The New York herald., 1922-08-11
Continued from First Page.

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another boy when she said she heard
hiss, Intense, like a big flrecracker
about to go off," she described it. She
jumped and ran.
Mrs. Bridget Menke of 80 Desbrosses
street and Marie Miller, a young girl
Of Washington street. were sitting by a
baby coach on the opposite corner.
When they heard the warning hiss they
drew the hood over the baby and fed
as fast as they could, pushing the
coach. Dozens Of other women and
children and men who were lettering
at the street corners escaped through
the start given to them by the warning
sound.
BY 10:30 o'clock the blaze was consid-
cred under control and firemen began
tearing at the wreckage from vantage
points on the roofs of surrounding
structures. At no time had the fire
threatened other buildings. The solid
sheets of water had prevented the
flames from spreading to the neighbor-
ing buildings. The force of the ex-
plosion. however. had shattered window
panes In all the nearby structures.
These included the warehouses of the
American Woolen Company. the Empire
Woolen Company and George Lueders
& Co. dealers in oils.
After the fire was virtually extin-
gulshed two firemen reported with
minor injuries. Capt. Sleyow of Engine
Company No and Fireman Kelly of
the fireboat New Yorker both suffered
severe lacerations of the left hand.
Others were treated for smoke suf-.
location.
Mayor Hylan, with Detective Sergeant
Irving O'Hara, his brother-in-law and
bodyguard. arrived at 945 o'clock. He
said he had heard that five or six per-
sons had been caught in the collapse
and had come because of that. Upon
the same apparently false report p.
Francis Mario and Benedict d. Dineen.
Assistant District Attorneys. responded.
The Mayor, Thomas p. Brophy. Fire
Marshal, and Inspector Henry, who is
acting Assistant Deputy Police Com
missioner. all declared that rigid ex-
animation would be conducted to-day
to determine the cause of the explosion
and collapse It is believed that the
explosion occurred a few seconds be-
fore the building fell. and that the hiss
was the prelude to the detonation.
While Mayor Hylan was walking
about the outskirts OF the ruins firemen
ran up on the pile of debris to throw
additional streams into the crater OF
the smoking volcano. The fire, then
thought TO be nearly out, suddenly burst
forth again on the Vestry street side,
indicating that down at the bottom
of the ruins some highly infammable
substance still existed Before the
Mayor left the fire was again extin-
guishcd.
There was a recurrence late at night
OF the rumors that two men were
buried in the wreeckage. but though tho
ruins were searched where II was
thought the men might have been no
bodies were found.
The estimate of damage 10 the prop
crty Is placed at about 100000. The
building collapsed about half an hour
after the last OF the twenty employees
in II had left for horne.
BY IL o'clock. when the work OF tear
ing apart the wreckage was well under
way, horse was partly exposed under
that section that had been the stable.
II was still alive. though severely
burned. Assistant Chief Martin ordered
"A patrolman to shoot II. Ten other
horses perished IN the flames.
Ignatius Scaduto OF the firm or Mon
tagnno 4 Scaduto was questioned later
at Police Headquarters by Inspector Tn
derhill. Federal agents and officials OF
the Fire Department concerning the ex-
pIosion, and declared that his Arm had
no whisky. alcohol or explosive materials
stored in the northerly half OF the
building, which II occupied. The firm
deals IN italian food products and cot
tonseed and oils. and the importing
concern that occupied the other part Of