The New York herald., 1875-09-15
Breaking Of a Rotten Aerial
Fire Ladder.
THREE MEN KILLED.
Miraculous Escape Of Others on
the Machine.
Melancholy Ending of the Scott-Uda
Ladder Job

Rutgers square, on plaza formed by the junction OF
East Broadway and Canal street, which ended in tho
cruel death of three men.
1t will be remembered that this aerial ladder originally
the invention Of Italian, who conveyed the right to
Mrs Uda has somewhat frequently figured In the
papers in connection with the notorious corrupt job
berry by which the Fire Department acquired the title
to the patent from the LADY, that the late Secretary of
the department. Mr. White dismissed proof
being furnished that he received $4,000 of the
1000 which the city paid her for the pat
ent, and that the Fire Commissioners were also
mixed up with the job in manner which has created
great suspicion and distrust in the public mind In
fact the public did not need this last crowning proof to
know that this wonderful ladder simply corrupt
job Its whole history is enough 1t began in
shame and corruption and jobbery, and it ended in
death It not enough to take the peoples money,
but the lives Of the peoples servants must be sacrificed
tool" This be the public verdict in regard to
the accident which shocked this community yesterday
THE EXPERIMENTS.
II appears that this aerial ladder, for which most
derful qualities have been claimed while many compe
tent persons have denounced it openly has for
months been the subject of constant experiments The
Chief Of the Department, Mr.. Eli Bates had given
orders select from each company, order that
they might acquire thorough knowledge of the proper
handling of the ladder.
The experiment yesterday morning had also been
ordered by the Chief and the following de-
tailed TO ascend the William H. Nash Chief of
the Fourth battalion; Phillip Maus, of truck No 6;
William Hughes, of Engine Company No 8; Robert J.
could, of Engine No. Is; Thomas C Lea, of Hook and
Ladder No. o; Cornelius j. Kingsley OF Engine Com
pany No IL Cusick, assistant fireman of the chemical
engine, and Jesse Patten of Engine No 15 eight in
all AS these experiments always attract great crowds
word was sent to Captain McElwane of the Madison
street station to send some Of his officers to keep the
crowd in order 1t is to the great credit ofthis captain
and he should be substantially commended for it, that
the manner in which he did his duty this occasion
doubt instrumental in saving many lives.
GREAT CROWD PRESENT
There was large crowd In attendance early
eight o'clock Nash, the chief Of the battalion, and
very daring, reckless man, who seems to havo
thought of DANGER had by way of previous informal
experiment already raised the ladder at six o'clock
in the morning and ascended TO the top When the
hour for holding this little exhibition arrived the square
bounded by Canal street. East Broadway and Rutgers
street uncomfortably crowded Among the more
prominent spectators Mrs Uda herself and Mr..
White, the former Secretary Of the Fire Department,
who little thought that they to witness the death
OF three human beings by means which they had
Kindly provided for the city and after having made
comfortable pile of money out of the operation When
the ladder put together and raised to height of
ninety-eght feet Captain McElwaine noticed that 1t
would fall upon the spectators of accident,
and therefore ordered his men to push the crowd
back removing them all from the possibility of
bodily danger. Had this not been done and the crowd
allowed to within falling space the loss of
life might have been terrible, the number of women
and children very considerable
ASCEND
Nash the chief of the fourth battalion gave the
ascend at quarter to eleven o'clock, the put
ting together of the eight sections raising Of the
ladder having consumed much time. The men, how
ever somewhat uneasy, and seemed TO be unwill
ing to execute tho order ''Why, there's no dangerh
exclaimed Nash, and he lightly mounted the ladder
and began to ascend it with great rapdty The others
whose havo already been given above,
were sufficiently encouraged to follow him.
Alas 1t was their courage and pluck which
plunged them into destruction for only tho first
two who followed him quickly who met Nash's cruel
fate. These two Maus and Hughes When the
latter had passed above the third section Nash who
was a wonderfully rapid climber, already the
top of the ladder and calmly looking down upon the
spectators from the gddy height ofnney eight feet and
the five others away behind below the third sec
Non.
THE
II was Just above this section Of the aerial ladder that
the break occurred. The spectators were admrng
Nashs GOODNESS and skill the top Of the ladder when
their great horror, they suddenly noticed dangerous
swaying to fro Of tie light wooden structure that
was standing there ninety eight feet high and without
any support whatever insure the safety of the eight
precious lives upon ii. Several women, presumably
the wives or other relatives of the men the ladder
gave a loud Shrek, and Chief Bates taking in at
glance the perious situation, instantly shouted the
der, "Come downIn Tho men started to execute this
order and their pale faces and trembling figures
easily discernible from the ground But it was too
late. There suddenly loud snap, the ladder
broke at the third section and precpitaed the three
men who we're still above it down to the ground and
into eternity It awful spectacle, and for
moment everybody stood aghast, almost petrihed as
though they could realize this sudden disaster II
had suddenly, utterly'without any warning
and everybody unpreparcd for it, that the per-
feet and awful stiffness which rened for some seconds
easily to be explained
THE RESULTS
1t is stated that the two distinguished spectators
Mrs Uda and Mr. White Immediately upon seeing the
ladder fall left the in great haste While they
hurried away, the terribly manged bodies were put
upon tretchers and promptly conveyed to the Madison
police station followed OF course by large and
curious crowd. What is remarkable is that the men
below the third section cung with sufficient strength to
the ladder escape being thrown down and after
difficulty. accomplished the descent One two are
said to have faen this does not appear be true
for they all walked away considerably weakened by tho
shock but without any injuries Nash and Maus had
died insantancously, but Hughes still lived when the
stretcher arrived at the police station. Maus
had fallen his left side and his in
luries appeared TO be the worst Of all.
Both his arms and his left leg broken his nose was
cut clean on his teeth knocked through his cheeks and
his skull fractured. Hughes skull was also fractured
he having fallen on his head. His arms one leg, his
neck and his collar bone woro broken. He fingered
at the police station in great agony for about fifteen
utcs, and then expired.
ACTION OF THE AUTHORITIES
Commissioners Brennan and Cox were quickly at the
police station, and personally ordered tho ambulance
wagons Coroner Croker gave permission 10 remove
the bodies to tho respective homes OF the men, This
was done ater many heartrendng had been wit
messed at the station house Mrs Nash was the first TO
arrive, and on seeing the remains Of her husband,
mangled beyond all recognition tainted and had to be
nrrind nrrIrt Alnrc c.nR H. -.