, 1874-12-26
AN INEXCUsABLE BLUNDI1Is.
Four H1cn Killed In tho Now HGrgon
Tunnel Shaft

Four Mcn Killed in the Now Bergen
Tunnel Shaft.
From. tic Neo rork Sun, DEE. "a.
Shaft No. of the Delaware & Lackawannh
boken and 1crsey City. It han tho reputation Of
being worked with criminal carclcsanoss untl the
accident OF yesterday morning WAS tho result Of
q blnnder. a party Of night worln,on wero 60
already boon lowered twice, taking down
four men each t|tno, and several more
stood around tho aperture awaiting their
turn, ;fhe iron buckot., which WAS about 8
a hook. The huokot handle WA smooth, we'll
worn. and without any ring into which tho hook
tachei to the hook had boen brokon of aud mt
tho bnchot from slipping over tho hook. Tho
mouth Of tho Hhaft waa very narrow, no much 10
Tint, when tho bucket was lowered, tho mon
standing upon It's edgos had to bend thoir bodies
inward to avoll striking Tho sidea. Tho rln.,
being raised about % foot from tho ground,
IL exposed to tho wind and cold, aud tho iuon aro
usuatly. anxious to get down into the ahaft,
w1ero tho temperature is warmer:
Yesterday morning tho usual friendly comno-
tition to be first down waa shown, and WHOM tho
bucket camo up for Tho aecond ttmo threo mon
! so'zed tho rope and stepped OH the edgo They
wcro Jasnea AutnB, Daniel Murphy, and Martin
Sullivan. John Berger WIS on tho point Of step
ping on alao whom Q man behind him oomplained
that ilo lad crushed his finger and Dorgor turned
round to look at It. Bernard kirloy ut ouco took
hs place, and the ongineer began to lower tho
bucket.
The b,.ckot had not moved G inches down.
ward when ono Of lis boltB, us far as could bo
| nscertnined caught In tho woodwork aboyo tho
SHIFT, and Sustained IL just long enough to allow
the, ropo to become slack the hook swung
stcne, tho four mon following Ii to tha bottom.
Tho worsmon who had previously been low
| cred were tunncling about 150 fcat from tho
| bottom Of tho shaft when thoY hoard the crash
bucket atsiking tho rocks bolow. x second after
| ward tho dull thud Of tho falling bodeB WAS
| heard. Two Of tho men approached with altght,
| mud, Hooing the motionless REnros lying there
became frigltenod aud ran away. Other men
went to tho bottom Of tho ahaft, and tho rope
having boen by this timo drawn up and sent
| down again with n second bucket Sullivan, who
stlll broathcd, was placod III it, hut before lie
| was brought to tho surface ho was doad. AL tho
| rest were killed inBtautlv.
Tho feeling ugainst tho contractors, MeasrH,
WelsE, Il alcAndtews, was 30 strong that o'llcers
| wore stationed on tho spot to preserve order.
| All yesterday groups Of men complained OF tho
| carolcssnesB and apparent Disregard for humas,
focliug allaycd whom later IN tho Gay Alr. Wolsh
| ca1ue to tho shaft aud scodcd tho foreman for
delaying tue work BY allowing the men to come
up, The mon say that they aro obliged to work
! III HEhlk N1 U III tuo poI1l VI tADlI ttfeH kua%
Tho wiro ropo used to lower tlom down is al-
Nays old stuff that haa been condemned for
othcr usoB and that since last July not single
| nov ropo has beon used. When ono becomes
20 badly worn that IT really cannot 10 used any
lopger 1t Is replaced by ono not much bottar.
This accllont, which occurred through tho ab-
Bonce Of tho guard on tho hook, they Hay waa
predicted long since. but tho contractors treated
oil complaints with indifference. Wlille wording
In tho shaft they av1 constantly throntened with
torrtbto danger: tho roof Is very bnd, and
nothing will induce A1r. MoAndsows to have
proper props provided, The consequence ia that
it ia a no uncommon thing for u ton or moro Of
earth to fall in.
1t may DO remembered that not long sinco q
patched aud Wora-out bnilor burst On the Same
worka; and ono Of tho contractors, on loarlllnG
| that q lnau Ind boen killed md 4 bellows blown
to pioces, remarked that the bollowB cost hn
s31. Another boiler iH in ,,so With eight luet
alrcady burst, and tho whole apparatus is III .
promising condition for au explosion.