The New York herald., 1867-10-22
THE HOOSIC TUNNEL EXPLOSION.
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SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HERALD.

rRoy, OcI ~, 16I
Owing to non-telsgraphic communication with North
Adams yesterday Sunday and the non-dspsrtnrs Of
trains in that direction have had he greatest dculty
In procuring the details Of melancholy disaster which
took place at the Hoosic Tunnel hour on satur
day afternoon, and meagre telegram in reference 70
which was sent 70 New York last evening. From what
can learn the accident terrible catasro-
phes happily without such extent Of loss OF lss
have frequently occurred OF late the coll cry pss or
England and In three instances this continent
From what reliably gatherl appears that
enteen aborng central shaft Of the
tunnel and for this purpose had descended 10 the lower
surface Of the shaft, where they industrously
pursuing their underground labors, when they wsrs
visited with terrible suddenness BY fearful explosion
Of the gasomeier generating the gas from naptha
wherewth TO light them ia their laoors The explosion
had the effect to Immediately set Hre the extensive
wooden portion OF the machinery employed 10 operating
the platform by which the workmen ascended and de-
scended the shaft thereby letting the reel down 20 sud
denly as to Instantly bury oil but three men.
Previous to the total destruction q all the means Of
lous escape by fortuitousy scrambling ont, their
chances being from the rst, narrow indeed. The
fire DESTROY cd the working OF the pump which was
lied upon 10 keep the shaft from filing up with water.
which, in the absence of m WORKING. raA In six feet 10
the hour From this fact Il is not now known whether
death ensued TO tho unfortunate men remain.
ing In the shaft from suli,cation or drown
ing. Some two hundred were employed 70
throw the flames. and when deemed that
they sufficiently extngu shed carpenter about
the work VINO had formerly been sailor after making
bis will volunteered to be lowered into the shaft BY
means OF a rope about his body. He descended SIX
hundred feet until ne touched water seeming to be
twenty feet deep at the bottom Of the pit but finding
OF the men II concluded that tho bodies
at the extreme bottom o the shaft and that they
have pershed partly suocat and partly from
drowning The heroic sailor drawn out quite insen
sibe. His name was Marshall
The tumblng in of the charred remains Of the wood
work upon the bodies Of the additional
horror which adds greatly to difficulties or their
trcation. The surviving represent the agoniee OF
those they left behind terrible in the extreme. The
great majority OF the doomed men happily leave
families; OF the thirteen killed only three married.
but ono Of them leaves wife and children, the
eldest being only eleven years of age
The central SHAFT where this terrible accident oc.
curred Is located at point equidistant from the
porches OPENINGS OF tho main work, Ia valley on
the summit OF Hoosc Mountain II bears the shape Of
an ellipee, which has obecs-frst 10 permit the
prosecution of the work from two faces and second,
when the great bore shall have bean finished admit
OF fresh air and light into the work. The shan has
already been sunk seven bunared of ten thousand
shaft situated the tanks holne tho nspeha which
had only been introduced for illuminating pur.
poses Friday last. The accident originally arose
from the contguIty Of lighted candle 70 the naphtba
reservoirs The engineer Of the works. Mr.. James
Randall, was among those who SO fortunate as 70
escape only after the create exertions and the
ing or his shirt from his back. th writing forty
minutes past four p. ~ advces inform me that the
greatest excitement prevails tho scene which il
heightened by the anxiety of friends 70 recover the
bodies Of the dead In the shaft.
The loss Of property will amount, It Is believed TO
quite 500 600 and there will be delny in the further
prosecution Of the work