EXPLOSION IN A CANDY FACTORY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 24, 28 January 1878, Page 2

EXPLOSION IN A CANDY FACTORY.

The following San Francisco mail telegram appeared in the Post of Wednesday :^ New Yohk, 20th December. An explosion, immediately followed by a fire, occurred at the immense candy manufactory of Greenfield and Son, 63, Barclaystreet, which extends in the shape of an L to College Place. The boiler, which was under the side walk of Barclay -street, burst, tearing away the front and scattering the wreck in all directions. A large number of girls of all ages were employed at the time in the building. The wall fell in a few minutes after the explosion. Fifty-six wounded and dead were reported at Chamber-street Hospital at 6.55. It is estimated that the number of wounded is 125. About thirty escaped by the College Place entrance, and a small number got out through the skylights and walked over the roofs and got down by the skylights on the j other buildings. Several persons jumped from the second story and escaped with slight injuries. The parties employed in the factory were principally young girls and boys from eight to twenty years of age. Owing to the approach of holidays a double force was employed. The number in the building at the tfine of the disaster is variously estimated at from 100 to 300. The fjames spread so rapidly that it is feared many not injured by thc explosion, were burnt to death. The greatest sacrifice of life was among the young girls, many of whom were from eight to fifteen years of age. At the lowest calculation there must be 4o or 50 bodies in the ruins. Some of the girls had their hair burnt totally oil! their heads. The fire was one of the quickest ever seen. In less than three miuutes the Hames had ascended completely to the roof. Stadmiller said he believed there Avere nearly 200 persons employed in the building at the time. He is positive that not more than six girls and a dozen men caine out alive through Barclay-street entrance. The boiler had been ju use five years, and it is said that Greenfield had been several times warned that it was unsafe. The Tribune says that 2'J of the injured are in the hospital, and 21 are missing. Phillip liertzback, the engineer in the factory, has not been seen since the explosion. His wife says that on return f roni work on Monday he told her that one of the tubes of the boiler or some pipe connected with it had bupgt. yesterday morning'whenhejefthomehe told her that °lje never expected to see her again. Two men who rescued two girls say that they had been told by workman in the starch room on the second floor that the fire was caused by the unset Uug of the. kerosene Jatnp jn the rear of thq