New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-20
Bantoll to Give
Fire Evidence
To Grand Jury
Witnesses i'm Jane ST. Blaze
Say Flash Light Powder
Was Spilled and Flames
Started on the Sidewalk
Thousands See w all Crash
Confiagration Is Brought
Under Control by Firemen
at End of 1wo-Day Battle

District Attorney Banton's investi-
cation to fix the responsibility for the
disastrous fire in the warehouse of the
Manufacturers Transit Company, at
10 to ii Jane Street, which resulted in
the death of two fremen and the In
jury Of many more, will be continued
to-day. The case probably will be
taken to the grand jury in the next
few days.
The investigation Is being conducted
by Assistant District Attorneys Marc
and Jones, of the Homicide Bureau.
Many witnesses were examined yester-
.1-; -ra Mr.. Jones said he had learned
that the thirty eight cases of magne-
SUM had been stored in the warehouse
in March by Weisenthal & Co.. of 565
Broadway. They had given an order
for the removal of the lot to 325 Bor-
den Avenue, Long Island City, and the
truckmen were in the act Of loading
them for transportation Tuesday morn
ing when the FIRE started.
Used for flashlights
$50 far as I know" said Mr.. Jones,
"the stuff In the cases was that used
as fashlight powder by photographers"
He said that it appeared that guam
tity Of the powder had sifted out
through cracks in the cases while they
were being moved down to the street
and was scattered about the floors Of
the building. 1t is entirely possible,
he believes, that the broad wheels Of
the hand trucks in passing over the
powder caused sufficient friction for
ignition. This theory would also &C
nesses of the beginning Of the blaze
declared the fire started out on the
sidewalk, while others insist that 1t
began inside the building, for a FIRE
started under these conditions would
jump about with rapdity and seem to
be in many places at once.
One of the witnesses examined yes
terday was Frederick Francis, treas
urer of the warehouse company, who
lives in Rye. Mr.. Jones said that dur
ing his testimony Mr.. Francis told him
that when the powder was placed in
the warehouse he was informed by
clerk for Weisenthal & Co., that it was
face powder to be used for after
shaving purposes. Price, who is no
longer in the employ Of Weisenthal &
Co, probably will be questioned to-day,
as will also Edgar Bloxhan, president
of the warehouse company. The pow
der was stored as magnesium, and Mr..
Jones said the investigation so far had
failed to show that any permit was
issued for storage.
Thousands See Wall Crash
The fire. which started early Tues
day morning continued to be a source
of trouble yesterday. During the morn
ing a distinctly noticeable bulge APP
peared in the Jane Street wall between
The fourth and fifth floors. From that
time on the fremen were ordered to
keep away from that side of the build
ing and several pieces of apparatus
were moved cut of range of the in
evitable crash. The FIRE authorities.
wishing the wall to fall as soon as pos
sible, as it would afford them better
access to the fire, followed the sug-
restion of brick construction expert
and concentrated most of the streams
of water on the Jane Street side against
the bullying portion of the wall and the