New-York tribune., 1876-09-06
A FATAL EXPLOSION.

WOUNDKD-DETAILS OF THE ACClDENI
A loud explosion at Hallet's Point about 10
O'Clock yesterday morning startled oil persons In the
neiehborhood both in Astoria and upon the New-York
shore. Ii was soon found TO have proceeded from a
scow at the dock OF the Government works at Hell Gate
upon which preparations had been In progress for some
experiments with ntroglyeerne. OF the men who were
upon tho scow the time, three were instantly Killed
and nine others met with slight injuries The cause OF
the explosion could not be obtained with certainty as
the who killed had been In charge OF the ex'
plosiye material.
Experiments have been tried with dynamite at He'll
Gate during several weeks for the purpose OF discover
ing effect that the conclusion aud one charge
would have upon others that were near It, and when
were not connected with the fuse. These experiments
haJe shown that dynamite In charge would not
interfere with that In anOther and it was therefore In
tended yesterday to try the experiment with nitro
gyeerine TO sec what the effect would be with that
material Six tin cartridges, each containing two ana
one half pounds OF ntrOgyeeIne, were procured from
Mr.. Warren's factory in New-Jersey. The cartridges
were about 10 inches long, and l9 inches N diameter
They were brought scow, which arrived at Haets
Point shortly after O'clock. The cartridges had been
placed, for security, in small magazine on the
scow and while they were being removed the ex-
plosOn occurred, blowing into fragments ihe
body of Henry Lewis, and killing outright John Doyle
and John Hickman Portions Of the body OF Lewis were
found in the river and the land considerable dis
pletoly severed his body. part of John Doyles
face was blown off aud his body mutiated tha1
he could scarcely be recOynized John Hickmaus body
was also terribly indnged. Nine meI who were In the
employ OF the Government were injured by pieces OF
flying timber and broken glass The shock and noise OF
the explosion drew to the Immediately one
in the vicinity. What found OF the bodies Of those
who were killed was taken Oh sho e, and the wounded
nlen were exricated from the rubbish and tubers ana
al led az much possible in the absence OF immediate
surgical There scarcely any Indication
10 be found upon the deck OF the scow TO snow
that fatal accident had taken place On the corner OF
the deck where the explosion occurred hole al been
made about two feet square In the heavy plan ing
small wooden magazine stood tie deck the spot
where the uitro.;ycCrne exploded Ti| was used Tor
the storage OF "eXpoders" aud wires used In blasting
the rocks The magazine and iis contents were com
pleteiy demolished nothing remaining nf II except rev
splinters of wood The deck Of small boat which was
attached to the scow covered VITA fragments OF
broken glass and felt hat with the corner blown away
was lying near by.
linn, atcy after the explosion, Drs Tras and Taylor
OF Astoria were sent foT. They were promptly on tbe
spot and dressed the wounds OF the inja9cd men, who
were conveyed to their respective homes. Coroner
Daycrn arrived atcr ami inpIueitd lay Tor the
inquest. After viewing the mangied remains of the
three men, the jury adjourned 10 meet to-day a' Mr..
1inbrooks hotel, near the Nncty-sscond street Ferry
In Astoria The bodies were removed tJ nDdc takers
office in Hunters Point, and late In the even
ing they were conveyed TO their late homes.
Heury Loves OF tao men killed. was German,
living at Ouehuudrot-andf ffst and fisstaye. In this
city. He leaves "a wife and child. John Doyle ~
Brooklyn was Ifishman, who leaves a wife ana two
children. lie had been messenger for Gen Newton Tor
several yoars. JChu Hickman OF brooklyn German
was Il il thought single man. Tie injured mcn have
received comparatively slight wouhds, which are not
thought to be fatal They CIarlco smith, Francis
Pike Capt Downs, Henry Haaey Jacob Patterson John
Doi,on. Philip st."ksou John Murray, and James kls-
sal The NEST OF thcm have received cus and brui'rs
The shock the explosion felt throughout the eii-
tire nehboThood In Astoria the glass Ia toe windows
within 100 yards OF the blown entirely out and
not shattered In the Of explosion Of powder
when c decoration occurred the people both sdesof
The river, WHO have become accustomed To tho
no.so made by blasts, knew at once that
the sound was unusual one. last al OF
dun ruinbing noise, the report SHARP, re-cmbng
the discharge OF howizcr Capt T. Browne, wio kccps
the bolthouse at East Nnctyseeond4t Ia this city,
opposite the works aud who an eve witness Of The
accident said that the shock produced the elect Of
strong out OF air lie Immediately rowcd over IN one
OF hs boats 10 render what assistance he could Along
the water found pieces Of nesh. and brought them
over Sergeant sheehan who was ia charge
Of the desk at The Eightyclgbh Street statonhouse,
said that the shock felt there with great force and 1t
sounded like "A heavy blast People came from long dis
lance spread IT being reported that the great
explosion had occurred and several lives had been lost
CAUSE or THE EXPLOSION
A boy who was standing on a road which oyerooks The
scow said he Lewis ia the act OF unsorewing or
taking out the cork Of OF the cartridges c had the
fin between his legs aud evidently attempting TO
omen IT, Ia this case IL is thought that hc must have let
IL fail on the other cartridge which would have exploded
them all Those about the works who are acquainted
with the nature OF the explosive material declare mat
tic admittancc OF current Of air into tho cartridge would
not have produced the fatal effect. They say nat Lewis
wac beyond doubt handling the cartridge at the time
and that II was through his carcessncss that the acct
dent 1t stated that he had had charge Of cN-
plosiye materials several years and that hc fully
acquainted with their properties
There were many to the cause Of The sxpo
sion Mr. StTattBgCI, the superintendent oi the scow,
said the boat was a United states steam drilling scow,
and was usually employed in removing submarine oh
structions by drilling aud blasting She had been
at Uallcts Point only during the past two
woeka and had bceu selected for the experiments in CON
sequence Of the experience OF her crew. ana was thought
TO be an important addition to the force IN drilling and
blasting for the lnal explosion The men killed by the
accident wcl those injured, were thoroughly ca
u ricnced i'm handling nitro-gyccrine. They had han
d,cd within The past six years 100000 pounds
of the explosive material and no accident had oc-
CURED. Thc explosion OF yesterday, MI. strattnger
said was Tic first serious accident that had
Cured on board the The catastrophe was
caused he thought, by one Of the men accident
ally letting the cartridges fall from his hands.
There were about 80 men on board the scow at the
tine aud only those in the immediate vicinity Of the
piosivc material had been injured The accident, he
said gave illustration OF the local effects o high
posivcs IN the present the heavy panng of the
deck had been broken through and windows 100 feet
away had been injured. Mr. stTattnger tecgraphed
immediately for Gen Newton the director OF the work at
Hell Gate who arrived promptly upon the spot to look
after the general safety OF the work. aId ascertain the
a,nn,nt nf danogp done. damage 10 stntea