead person was
Tony Spezzio, sixteen years old, No. 252 Skill
rnan-ave., Williamsburg. OF the proprietor.
The injured were:
$50 Caroline IS years old. Nc % skIllman-
sgI9 TAos. y z yssEs Cd No 5 2 z slman2ye
HART7AN. Mrs. Thomas. As years old. varck and
HsRiGAT Edith years old varick and Meeker ayes
o. these Composite and Thomas spezzio
who are in St Catharine's Hospital, and Mrs
Caroline Spezzio wife OF the proprietor, who
was taken 10 the Williamsburg Hospital are not
expected 10 live
The building was a one story frame structure
that covered a large area. 1t stood a slight
elevation and there were no other buildings
near it. with the exception of the house Of Mrs
Thomas Harigan which q two story de-
lapidated structure about two hundred feet
from the fireworks factory IN Cardner-ave-
In the building were stored several hundred
pounds Of powder and a large amount Of manu-
fac.ured fireworks, consisting mostly Of bombs
Joseph Spezzio the proprietor, had gone to
Manhattan on business some time before the
explosion. He had left the factory in charge
Of his wife. who went to the factory, accom-
panied by her six-year-old son Joseph The
others in the building at the time were the
fthree sons Of Spezzio, Tony, Thomas and Frank.
and George Composite.
What caused the explosion viii never be
known, Tony Spezzio. the only one who was
In position to account for II, was almost in
stantlv killed. He was alone in a small room
in the rear Of the factory, which was separated
BY brick partition from the main part Of the
building.
First there was a slight explosion that blew
out the windows and tore hole in the roof
This was followed by q second explosion that
completely demolished the factory and also blew
70 pieces the home Of Mrs. Harigan. who
grabbed her daughter Edith and ran from the
house at the first report
Several persons turned IN an alarm Of fire, and
Police Headquarters began TO receive telephone
messages that dozen or more had been killed.
The anbulances from the Williamsburg, East
err District. St. Catharine's. Bradford Street
and Bushwick hospitals and st. Johns Hospital,
Of Long Island City, were sent TO the scene.
Tony SpezZio's body was found seventy-five
feet from the site OF the factory. Composite
and the other members Of the Spezzio family,
with the exception OF little Joseph. were all
conscious and were hurried Immediately 10 the
hospitals. Mrs Harigan and her daughter were
also bruised and stunned and required the at
tention OF the doctors.
Several months ago there was similar
plosion in g tenement house IN Withers-st-.
Williamsburg, and investigation by the fire
marshal showed that an italian had been manu-
featuring highly explosive bombs in a house
where there were several families. Fortunately
only one person was killed then