New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-30
THE RECENT Fatal BLASTING CAS-
TALTF.

JALTF.
Coroner Gamble yesterday held an inquest, at the
house corner Of Fifty third street and Sixth avenue on
the body of Mary Ann Hughes, the little girl about II
years of age who died from the effects of injuries re-
ceived on Thursday last, in consequence OF piece OF
rock weighing nearly one hundred pounds, which had
been thrown from blast exploded 10 that nelghbor-
ood falling through the roof of the house upon and
ftscturipg her skull. According to the evidence
elected before the Coroner the most criminal reckless
ness in blasting rocks had been PERM ted by Michael
Green. the contractor; Patrick Reed, foremsn, and
the blaster, Patrick Sheridon. Almost daily these
men were openly dsregsrdiDg the law in relation TO
blasting and by doing, placing in imminent peril the
lives Of several families residing in that immediate
vicinity They were expostuated with, to no purpose
and the dangerous work proceeded till the unfortunate
eirl was crushed TO death. One of the witnesses es
fed that on speaking to the foreman about the danger
attending the blasts that individual told him they
could rot and would not cover the blasts when the
baster remarked that if the landlord of the witness
would come and make il all right they would pay
attention to the warnings received from him the
witness The impression appears to De that street and
other contractors DO not in scarcely single instance
comply with the law as to covering and making safe
their blasts If the police would do their duty In such
cases and TIE criminal magistrates nfict the extreme
punishment Of the law upon this class of offenders, the
dangerous practice could be stopped. The following is
a copy of the most important testimony taken before
the Coroner and the Jury:
Amos Travis, residing At the corner of Sixth avenue
~ confer OF Sixth ayenue and Fifty second street tho
grocery about minutes 10 O'Clock were warned thar
blosi wss about to 90 of and heard them cry Fire and
u incl h.y chi.
about ns uiuute Immediately AFTER the oast went Oh
seNers' Pefsn if na ,o"au M I'D f.en mon the roof
ipiung of Mrs Hughes children SOW me stone shu
c psope h.Vg ben blasting have spoken
the reckless manner they wfr n me naom % ne
s and the ba,ter tod NO %eud send my there
and he would make all right they would attend to what
said spoke Mr. Green the contractor; he always said Ne
would be careful he spoke ciyy to me but neseStea 20 nave
plain, there tie day which this accident occurred got eH
ou,ed from work the SiAayenue Railroad 10 ordeL 10 90
my life lever them have pole with red nag o. "he
sLe usua mode Of warning persons was frequently AZ the
blast off five minutes previous to the one have alluded
o. frc IN which tl. stone cane. o..
James V. Hynord being sworn says reside IN
Stsveuue Fifty first and Fifty second streets about
two week thrown from the blast the corner OF
have fixed and he did so was idle Thurdsy and
present when the blast went oh om which Tue stone Wa
that killed. Hughes child the coTeng Of the b OF
logs about five feet long and not more than oo thel
did aot other covering thought at the tn tn "a.
street the ,aGr time that did after the blast went OF Mr.
the the street aud looked the 0ss
il 3. hen some person came up aud said that child was killed
whreupon Mi Green hi, foreman 81 not az %nen 'a
cave sm diver on the Sixth Railroad and inferred
the going sa, they left quick on scc0un'
Mark McAyoy, being sworn, says was present
dur the prepafson If the blast Thursday afternoons "a"
wken The aocdea occurred the Of tb. consisted
the pec. :. os thee weis no stones On TOP Of a
ss abo, eigh feet long and Ten inch'. tc, from the
ue IT, first wsz given until the bsst went i was not
than minute they tried to blast This rock oefe oa
only shook satisfied that tho covering was not sumceh'
there wss 10 sigma displayed
Cathatne f. Hughes residing on the corner Of
Fifty lird and Sixth being duly sworn dePo'e
sud sJs-The decreased was my daughter on THURSDAY a..
sSG 0 on G VA tS eSa o % the r q Il.
ho1," when heard cTs'h ike cann3n' soanans Gna S
where stood sinking deceased the h sd aud knock
IL. Iei isensbe the mortar aud dust from me nG1. PR
min lea seseTsl people came in phy.cisrs 40 came so a.
tended tie deceased until -he died Tor * week past we hs'
to,Lood tie bs from which stone into nv room
,sme tom Fifty second street and Sixth avenue
This c.ostd tie Testimony, and the case was given 10
the Jwy who rendered verdict as follows:
"Ta he aid Mny Arc ITshe. to her death BY is
has' at the Of fftycon6 stree aad SNh svrlIe
Mcs Gr,er the contractor Pck Reed the foreman
nd Psck she;iooD ,be blister o .st wors are seshr''
'ir sh III iiary gh,. Is '.cr cul9.o" e,re
le attention Of the proper auihors - tue rNtrenry
snc- which bag j. carried "a tae upper pil sue
city srd the counnou, ilatiou Il th- ordnance requiring
tch
Ga tie reldit.on o: tbs verdict Green and Rae',
who Lad been previously apprshendei by the l"ehty
feco, Pieci,c; P,.ce Wee required 20 give boads 10
81 90 each 20 answer the casTge Of msnsaugater'
,ho1d the GrsLi jury fni indictments ag't't t1sn''
Slsren III BLISTER Aas ..ke fright ani ie1 10 Ps'''
tuk,oWo. Beov viii be fcaud copy OF .ts Ia~
:ouct tie 1sstrg Of ;cchs which hes been yo atol
~ 5e ce'sr in tnis Ease With suca 'as' eoasS'
qu,tcss:
ORDINANCE OF THE cIII % NJ" lpFA'
.i,fici< j. Rafting Rockf ..hi.
SFCrios 1877 H. al ca.e, 81 uins sOnes ~tnIa
the CRY Of fwik south of line drawn scfoss ne '
-. i'ltheTy q Eighty sxtt street, can s't 20,
ths - tecuf-iy covered with ,Iubers 81 L"' r'
inches thick zen inches wide ard ten feet ons en - %
80 srnund each chtr.. and b. he'd II Pse ..
30 g. n-s o. arg -oues Piled top OF THEN
81. t8 Three niuu,, before hrii, tn ..
l. .'ec by i,p.yi-g ~ fsg SAT 20 ,e's a. 80
~! rspruou pae within twenty I'VE te,t ., ~
Ioft ~he'e tae chs;Ee pilc-d. an a9 - % h.
words bls'" ssytfs tirlss repe ted htd N 49, 81,
isiiE y heard ~ distance OF ;wO hnnf-r- re- ' az -
4 frt.s .-...t~.
ST. llea For suy VIC s.on Of either Of tie 30 P..oe
Tryisi,ss II IA ar.cr lie rfrHtin- party = - .
ie ~ D.! coutrsct- The contractor upon g. n
ot % ref b.for Police justice shal be ,'''e "
81 81 3 : - committed uatL tLc sane a. pas
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FIRES.