The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-30

Ns Ss-Imp0Ft0uS Teo4suO1ys
ccroasr warren, Of jersey City, yesterday commsnceo
sn inquest In the matter Of this disaster particulars o.
which have already appeared in The HERALD The fol-
lowing ID the most important testimony taken:-
Dzrosr1oH on WILLIAM a sIhNoSs
Of the victims Of the explosion taken - his e5m4
and read by the Coroner-I live in Orange county N
T.; have been boarding with Mr. george W. Ttcov.p
since the 9Th Of June the prsssEt year; am employed
BY FlannegaB Sage, the contractors for buidivg the
Newark and New York Railroad; my occups,ion is :
blacksmith; was working in the shop at ne time the
accident occurred; saw Thomas Burns ZONE pass the
south side Of the shop door with OF nitro gycens
on his shoulder; heard him to Pat yeyey docsased
Help me take this on my Patrick out to
help him, and he and Burns soOp. came m together;
Burns said 70 Hugh McKenna SECT tho half barrel and
pail Of water, and bring 1t ort here's saw Hugh 20
and get the water but who got the tub do not know;
heard Burns tell Keyley heat some irons for the pur
pose OF heating water to naw out the gycerine Patrick
asked me what irons ~ should take pointed to tho
irons on the moor ane said Any OF thesepck out four
or ne carried them to the forge and NcKenna CON-
mencec 70 Diow the bellows; saw Keyley take them
oas OF the door, the this time he soon
returned With Them threw them the floor and ordered
70 neat them again. these were heated and Burns
took theU. out OF tho FIRE and went out to the
gycerinS. the same time Burns went out went out
into war hs n 81
not s'y whs.her thscan was covered top Mr.
Hics., my helper, said, i" simmons your irons are
hot;" went INTO the shop and took my irons and COM
M need 70 work at them; Judge 1. In the neigh
n,rhood Of twenty minutes or half hour after came
tho shop with Of gyceriue on his shoulder. and
passed 70 the side Of the shops heard him make
Patrick Ksyley say "ths water boiling hot now;'
heard Burns reply, but did not understand what he
mua.ss s ny Anvil n 20 get ss drink Of x.sr
% Oh. anvil: ME- HOulsshsa came T. tho
work for him; alter some conversation started
TO 60 whore my tools hung reached up and took down
faint recollection Of seeing Van Camp, from my
own place. whore was lying on the bank; think he
the people picked me up was sixty feet from where
had stood 10 the shop; never before saw Burns thaw
out smaller ones holding about gallon; do not Know
what quantity the large cans hold be only had 70 melt
me small cans rnsa was very cold Burns Was me
the company since the st Of October: he was employed
by some other company before that was about thirty
man 70 ss; the S ely the he was
not . sober man and did not understand the
whom the accident occurred; heard person
cauioning him TO DO careful when using The gycernc
and iG sh.. he did n1 not there was conn.,
petent man thoro before Burns was employed, but he
was discharged; cannot say Tor what reason; Colonel
thing no was there nearly every day, but within
the last week did not notice him much; ! think
Colonel Schafner had seen Burns often enough under
tho influence Of liquor to consider him an incom.
petent person TO use the glycsrins; always heard
powder; At the time this accident occurred think
Burns was much under tho influence Of liquor
sno" ~nsSss Colonel sonsfnsr ove eaSonoa
him as 10 the danger Of It; l believe II there was
competent person IN charge Of the gycsrne !. would
stroyed the magazine where they kept the nitro elyce
rine Is not proper place. as is quite OPEN there
inAnv nron nj ArQ houQ ran 0n In
George Optune sworn-I live 10 Vermont; blast rocks
for living and have followed that occupation for
with Flanagan Sage; had been down at the end OF
the dock; returning stopped at the quarry. whore
him be SAID 10 me, what Is tho matter with your"
said that had been discharged; Burns stepped up
70 and :' wa'' d Iso you Ss I DID
! then left and stood talking to another man
for almost half hour Barns was away then for that
time; started TO 60 to the Office; passed the shop
probably about nine ten feet: saw Burns. and he
turned around and said to me, George stop p said
time all right" he spoke . timo and looked
around and that he had Of glycerins sitting in
IT, reached the office and had boon sitting moment
whom the explosion took place; . person present
10 the sSop saw smmoO. With man bsvins hold s Of
him, taking him towards his house; there nifty
w.r used 1G n
but never used y myself; was discharged By
Burns , on hs Gay Of the explosion WY
have paid for myself for him TO drink; Burns had
the whole charge Of the gyccrne and bad for three
four weeks previous 70 the accident the before
him. named ''Chariey that had charge OF the glycs.
rne had been discharged By Colonel schafner usrng
too great . Quantity when unnecessary; never saw
Burns very drunk until the day the accident occurred
can't say whether the OF glycerne covered
had been sitting. four ave rods mover saw tho
labelled marked; the cans arc made OF tin the
did as well as he knew how; Colonel scnaner was the
instructor OF Burns In the matter OF the gycerue and
blasting have seen i .h.wed IN warm water bu, never
or two little explosions OF this article before the
quarry but no one seriously injured.
labcrsr; work for Flanagan Sage at tho time tho
explosion occurred entering tho pit; and
the bodies OF those killed. have seen Burns drink
occasionally since he employed by tho company;
had him In liquor at his work, except this
day. on my way to the biacksmiths shop 10 the morn
ring 10 have soma work done was By Burns into
the giycerene magazine to take drink he had con.
cealsd In pile OF sand, bennath bench bottle
tanning from half pint TO pint or liquor; bad
drink with him; never had drink with him there
fore; Burns, in the course OF moments conversation
ting the glycerene Ia the blasting holes for two weeks
prevosslT he also said that Colonel Schaner had CON-
plimcntsd HIM the manner OF his getting along with
his work; did not think Burns was really drunk on
that day tho magazine was secure enough, II unds-
Edwin p. Merritt, sworn-Live in Warwick, Orange
county, N. r.; am practical minor and geologis.;
not In the employ OF the company acquainted with
giycerine - blasting agent having used II during tho
past two months In Morris county, NJ j., In iron
mines; instructions given In relation 10 ITS
by parties 10 Paterson having charge OF the magazine
with these instructions had worked II successfully
accidents had happened during It's through careless
ness In charge that bad missed filled with gycerine,
attempt TO drl ogan, without It's removal tho
accident occurred contractors use this agent In blasting
because II pays better; three mon accomplish
much "a six with powder; had order from Mr.
Dcvoc TO Carl schafner for thirty pounds; not seeing
schafncr spoke TO Mr. Nichols. when he called Thomas
Burns to get II; this was about four o'clock Monday
afternoon; Mr.. Burns came and put up about twenty
pounds that was net rozen he had TO thaw oat larger
70 make up The other ten pound tho order called
for; Burns left me- carrying sixty pounds can his
shoulder, which he going to thaw remaired behind
the magazine; In few minutes after that heard
report and mbers flying Ia the air; also eight
dead mon, and three injured; when went 10 Burns 10
get the oil he under the influence OF liquor and
l thought him scarcely the proper man 10 handle
such stun; spoke 70 him In tho magazine about the
careless way he handled the cans would not LEI
OF NINE handle powder the way he handled this oil; IL
10 said 10 be thirteen times more powerful, but think
is about three iimes while with Burns that day
he drank glass Of porter in grocery store the
shop