The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-06
HELL GATE BADLY SHAKEN
THE UNiCCOUNT1B ExPLOSION
or NITRO-GLYCERINE
Three Men Killed nnd MANY Seriously Inc
jured-Terrible Work Of Destruction How
the Dangerous Explosive IL Transported.

Three Ncn Killed nnd Mauv Seriously In-
jured-Terrible Work Of Destruction How
the Dangerous Explosive Is Transported.
At half past 0 o'clock yesterday morn
ing Long Island City trcmbled as though shaken
by an earthquake, and from wherever view Of
Astoria could be had, great column Of smoke
and dust was seen to shoot up into the air from
the Government works at Hell Gate.
Since the excavations In tho great rock that
obstruct- the East river at that point have been
completed, Government engineers have been
experimenting with explosives TO determine
what variety to use In the great blast that Is
Coon to be made. superintendent Stretiuger
has found that rendrock and one or two other
explosives can he discharged 10y coDcussion, and
yesterday it was resolved to experiment with
nitro. glycerine In the same manner II was de-
termined to set a number OF cartridges OF
nitro. giycerinc at equ distances from central
cartridge that was to Oe exploded In the ordin-
AIRY way. II the other cartridges exploded, II
must follow that when tho great blast is made
there will be double assurance that all the
1900 or moro cartridges will explode by concus-
sion, N not by electricity.
John Doyle, the watohman and messenger at
the works, was despatched to Back Tom Island,
OF Communpaw 10 Warren's uitro- glycerine
manufactorv, to purchase fteen pounds Of tho
explosive. lie returned with the nltro-glycerine
IN cans, wrapped IN brown paper, and ca ried
bo rd the Government stetm drilling scOw that
lies near the excavation, and repor ed TO the
Superintendent. VINO ordered him to deliver the
explosive to Barney Boyle, a foreman at the
sn IT, Instead ~ doing 40, DOvls carried the
parcel fOrw ird and gave II to Henry Lursson, a
trusted employee, who was at work In little
cabin that had been huit upon the d. OK near
EXPLOSION resounded but by what accident no
one can tell. by some distance oh on the
shore says lie saw IurssOn put can Of the eN-
plosiye between his iegs and attempt TO uncurk
II. Another peis IN believes he saw DOSle drop
the MuOie package ON the uock near the uODr.
tue Low Of the sCOw.
Suddenly there was a crash that deaf.ned
every one within half mile Of the boat. a cloud
chscured tue vessel, and IA shower OF sticks aud
boards heavy pieces Ct IRON and portions OF
aud dust cleared away the cauin was gone and
where II bad stood was great rent 10 the
stretched out either unconscious or dead.
Human limbs, pools Of blood, and fragments Of
Great pieces Of machinery were lifted out OF
place. all the glass III tue ia hRhts ON he deck
wie shattered, and a sail boat anchored nfty fat
on was torn INTO as many pieces as II the e1-
plosion mad been under its Keel.
The superintendent had been writing in his
catin ofiue, nfty feet att His ONCE shelves
bore n score OF bottles nled with explosives.
VIII u the exelusion occurred his ink aud muci-
lage bottles we're upset. "a heavy electrical appa-
Tatus was thrown over his heao to the hOOr, and
many Of the vials.any one Of which contained
ana the c .biu from n the deck were crushed
and thrown out OF their places. His clerA, IA IN
nice ten feet nearer to the place wners tho eI-
plOsion occurred. was llfted cut u hs CHAIR aul
thrown uJun his back
John Doyle, who brought the nitro-sycerine
to the vessel. WAS found within few feet Ot the
site Of the CaJin. gaping wound was IN the
back and enormous easnes IN the thighs. lie
wrished upOn the decA in feiiful agony Tor ten
minutes before he died ! here was only a lit
lie remaining OF the BODY Of Henry Lursson.
tu whom DOyle had earned the pachaAe. Hir
rem tiLs. lyinx on tue "haff, consis ed OF d
blacAenei irunk without legs or face and with
I only one arm. FRAGMENTS % the terribly shat
tered corpse were scattered IT, a | directions. ono
pottIOu being found neag he blacksmith shoD,
l7O lee. away. john iilckman's body was less
shattered tnan me bodie- oi tue otuer two. out
life nad gone wnen 1t was found. HtcAmAn, a
workman on the scpw, had been called to assist
Lufssun IN the CABIN and was hpptI cniug u
wntn he " - thrown Ge a upon tue ueck. lie
Was 80 year, - axe aud lived ht ~ sou h second
street. " Niilamsburgn. Doyle was - wears ~
age and lived al W SAckett street, HrookNn.
Larson was 80 year. ot axe aud lVcd IN tir-t
avenue. between l.o.h ANA iu1th fest., llAriein.
In or - uozrn inca were behind the cshin.
Nam were severely wounded. Charles Snhth
MAS badly uurt III the face George Scnuel, hand
| aud face lac-fated, trauA PtAe, htnd cot; nhu
! DOuson. sisutly wnuuCcd 10 one ankle; Josepn
Peterson, very -eVereiy cut iu the fAce. mana.
and one leg. ut. James Downs of tho HOy-
nUent ~ loai esc4prd "iiA rHehl M higs
Al.er the oodies had been removed tue dock
| Of tue Sow was cleared of the usoris, anu ihe
| fearful "o I the explosive Wa seen. tine
site ot Tue cAtlu fodr OF hv3 of the heavy beam,
| I've tucscs square. composing the deck. we.e
! torn ana ground into fragments, ana great
! creNIce remained To marx where they mad been.
| A stup II iron IA cigh. of an incn thck and
! TWO feet wlGe. fastened 10 the deck with heaNy
! riVets placed close together, Was rllped
/ th ugh u had necn paper, aud "A stout mast or
ST. II at the edge VI the bow Wa snapped on
! close to the deck.
| Mr Marren.who furnishes the nitro o-elycerine,
! r Ia TIA DO,le received ID pounds OF the eX-
| plu-ive in rx quart cans. ne cans were culked
! anu t. give vrntto tlc explosive and les en- the
! chances OF "A disaster. tue COrks were perforated
/ DOYLE carried the stun 10 row boat aud row. Il
| away toward New NurA.
| ne -upel In endrnt's clerk said that he be-
! neyed DOYLE lett the row tOat 1t the Battery
| and reached A-toTlA o.. a MOrrisania boat he
pAssengefs cOulG not tel MIA. he had." said he,
4" it looked Lac an ordinary brow n paper parcel.
| Suueriutendcnt : reitinr.r mad Informed the
| reuutt-r that Doylr rOwed all the way from
| Black lom Island to Astoria, carrSiug the par
! Gel ia the bottom OF the uuat. A Mr. Mct oil of
] 10, Sackett street. Brooklyn, Doyles brother IN
! law. was found At the Murgue. H. said that 10
] wa- quite liAely that. ~ buyie had small u
pAt Ige, he nad come 10 the VII ge by the -
! seugef steamer. Mr Mctull said ne used to t .
/ employed on the work.. and lie had often Ken
! the explosive thithor from the factory. II was
! his custom 10 hire row boat at the Battery aud
! retuIn with the uitrO-giceflne to a specified
! place wneTe tTuCk Was to meet MN. lne
| glyceriue Was then loaded loaded on the truck
| and dragged through the streets to some wnaGf
| opposite Astoria, unioaded, aud lrf. unt the
| Guv. rnment scow took II across. AT other
times he lett tue row noat containing tuo nitro
glycerine moOred Ia the stream. where those On
the Government tug afterward found D.. " II u
! passing steamer had ever CuAuccu TO strike that
! row boat he conclude, tn NOLld probably
! LaYe wound up tue affairs Of the steamer and
! All Oh DOatu.