The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-17
STREET QUOTATIONS..
Half-past Five o'Clock r. M.
FEARFUL NirRo-GLYCERIxE EXPLOSION.
The Magazine mt the East Fad Of tho H0ssao
Tunnel Blown Up-Threc lives Lost.

From the Adams tMa5s.) transcript, Oct. l4J
On Saturday morning. at ten A. NJ. the employees
at The east end Of the Hoosac tunnel were startled
and dealened by tremendous explosion In the Cas-
cade ruvlnc, situated about afty rods from the
entrance OF the tunnel. Mr. Parker foreman ma.
chinst and Mr.. Ayres, superintendent Of machinery,
were near the compressor building, aud feeling the
explosion hurried towards the ravne, perceived .
column vi debris like cloud, srcing some 900 feet
high, between the steep sides VI the rayine. Mr..
Holven, foreman oil the works who was near the
mouth OF the tunnel, tho instant he perceived
the direction the sptntes were taking, hurried
to the spot, and found one OF the blasters LamOn-
tame lying on the ground. mortaly wounded and
distant about thirty feet from tae spot where the
mouth nose and breast, but sensible, aud said,
"rhe two others are IN the nasazine.n An iron
se o aSa Of s rsp was rSe Ire
was burning briskly but not disturbed. crater
Of twenty fee! diameter and nve feet deep was Oil
stood, and the side OF the ravinc was stripped OF
every particle OF yerdure. On attempting to move
the injured man. lamontane, ne said, LAY me
down; you hurt me.u In hfteen minutes he expired
Search was made for the remains OF the two other
men-Lamontane, brother OF deceased, and McDun,
brother n-law; but only the scalp and portion OF
the skull attached OF Lainonaine with few frac-
iured bones and portions OF clothing could be dis
covered, bur no particle belonging to McDun could
be identified The magazine was converted into
minute spIners. The clothing found was torn into
snreds bur not apparently burned.
on Wednesday preceding the day OF the explosion
5l3 pounds OF niiroglycerine had been delivered
from the west end into the magazine, and at that
time II was estimated there was about two or three
days consumption on hand. The door OF tho pow
roglycerlne magazine, which had been securely
fastened and padOcked, was wrenched by tho vio-
lence OF the shock and found wide Open 10 contained
about 200 kegs Of powder, none Of which mad been
disturbed. The wnd0ws OF miners shanty, about
forty rods from the magazine, wcrn blown out ana
the door torn open. The skyliphts OF the boiler
house and steam compressors were driven out.
There not being vesige OF the magazine left, tho
immediate cause Of the explosion cannot be ascer
tanned. The nitro-glycerine delivered Wcdnesday
congeacd solid with ice and salt, To insure safe
transportation; aud IL Is known that one Of the
Lamontaines had requested q fellow miner 10 assist
him IN thawlng cut The contents Of the cans, for as
nc observed ave are late, and have got to hurry
up.n Fortunately or unfortunately the man, feeling
tired, refused II II known that McDulf clt not the
slightest uneaslness IN handling niIoglyccrine, and
the Lamontancs were influenced by ms views
Indeed, McDuf's efforts TO convince bis fellow
miners OF the perfect safety OF nltro-glycerino
frequently e,ieted cautionary remarks from
them. IL may be possible that being late, hurrying
up. and tho nitro lycennc being thoroughly frozen
aud non-conductor, fact not sulnclenty appre-
ciated by McDnn he may have neglected the pre-
caution necessary Ia thawing out, AND mas paid the
penalty Of his life IN consequence. The above acct
dent with nitro-giycerine IL tho hrst that mas %.
CURED at the uoosac tunnel, where upwards OF
10, 900 pounds has been used In charges varying
from four ounces to pound aud hall each. over
10 900 charges have been nred without accident and
with efficient results In removing the rocks. Here.
after all operations IN the magazine viii be per-
formed by skilled trained hand, aud no miner viii
be allowed TO enter the inner magazine.