The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-09
The EXPLOSION.
Following the Trail of Sus-
pected Persons.
ORIGIN OF THE STRIKE.
A Reward to be Offered by the
Railroad Company.


the request Of many prominent citizens consented TO
appoint commissioners to appraise the damage caused
by the catastrophe and report soon possible
This will be precauton against exorbitant claims
IN case the city should be sued for
damages The Mayor intends TO act with
the committee that he may be able TO advise the
different boards any difficulty which may arise. The
Board OF Fire Commissioners has summoned
several witnesses to appear tomorrow evening
and give testimony the subject. Chief Of
Police Champney and Captain Glenney, OF tho
Third precinct police, closcted for three
hours in tho evening with Contractor McAndrew
and superintendent Oakley. James Stanton, tho
night Waterman at tn. OF the tunnel.
has been summoned 10 appear this evening. His state
ment. delivered To HEkALD reporter AMI published
in yesterdays HERALD. is pronounced q ialschood
by Mr.. McAndrcw II a great part Of Stanton's
duty to look after the powder house. The police
authorities convinced that Stanton in possession
OF important information. Officer Keenan,, OF the
Third precinct brought before the Chief OF Police,
and he testified that he three in tho vicinity
Of the explosion three or four minutes boiorc
it occurred. Tho namos of these mon are
withheld from publication Tor obvious reasons.
When asked If he hal heard pistol al the mouth
OF the tunnel shortly before the explosion he replied
the negative The ovidonce that several strikers
lettering round Mr. McAndrows residence during tho
evening in a suspicious manner corroborated.
There Is remarkable unanimiiy OF opinion among
the directors and officers Of tho railroad company
the point that tho explosion was tho work OF mali
cious scoundreL Superintendent Oakley desires to
correct statement regarding the possession of the
key OF the magazine Saturday night He
says that when the explosion occurred
the key was In tue possession OF Reynolds the time
keeper, who did not return II acr had taken sup
ply OF cartridges IN tho afternoon. At the time
he reafirmcd the opinion that the key perfectly
safe in Reynolds custody
wEAKExix0
Two gangs OF the strikers returned 10 work in the
tunnel Yesterday There are fifteen or twenty mis-
chievous characters who expressed Willingness to
return to at the old rate OF wages but Mr.
hcAndrcw refused 10 admit them. ION account
will the promoters OF the strike be allowed rcturn
his stern reply One OF the gangs which returned
was headed by . man named Keegan, who expressed
had akcn He cndcavorod to intcrccde for Others but
without avail
WHAT rnx STRIKERS WANTED
Mr.. McAndrew asked yesterday to explain his
position toward the strikers and he replied folows
sUp to three months ago the on tho benches and
ers' s. so The wages were then reduced to
81 70 per day Tor all the men, on
the submitted without complaint. About the 18th
OF April some Of tho who experts IN the
To this M Mcansrew 1 IL .nd xeS 70 o.
May for the new rate. The smucKers' made demand
tor The i, same ssoe5 e :. which the
tunnel scven miles In length is being constructed
the men receive only 81 25 have hitherto re,rained
from expressing my dissatisfaction manner IN
which great number OF the IN my employment
attended to their work Many time when l entered
the tunnel saw the running around dong moth
ing with lights aickerng like fairies in the forts,
and when they saw mo they would sneak behind an
other gang and pretend they at work"
The manufacturers of the rend rock powder state
that they are familiar with tue locality and the
stances relating to the strike against tho contractor
and remarked that there Is mot u chance In thou
sand that the disaster occurred otherwise than by
design" that rend rock expIodes only under definite
OF a fuse. with confinement II set tirc 10 1t don't
explode but burns slowly. There must be impaired
certain degree Of heat The manufacturers have had
powder hand for four years. tests are regularly
applied without showing any sign OF deterioration or
chemical change. II has been in constant the
mines on Lake Chnmplain Tor years without acct
dent OF any sort AZ the Bergen Hill magazine It would
only have been necessary TO force cartridge beneath
the foundation, with q cap and fuse attached They
hove there could have been only small quantity OF
powder on hand-not more than two cases, or 200
pounds-as the contractor had been supplied atcy
and the work nearly finished. but little was re-
qurcd The workmcn employed there all assumed to
know much than they chose to tell as to tho
OF the explosion. using sly wnks signs among
themselves where words might be indiscrct They arc
believed to have correct understanding Of the
beyond doubt
HoBoKEN SUFFERERS
Last evening meeting was held at Otto's Cottage
should pay Tor the damage inflicted oy the ex poson in
Hoboken. Upward Of 200 people were present The
Mr.. H. d. Gcrdts acted as secretary. ADDRESSES
were made by Matthew Conkn and
Of mosossn wh
that they would ascertain whom the responsibility
rests for permitting the storage Of the combusbles
the city limits and whether the agreement regard
the Of the explosive material had violated
Alter some discussion Mr.. Gerdts movR that
a committee OF seven be appointed from among tho
heaviest losers, whose business should TO ascer-
tain the amount OF damage done and report future
meeting. The following gentlemen were named as
such committee: Bernard Mccioskey Matthew Conk-
lin, Patrick Landeraen D. Rangas aud John McDermott
PRESIDENT SLOAN SAYS
a pf tbp Hun n Hahn Mr. Slnap ~
President oil the Delaware Lackawanna aud Western
Railroad Company, yesterday to ascertain his views
regard to the cause Of the explosion and what action
the railway company propose taking In the PROMISES
Mr. Sloan said the matter Of storing and caring Tor the
powder and other combustibcs necessary for the
prosecution o the work now going on at the tunnel was
wholly IN the hancs OF the contractor and IN one
sense the COMPANY had nothing to do with IL He
sad, however. that the railroad company will
make thorough examination OF the whole affair and
viii spare no pans to bring the guilty parties u any
such there be, TO justice. Hc knew nothing OF the
OF the explosion other than what had been pub
lnhcd in the papers, but he thought, from the fact Of
the contractors having had deal OF trouble with the
strikers that some OF them had lire the CON-
bustbes has been charged The Of the damage
done. Mr.. sloan said, sustained by the company,
as all the buildings the or the explosion
aud which were damaged than any others arc
owned by them the road having boon compclscd to buy
them To gain the right al way.
As Tor the contractor Mr. Sloan thought he had lived
up TO all the requirements OF his agreement lie had
permission from the city authorities of Hobokcn TO
store the powder where he did and as he Kept IL in n
brick building and well guarded by private watchman
ne (Nr sOanl uiu not that moe could be done.
Mr.. Sloan had never heard that IL was ever found
necessary to dampeh the powder in question to prevent
spontaneous combustion.
In regard to Offering reward for the apprehension
oil the guilty parties IN connection with the disaster
that was matter properly belonging to the contractor
nevertheless Mr.. Sloan had word soon rs the
news OF the explosion reached him 10 offer n suitable
reward ON behalf OF the company. In tho matter Of
SUITS for damages u any brought parties having
sustained injuries 10 person property the President
not clear would be held responsible but
presumed the contractor would
As was stated IA yesterdays HERALD tho residents
on Palisadc avenue have Tor a long time been protest.
ing against the magazine beng loft IN a position
which, IN the event OF an explosion would expose tho
ncgntorng houses TO almost certain destruction Mr.
Charles Roe was one Of the prominent In opposing
the privileges granted TO the railroad company
and the contractors placing the powder
house on the site Il occupied lie and other
gentlemen stated 10 reporter that the mass or
explosives contained In It's precincts might DO subject
the of temperature an extent apt 10 mako