The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-16
THE DEADLY BLAST.
Full Details OF the Carmans-
Vile Explosion.
Description Of the Ravine Whore tho s.r,.st.
Took Placs-Two Mon Horribly Muti,at.6
and Instantly Killed-Four Other.
Frightfully Charred and Wounded.

the memory OF the Oldest resident among them re-
sultng In instantaneous death to two men, while
three others badly wounded that little hopes
are entertained for their recovery.
THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.
Mr.. Sullivan q contractor working under she
instructions OF the Board Of Public Works. had
about 400 men engaged in blasting and mining near
l45th street and Seventh avenue on Wednesday A.
ternoon Exactly at the corner OF 145th street IL
DEEP MELANCHoLY-LooKING RAvINR
OF about eighty feet wide and forty feet Deep cut
out OF the solid rock, and perhaps one OF the most
dismal spots on the island. Not mousse or shany
Is visible from this place, and though in the DIS
lance the eye relieved and gratifed by the sight OF
the woodlands away beyond the Harlem river, tho
sight OF the angry-looking overhanging rocks re-
minds one OF the scriptural description Of pas
sage
'THRoU6H THE VALLEY OF DEATH"
AT this particular portion OF the rayine the con-
tractor had placed nifty men, whose business it was
to bore the massive rocks and widen the boulevard,
as 1t ID called. The method adopted In blasting -
this:-A perpendicular hole, or seam, Is made BY
means OF huge cr0wbars, which are held by ono
man while TWO others strike 1t alternately with
heavy sedgehammers. The hole Is generally com
menced at about four feet from the base Of the rock
and penetrated below to the distance OF about nine
feet This seam Is then charged with gunpowder,
containing usually about thirty pounds, and
fired by means Of fuse which takes four minutes
TO reach the powder thus giving ample time for the
workmen TO retreat to safe distance. In the pre-
sent case 1t was required to remove
AN IMMENSE ovERHANGING PREcIpIoH
OF twenty feet wide and thirty eight feet high The
h0le-three inches In diameter-was bored to dis
lance, IN all, OF thirteen feet. Two men. Patrick
Smith and Richard Knox, were LOADING the seam
with fifty pounds OF gunpowder, while q lad
named John Dicey, sixteen years OF
age, was assisting in 'tamplngn with
tightly down upon the powder, so as to give IL addi
tional destructive power. At this time tue full
the operation complete, with the exception OF APP
plying the lighted fuse. Dcey was about to raise
O'Clock, wien it is supposed he struck the rock at
the entrance OF the cavity spark was engendered,
and in the twinkling OF an eyea
MOST TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
occurred, causing the instrument from the boys
hand to ascend 200 feet into the air. raising cloud
OF dust that was perfectly alarming, and bringing
down above TWO hundred tons OF Inc rocks. as II By
below the mouth OF the loaded seam, and before no
could move stone weighing nearly two tons was
completely doubled up beneath II; his head came In
contact with another rock from behind,
DAsHING OUT HIS BRAINS.
causing his eyes to leap out from their sockets and
driving his neck completely between his blade
bones. His right leg was crushed through bone
Knee in the same manner His arms were both
cavity three inches wlde and had the most horribly
emaCiated appearance Several or the ribs were
broken, while the abdomen was completely crushed
cut open up far as the ches besides this his
remains were
BLAoKENED, oHARRED AND DrsFIoURED
by the gunpowder. Richard Knox, who was stand
Ing at short distance from his unfortunate COM
rade, was Thrown up IN the air several feet by .
This missile penetrated clean through the skull and
laid bare his brain. and though the brain was post
lively prolruding he ran distance OF twelve Yards
before he fell dead All this was accomplished In
less time than is required TO chronicle the facts
was the most awful ana understandable. No sooner
had the exposion taken place than all or the men
engaged on the section rushed to the spot, and
SCREAMS AND SHRIEKS RENT THE AIR,
IN accents that were piteous and heartrending.
Fathers shouted for their sons or brothers, and
though the accident was sufficiently terrible In It's
effects, 1t might have been supposed from the ex-
element which for the time reigned Supreme,
vast heap OF debris. After 1t was ascertained that
the only man missing was Patrick Smith, a hum
WINCH NJ ns as 70 peye v @
shattered remains were exhibited amid the lamen-
tations and wailings OF his comrades.
The next thing was to attend
THE BURNED AND WOUNDED.
Dennis Fiannary, who was "seaging up" or
breaking the rock. was severely burned, beside re-
ceiving confused wound on the head, from which
he bled profusey. Patrick Golden who was en-
ployed in throwing sand to Knox, was badly burAed
about the face and chest/his head also was so Sc
verely confused that heis
NOT EXPECTED TO RECOVER.
Andrew Rabet, an Italian residing In Mulberry
street, New York, was engaged IN loading a cart
with The broken stone when he was hurled against
the vehicle with such velocity that several OF MS
ribs were broken, besides receiving other injuries.
But perhaps Of the wounded the greatest sufferer Is
cause Of the disaster. His face and neck were
frghtfully charred with the flame that arose from
the powder, and the cries Of the boy were truly
PITEOUS AND AFFECTING.
tits looked upon as miracle that Dicey escaped
with mis- life, as he must have been directly over the
mouth OF the seam when It exploded. These four
sufferers were Immediately sent on to Bellevue
Hospital by the Carmansyille police, and the dead
bodies Of the two men before mentioned were placed
on stretchers and removed to an empty shanty. at
the back OF the Boulevard, on 141st street. 1t was
stated by several Of the men on the works yesterday
that there was
STILL ANOTHER MAN BURIRp,
but the clerk Of the work Informed HERALD re.
porter that such was not the case as the roll had
been accurately called and only the six persons
named had faiied to answer TO their names
Tho sight OF the dead bodies as they lay In the
DINGY, DISMAL sHANTY
yesterday was truly sickening and appalling. so
lated frames. Smith was attired in q pair Of blue
pants with top boots reaching to the Knee, MS body
side with ianne and tucked up as FAR as the elbows;
a red scarf was tied loosely round his neck satu-
rated with gore, while his
BLOODY AND CRUSHED FEATURES
seemed to give sort OF TINT to his besmeared gar
ments. Knox was dressed in striped pants and
shirt to match with boots like the other; hts arms
were folded across his breast, strened In death,
while handkerchief was tied around his head to
prevent his brains from dropping out on to the plank
upon which he was lying On examination 1t was
nscertained that IN addition to having his brains
dashed out he had
LARGE CASH
cut across his chest by piece OF nintstone
Deputy Coroner John Beach, IA. D., arrived at the
shanty where the bodies were lying at about four
O'Clock In the afternoon and examined the remains.
After much difficulty jury was got together, and
ordered to attend at saloon corner or 14st street
and Eighth avenue at one O'Clock on Saturday next
TO make an investigation into the cause Of the ex-
ploslon and deaths.
THE DEAD.
Patrick Smith was about twenty.e,ght years OF
age; had been IN this country nearly five years, aid
was supposed to have
POSSESSED FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS
at the time OF his death, but q search by Doctor
Beach through his trunk at the house or O'Brien,
the foreman OF the jury, failed 10 establish this.
Richard Knox was native of Scotland and landed
III New York In July last bat his sister, who was pre-
sent yesterday, asking Tor permission to remove ms