The Morning herald., 1876-05-08
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.
Jersey Well shaken Up


BY American Press Association.
NEW YORK, May 7.-Crowds of people
to-day visited the scene of last nights ex-
plosion, at Bergen tunnel. It is not known
positively, as yet, that any lives have been
lost, but the watchman has not been seen
since, and was probably killed. The shock
following the flash of fire rumbled like
an earthquake, spreading CONSERVATION
among the people in Jersey City, Hoboken,
and the surrounding districts. The scene
of the explosion was in little brick build
lug, about five feet square, and ten feet in
height, standing on the brow of Bergen hill,
and used for the storage of combustibles
and blast charges Of powder for cutting
away masses of rock in the tunnel now being
constructed for use of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and W estern Railroad. The explosion
was evidently the work Of design, and
caused by strikers formerly employed in
the tunnel. They had hoped to throw
down greater part of the hill and part of
the bank to block up the entrance to the
tunnel bore, but in this they were mistaken,
for the only effect was to utterly obliterate
the building and shattcr the houses stand
ing on Pacific avenue. There were stored
in the building thirty thousand nitro-glyce-
rine cartridges, and the explosion was the
most terrific that ever visited this vicinity.
The windows of houses within a radius of a
mile or more were shattered by the concus
sion. In many places walls and ceilings
were thrown down, and many houses will
have to be pulled down in Jefferson avenue.
Opposite where the magazine was situated
stands the residence of Mayor Alexander
Harris, whose family were asleep at the
time, and were trhown to the floor. The
ceiling fell with a crash, and the
windows and doors were crushed
in, and rock weighing 100 pounds cut
through the roof and struck Mayor Harris
on the breast and cheek, wounding him
severely. His wife and daughter were also
severely cut by fragments of glass, and his
house was valued at seven thousand dollars.
Among other damaged houses in the
vicinity were those of Col. Rogers, Charles
Grove, Police Commissioner Stenker, Mr..
Taussan, Mr. Hepperheim, Mr.. Staples,
Mr.. Cumberson, and Mr.. Homslay
Damage to property in Hoboken
All the windows in the Erie Railway paint
shop more than mile away were com
pletely demolished, many persons thrown
down, and the horses attached to the cars
were knocked down by the conclusion. On
the west side Of this city and also in Brook
lyn, the shock was very severe and many
panes Of glass were broken. The shock
was distinctly felt for distance of twenty
miles from this city.
For some months past there has been a
bitter feeling between the contractor, Nc
Andrews, and the men employed on the
tunnel. He gradually reduced their wages
to 81 25 per day and the men then struck
for 81 so. Last Monday about two hun
dred strikers marched through the tunnel
and cleared out all the men at work. Since
that time operations have been carried on
secretly for fear Of the strikers.
Shortly after the explosion one of gang
of laborers wac heard to say, "We have
done it at last, and it serves him right
No part of the magazine can be found. The
Waterman, McAndrews, has not since been
seen, and it is elieved he was killed.