The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-08
A HORRID PLOT.
The Explosion on Bergen Heights
Caused by Strikers.
WHOLESALE MURDER ATTEMPTED.
New Jersey Laborsrs Following the Methods
Of the Molly Nasurss
ENGLISH "RATTENERs" OUTCOME
An Endeayor to Destroy Tunnel and
Sacrifice Sixty Lives.
WHOLESALE MURDER ATTEMPTED.
ENGLISH "RATTENERs" ouTDoNE

al have witnessed great deal Of the horrors Of war;
have cities and towns shelled and sackod but
have witnessed devastation US this, was
tho remark OF the Colonel Skinner yesterday,
he stood the paror of what two days go tao
handsome residence Major Harris Palisadc avenue
Jersey City Heights. Tho terrible rcndrock powder
explosion of Saturday night was without question: tue
most remarkable record considering the wholesale
destruction OF property and the miraculous prcser-
vaon OF human life amid tho scenes OF DESC
lation- or the vast multitude, numbering dity
thousand persons who visited the yesterday from
Now York, Brooklyn and Jersey there not
one who did not marvel that no life sacrificed.
The fell work of the terrible destroying agent
widespread that the busy reporters puzzled In
what direction they would begin mako their sketches
Standing on the brow Of Bergen Hill the eastern
entrance Of the Delaware and Lackawanna tunnel,
1ne Wow could DO obtained Of the dark streams OF
humanity that poured through the highways below
from every direction, all convergng to the great GENRE
pf curiosity,
rowDRR PIT,
Tor that all that is left mark the place where stood
The magazine in which stored tho explosive COM
pound which has obtained the very appropriate namo
Of 'rendrock powder" This PIT about four feet in
depth and from twenty hvc to thirty feet In diameter,
and is situated about sixty feet from and almost directly
over the eastern Of the tunnel Tho explosive
compound was stored in boxes, each containing 100
pounds According to the statement Of the contractor
Mr. Jcs * sGAndrcw, there stored in the
riorc than eight boxes nt ono time Tho
.ssDer nve. The agazne brick
,rc, twelve by ten feet and was from six
70 eight feet In height, having soping roof
Of onc-quarter inch iron. The entrance secured
by an iron door, which attached paddock Tho
key of this lock lnruslcd to Mr. Oakley, supcrin
tcndent of the tunnel and he in turn delegated tho
timckecper, one Reynolds, who is pronounced very
competent and reliable man, to draw supplies from the
magazine from time 10 time On Saturday last Roy
nolds drew cartridges from the magazine about
two o'clock in the afternoon, locked tho door and
handed the key back to Mr.. Oakley. At halipast ten
O'Clock the Same evening, just the within tho
tunnel were about TO leave, having finished their
labors for the week. tho explosion occurred How that
explosion caused is question that will receive
rigid investigation. IL is question cnveloped
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES
that support the theory of endsh malice Out of 600
men recently employed In the tunnel only fifty
work on Saturday evening, the others being strike
fhe strikers led by Edward Mannion, Gil Martin and
Patrick stanton, entered the tunnel in body day
last week, and, meeting Mr. hcAndrcw, demanded
Increase OF wages He offered to advance tho wages Of
he men on the enlargement, but refused TO
those OF the spuddlers.n A controversy ensued aud
AcAndrew invited them to- conference outside tho
tunnel. To this the men agreed, and rushng
toward tho entrance, when Stanton cried out "Hold
on boys; II he doesn't yield let US clear these
fellows out!' abiding 10 the who refused
TO Join in the strike The workmcn wcro thcreupon
driven out McAndrews had Mannion and Stanton
arrested for conspiracy and threatening his life Tho
brought before Police Justice Peloubct
Saturday, in presence of crowd Of tho strikers and
the evidence being conclusive the accused held
bail await the OF the Grand Jury THIS result
exasperated the strikers and they turned in the drcc
ton Of the tunnel,
BREATHING VENGEANCE
Had tho explosion been delayed few minutes later
that night the who continue At work in tho
mel would have been ascending the hill, moving TO
certain destruction.
~ toll you, +" said contractor McAndrew 10 q HERALD
reporter yesterday "this organization OF strikers is
branch OF the Molly Maguircs' They succeeded in
dong great deal or mischief In Pennsylvania and they
propose spread among the people Of New
Jersey II they get an inch they will take ell, and
should they meet with any they viii become
tyrannical that It will DO unsafe for any
hostile to their purposes TO. walk tho streets
Max my words; prove what say
These made several attempts - cocrcc me, and
they boosted they would run the tunnel but /
showed them every time that they hid met with tho
wrong have built great many railroads, and
never permitted any organization set of men die
tate to In what manner should conduct my bust
ncssn
The reporter inquired he any suspicion
that the explosion tho work OF malicious per-
son, TO which no replied 81 don't like to answer that
but will say that am dealing with desperate
men, OF whom would stop ut nothing TO crafty
their malicc when they balled."
Several officials OF tho Delaware and Lackawanna
Railroad visited tho scene yesterday and madc
minute examination OF
THE BUILDINGS
The houses which suffered most were those OF Major
Harris and Colonel ". T. Rogers forming ons VniIdng
Not pane glass left In either house The shut
tors shattered 10 splinters, tho doors
wrcnched IRON their fascnngs, tho choice carpets
strewn with broken glass; corniccs and plaster,
which declined all further attachment 90 the ceiling
brckbat had passed through front bedroom window
IN Major Harris house, crashed through two closet DOORS
and lodged in the back wall Large holes in the hath
and plascrcd partitions showed that bricks had paid
visits there. The bed in which Maor Harris and his
wife we're lying rddIcd with pieces OF brick and
broken glass. Tho Major received a cut on tho
right cheek ana his wife sustained several gsshes Ia
her face from the flying pieces Of glass SpInters OF
glass were embedded In doors. chairs bcdsteads and
von the walls. IN bedroom two children were
sleeping, and they had miraculous escape. shower
Of plaster fell IRON the ceiling heap. crushing
their h,tie bodies. but Providence saved their
ard hands Equally miraculous the escape
OF Colonel Rogers child and tho himself when
be recovered IRON his stupor found had sustained
only few slight scratches Tho house OF Charles J.
Roe greatly shattered well the elegant resi-
aencc Of Police Commissioner stccnkcn.
rgEAxs or rHe shock
we're indeed one In common 10 all tho
shattered houses attracted general observation.
N mi a.
walls 10 distance Of Twelve nchc-s In the midst or
tho debris be found every side every mirror stood
intact In Nc. Hcrpcnhcmcr's residence Reservoir
avenue one side o folding window swept across
the floor white the other maintained rs position The
glass remaining unbrokcn.