Brooklyn Union
21 December 1877

Brooklyn A HOLIDAY HORROR;
THE TERRIBLE EXPLOSION IN  NEW YORK LAST EVENING;
Considerable Loss of Life and Many Wounded-A Disastrous Fire and a 
Mass of Ruins-The Story Not Yet Fully Told.

About ten minutes after five o'clock yesterday afternoon people in the 
vicinity of Barclay street and College place, New York, were startled by 
a loud explosion, and simultaneously the wall of No. 63 Barclay street 
fell into that thoroughfare. In quick succession came flames from amid 
the ruins. Th explosion was that of a defective boiler in the cellar of 
the candy factory of E.Greenfield & Son, at 63 Barclay street and 
No. 1 College place, the premises forming an L. The walls of this 
building and two adjoining structures were shattered. Three fire alarms 
were sounded, and although the responses were speedy, Nos. 61, 65, and 67 
Barclay street were already burning when the engines arrived.

THE MISSING;
The following list includes all the persons reported at the police 
stations to be missing last night. The majority of these were employed 
in Greenfields's factory. It is supposed that the few who did not work 
in the factory may have been crushed by the falling walls.

William BENNETT, age 13, 170 Hancock avenue, Jersey City
Annie CONNELLY
agnes DROXIER, aged 13, 515 Fifth street
John FARLEY, Eleventh street, between First and Second avenue
Robert HANNA, aged 13, 96 Pitt street
Mary HANNA, aged 11, sister of the above
Charles HAYWARD, aged 25, Fourth and Macdougal streets
Frederick JONES aged 15
John KOEBER, aged 34, 95 Orchard street
Albert KRUMERY, aged 13, 84 Avenue B
George KRUMERY, aged 16, brother of the above
Charles LININGER, aged 37, Third avenue and One Hundered and Twentieth street
Augusta LINTNER, aged 11, this city, E.D.
William MCCLELLAN, 129 Webster avenue, Jersey City
Emma MULHOLLAND, Pitt street near Grand
Elizabeth O'Brien, aged 14, 87 Greenwich street
Mrs. Mary RODMER
Andrew STARK, 529 Fifth street
William STARK, aged 28, 317 Fifth street
Francis YOLDT, aged 16, 329 East Fourteenth street
Josephine, one of the girls selling candy 

THE WOUNDED;
The following is a list of the injured as received at the Chambers Street, 
New York, and Bellevue Hospitals. If others ere wounded, 
their injuries were probably slight, and they must have been 
treated privately and taken home by their friends or relatives:

George F. ADAMS, aged 38, 83 St. Mark's place
Francis BOLDT, aged 15, 339 E. Fourteenth street
John BOMM, aged 13, 134 Seventh street
Edward COLLINS, aged 18, 110 E. Seventeenth street
Martin CONNERS, aged 24, 274 Pearl street
Peter GERMANN, aged 14, 213 Third street
Joseph GLUCKEN, aged 15, 219 Third street
George HAUSER, aged 17, 506 E. Twelfth street
Henry HINCK, aged 15, 80 Avenue B
Thomas KELLY, a fireman, Engine No. 16
Bernard LINTNER, aged 18, 103 Orchard street
George MEIB, aged 18, 113 Avenue A
Otto MEIB, aged 17, 113 Avenue A
Gustave MEISIER, aged 14, 529, Fifth street
J.T. MURRAY, a fireman belonging to the Insurance Patrol
Philip RIDEL, aged 21, 385 E. Ninth street
John RODECKER, aged 15, 727 Sixth avenue
Lucy ROONEY
Francis SCHATZLAIN, aged 17, 791 Washington street
George SCHNEIDER, aged 30, 415 Fifth street
Joseph SCHANNEWALD, aged 43, 513 E. Twelfth street
Antonio STARK, aged 27, 529 Fifth street
Peter STARK, aged 32, 529 Fifth street
Henry SUNDAY, aged 19, 543 E. Twelfth street
William THOMPSON, aged 14, 127 E. Ninth street
James T. WRIGHT, aged 64, glass merchant, 225 Greenwich street; leg broken
An unknown man
Mr. D.B. HASBROUK, Clerk of the New York Bureau of Elections, who is 
so definitely reported by several of the morning papers as living in New Jersey, 
and as sustaining quite serious injuries.

Union Argus
December 22, 1877

THE NEW YORK HORROR
THE SCENE IN BARCLAY STREET THIS MORNING
Scores of Workmen Hunting for the Dead-Only Two Bodies thus far 
Recovered-Twenty-four Persons Missing and  Forty-two Injured-A Mystery as 
to the Cause of the Disaster;
The scene of the Barclay street disaster in New York was the great centre 
of attraction for idlers, and for such business men as are always anxious 
to gratify a morbid desire to witness ghastley exhibitions. Barclay and 
Greenwich streets and College place were thronged, and Police Captain SANDERS, 
of the Twenty-seventh Precinct, with 100 officers were kept actively employed 
in maintaining order and keeping the thousands of spectators at a safe and 
proper distance from the ruins. A force of 150 firmen and laborers is at work 
removing the debris which, probably, cannot all be cleared away before tomorrow.
The finding of bodies began early this morning, and up to twelve o'clock only 
two had been found, though it was believed that there were at least ten 
times that number under the ruins. 

These two bodies were those of 
William BENNETT, 13 years, a newsboy, of 170 Hancock street, Jersey City Heights, 
John W. BRADLEY. BENNETT, whose mother keeps a newsstand at the Hoboken Ferry, 
was not badly disfigured. His body was found in front of the ruined building 
covered with bricks and timbers, the latter, however, having fallen in such 
a way that the body was partly protected. The body of BRADLEY, who is said 
to have been an employe in an adjacent store, was found on the sidewalk 
directly in front of the factory. It was under a huge pile of bricks and 
other debris and the head was terribly crushed by an immense stone, which 
it required the united effort of several men to remove. Both bodies were 
conveyed to the Morgue, where they will be viewed with any others that may 
be found meanwhile by Coroner WOLTMAN and a jury at three o'clock this 
afternoon. At noon today no more definite information as to the loss of 
life could be obtained.

LATEST LIST, BODIES RECOVERED:

BENNETT, William, aged 12, newsboy, Jersey City
BRADLEY, John F., Residence unknown
MISSING:
BARKE, Herman, aged 34, 98 Lewis street.
CONNOLLY, Annie, sold candy at the retail counter.
DOLIEN, E., Seventeenth street.
DUNHAM, Thomas, aged 40, a widower, living at North Second & Eighth sts, Brooklyn, E.D.

DRIXKER, August, aged 13, 515 Fifth st., employed on the third floor of the 
candy manufactory, and supposed to have been killed, as he did not return home.

FARLEY, John, Eleventh street, between First and Second avenues
HANNA, Robert, aged 23, employed in the factory, lived at 96 Pitt street.
HANNA, Mary, aged 11, sister of the above and also employed in the factory.
HOCKENBERG, Isaac, 310 W. Thirty-eighth street.
HAYWARD, Charles, age 26, Fourth and Mcdougal streets, clerk in the factory.
JONES, Frederick, aged 15, 689 Sixth avenue.
KOEBER, John, aged 34, 96 Orchard street.
KRUMERY, John, aged 13, 84 Avenue B, supposen to be killed.
KRUMERY, George, aged 16, brother of the above and supposed to be dead.
LEUTNER, Bernard, 103 Orchard street.
LININGER, Charles, aged 37, Third avenue and One Hundred and Twentieth street.
LISTUER, Augusta, aged 14, of Williamsburgh, employed in the factory.

McCLELLAN, Wm., 129 Webster avenue, Jersey City, brother-in-law of 
Mr. Greenfield, and a foreman in the store.

MULHOLLAND, Emma, Pitt street near Grand.
NODVERSY, C., 174 Second avenue.
O'BRIEN, Elizabeth, aged 14, 87 Greenwich st, worked on the third floor of the factory.
RODMAN, Mrs, Mary, sold candy behind the counter.
SHEPARD, Josephine, 16 Franklin street.
STARK, Andrew,  529 Fifth street, employed in the factory.
STARK, William, aged 28, 529 Fifth street, brother of Peter STARK, foreman of the candy factory.
NOLDT, Francis, aged 16,, 329 E. Fourteenth street; made gumdrops in the factory.
WILSON Charles, aged 22, Brooklyn.

INJURED AT CHAMBERS STREET HOSPITAL,
BOLDT, Francis, aged 15, 339 E. Fourteenth street; severe burns on 
	head, face, both arms and forearms; employed in the factory. His 
	wounds are not regarded as dangerous.
BOMM, John, aged 13, 134 Seventh st. head, face and both arms are slightly burned.
CONNERS, Martin, aged 24, 274 Pearl st. scalded on head, face, arms & body severely.
GERMANN, Peter, age 14, 210 Third street, had  face, body and both arms 
	burned slightly; had charge of the cream candy department on the third 
	floor of the factory.
HINCK, Henry, aged 15, 80 Avenue B, slightly burned on the face and 
	severe burns on both arms and body.
MEISTER, Gustave, aged 14, 529 Fifth street, face and both arms scalded.
MURRAY, J.T., a fireman belonging to the Insurance Patrol; injured shoulder.
RODECKER, John, aged 15, 737 Sixth ave; burned on the head, face, both arms & forearms.
ROONEY, Lucy, Cut in hand, not severely.
THOMPSON, William, aged 14, 127 E. Ninth street; 
	slight burns on the face & foot & severe contusions of the head; suffering 
	also from concussion of the brain; errand boy in Westervelt's hat factory, 
	237 Greenwich street.

INJURED, AT NEW YORK HOSPITAL

BROUGHT, Thomas E.
COLLINS, Edward, aged 13, 410 E. Seventeenth street.
GLUCKER, Joseph, aged 15, 219 Fifth street; burned about the head, face and hands.
HAUSEN, George, aged 17, 506 E. Twelfth street; slightly burned about chest and face.
MEIB, Otto, aged 19, 113 Avenue A; badly burned about the face and arms.
MEIB, George, aged 18, brother of above; severely burned about the face and arms.
SCHENEWALD, Joseph, aged 43, 513 E. Twelfth street.
STARK, Peter, aged 32, 529 Fifth street; severely scalded on the hands, face & breast, 
	foreman of the first floor and is the most seriously injured of those taken to 
	the New York Hospital.
WARE, Joseph, residence unknown.

INJURED, AT BELLEVUE HOSPITAL;

ADAMS,  George F., aged 38, 83 St. Mark's place, a German, severe burns on arms, 
	legs, back. Foreman of the cream department.
BRADY, William, 3 Mott street.
HAGEMILLOR, George, aged 36, 135 Pitt street, candy maker; terribly burned 
	on the hands, face and neck.
LINTNER, Bernard, aged 18, 103 Orchard street, badly burned about the face,
	arms and hands. He was working near the boiler when it exploded.
RIDEL, Philip, aged 21, 338 E. Ninth street, burned on the arms and body.
STARK, Antonio, aged 27, 529 Fifth street; badly burned in face, hands and leg. 
	He was working on the second floor of the candy factory with three men 
	and four boys and is positive that only one man and two boys escaped.
SUNDAY, Henry, aged 19, 513 E. Twelfth street; slightly burned on hands, arms and face.
An unknown man, who volunteered to assist in searching for the dead 
	was struck by a beam in the temple and knocked senseless. He was taken to 
	Bellevue Hospital, and it was said there was no hope of his recovery, 
	as his skull was fractured.

SENT HOME

BOMM, John, aged 13, 134 Seventh avenue; body and arms burned.


THE NEW YORK HORROR
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS ABOUT THE DISASTER;
The Loss of Life and the Cause of the Casualty Still in Doubt-A Victim from 
this City-Narrow Escapes-Workmen Still Searching the Ruins-Losses and Insurance, Etc.
The Union-Argus has already published the particulars of the Barclay street 
disaster in New York, so far as they were known up to three o'clock yesterday 
afternoon, when it was conjectured that there were from ten to twenty five 
bodies still under the ruin. Mr. Nelson GREENFIELD, of Messrs. GREENFIELD &  SON, 
the proprietors of the destroyed factory, subsequently stated that all their 
employes had been accounted for except 
Philip HERTZBERGER, the engineer, and 
Josephine SHEPHERD, one of the factory girls, whose bodies are supposed to be 
under the ruins. If this should prove to be correct, the actual loss of life, 
thus far, would be only four, two bodies having been found yesterday, as reported. 
Among the forty-two wounded persons, however, there are several who are not 
expected to recover, and as it is still somewhat doubtful as to how many 
bodies are buried in the debris, it is not improbable that the fatal casualties 
may yet reach ten, or even more. The excavation and examination of the ruins 
was continued during the night, and is still in progress, but will probably 
be finished tonight. There was one resident of this city killed, and two who 
narrowly escaped, as follows:

William H. BRADLEY, of 110 Eckford street, Greenpoint, who was killed, 
was at first reported to be John W. BRADLEY of unknown residence. His body, 
the first one recovered yesterday morning, was found under the debris in the 
street, lying across the curb-stone, with a coping stone lying across his 
head, and his body generally much mangled. He was identified by papers on 
his person. He was a young man, twenty-six years of age, slight built, 
and used to clerical labor all his life. He leaves a wife and a little 
child three years of age. 

The funeral of William H. BRADLEY, one of the victims of the Barclay 
street explosion, will take place tomorrow afternoon at the Church of the 
Evangel on Leonard street. Rev. Martyn SUMMERBELL will deliver the funeral sermon.


Thomas STUDAM, aged forty of 304 North Second street, Brooklyn E.D. 
was reported as missing under the name of John DUNHAM. Mr. STUDAM was 
foreman ove the lozenge department, and at the time of the explosion was 
standing in front of the College place entrance to the manufactory in 
conversation with one of the employes. He ran upstairs and got his coat 
and his vest containing his watch and money. On returning to the street 
about half way downstairs he met several of the girls employed in the 
fifth floor, but the smoke was so dense that he only succeeded in assisting 
one of them to escape. In speaking of the missing engineer he said that the 
reports published respecting him were utterly false. STUDAM had been connected 
with the house of GREENFIELD & SON since he was a boy, and he had never seen 
the engineer intoxicated, nor did he think he was a drinking man. In 
reference to the boiler explosion, continued Mr. STUDAM, Mr. GREENFIELD, 
was not the man to allow a piece of machinery in his establishment that 
required fixing to go unrepaired. In my opinion the explosion was caused 
by the large centre chimney that conveys the smoke from the kitchen 
furnace to the roof, bursting. The boiler was located under the sidewalk, 
and had it exploded, the walk in front of the store would have been torn up; 
as it is, there is no sign of an explosion near  the sidewalk, and I think 
when the firemen uncover the boiler they will find my theory correct.

The funeral of William H. BRADLEY, one of the victims of the Barclay 
street explosion, will take place tomorrow afternoon at the Church of the 
Evangel on Leonard street. Rev. Martyn SUMMERBELL will deliver the funeral sermon.

Transcribed by;
Jerilyn Krone

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