The New York herald., 1922-08-12
WEST Side BLAST
GOES UNEXPLAINED
Fire Commissioner Aroused
by Added Proof Of Ware
= house Hazard.
AUTHORITIES CONFLICT
Clash of City and Federal
Rules Prevents Adequate
Supervision.
WINE BOTTLES IN RUINS
Hours Of Investigation Fail to
Uncover Even Theory
for Explosion.

Not even theory was advanced yes
terday by city officials and the police
after hours of investigating to explain
the mysterious explosion Thursday
night that wrecked the old four story
warehouse building at 42s Washington
street. near vestry. destroying nearby
property and causing one Of the most
stubborn fires the department has had
to fight for months.
The blast coming so closely after the
Jane. street explosion. which was SINH
lar in many respects, Fire Commits
sioner Thomas j. brennan said that
sufficient proof Of the menace arising
from the careless storage OF combusti-
bles has been furnished. Tho Comrlis-
sioner Is preparing to go before the
Board Of Aldermen as quickly as he
can perfect his plan to demand stricter
ordinances dealing with warehouse
regulation.
One of the greatest difficulties In dcal-
ing with the problem is the conflict Of
authority between Federal and municipal
departments. which now makes 1t pos
sible to store all sorts of combustibls
and infiammable articles without SUPER
vision.
Would Require Amdavits.
The Commissioner proposes to ask that
the warehouse owner and the person
storing articles be required to furnish
affidavits covering each consignment OF
goods. and that In each case the at
fidavt be accompanied by a detailed in
voice. Then he would mako 1t q
felony to violate the ordinance, thereby
putting into the law the grip now lack
ing. A
Several fire companies were fighting
the blaze all Of yesterday and last night.
while heavy clouds OF brown smoke
poured from the Washington street
ruins and hung over the neighborhood
for two or three blocks around. The
building was a complete wreck.
Worst in Years, Says Martin.
Deputy Chief Smoky Joe" Martin his
eyes red and infiamed said Ii was about
the worst explosion he had witnessed
since the Tarrants' warehouse was blown
UP more than dozen years ago. About
all the officials did know about it was
that there must have been considerable
quantities OF an explosive OF tre-
mendous power to have made such
complete wreck. Most of the building
was given up to the storage of olive oil
In tins, cheese and fancy groceries.
Fire Marshal Thomas Brophy started
an investigation, but said after question
ing several witnesses that he had found
out nothing and had no idea what
caused the explosion. Police Inspector
Underhill also was conducting an in
vestigation and his men tested samples
of the cottonseed and olive oil which
of the cottonseed and olive oil which were
In the building and said they were all
right: that no trace OF alcohol of any
kind had been found in any OF the cans.
SFiremen found a number of bottles IN
the ruins late in the afternoon. and
after analysis II was said the contents
were light Italian wines and bittera
Only few of the bottles were found.
Experts in the Fire Department said
heat would have little effect on the wine.
Oils BIaxing Under Wreckaze.
The half dozen streams OF water thrown
at dark last night and efforts to lift
the roof from the mass OF debris had
failede. Every half hour thre flames and
smoke broke out in a new place. The
conclusion was that the oils were blaz-
ing under the wreckage.
Commissioner brennan learned that
the Washington street building was not
warehouse. The department records
show warehouse permit was issued on
f<<r
storage OF ten barrels Of whlskey. Tho
permit expired in March. 1919. and was
not renewed.
There are 1.20l warehouses In New
York city, of which I13 are In Man.
haitian and the Bronx. $40 in Brooklyn
and Queens and seventy-nine in Rich
nond. There Is constant clash OF
authority between the city and federal
authorities and departments regarding
the storage Of combustible things. Fed
eral regulations covering interstars
commerce and the rules OF the Depart
ment of Commerce differ materially
from the municipal rules.
Conferences VIII Continue.
In the effort to straighten out this
tangle the conference has been arranged
OF all concerned. Known as the Mayors
Committee. the confcrees met last
wednesday TO organize and VIII proceed
this week to tackle the problem. The
discussion was occasioned by the Jane
street explosion. the mystery OF which
remains unsolved and growing out OF
which there was a confusion OF author
ity. s@
Those participating in this meeting
are officials of the Warehouse Mems
Bureau of Information. Inc. the Col
Iector of the Port. the National and
v.~tx Tr~ ~r1 - 1~- .~ls
and representatives OF the railroads.