The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-22
WORkMEN CRUSHED.

FOUR MEN BENEATH FALLING oIRDER OF
THE ELEVATED RAILROAD ONE or THEM
DEAD AND TWO FATALLY INJURED.
Four men were crushed yesterday beneath girder
OF the Elevated Railroad which is being constructed
in the Bowery. Ono of them, Edward MeCanan, aged
thirty -6vo, OF M las Adams street, Brooklyn
died last evening in the Chambers Street
Hospital. and Two others. Bernard Bergman
and John Robinson, arc believed to
BIO fatally injured Late last night bergman had
his left leg amputated. The accident from which
their injuries resulted occurred while they
hosting sirder. and the question is still az to
whether the accident was unavoidable or whether 1t
is to DO attributed TO criminal negligence the part
OF tho contractors.
ACCIDENT.
IL appears that contractors kellogg and Maurice
had eight men employed In the laying vi Tho orders
on The upright posts the OF part
OF the Bowery Three OF the hands were engaged In
connection with the hosting steam derrick which
was placed the completed portion OF the track,
while the i've remaining mon were situated on the
sidewalk and had charge OF the guy ropes which
trood tho movements OF the suspended girder pre-
paratory TO placing IT In Its proper position. Tho
order Is about three tons weight and requires
and dextcrous management to place II the bed
surface oil tho upright posts Attached to The
hosting derrick IL arm which extends about mid
way between the pillars. To this arm IL connected
hook through which is suspended hall inch chain
that awnings the airdcrs into horizontal POSITION
Yesterday about live were en- gagged ut this
occupation between Nos. 81 and 33 Bowcry, ana had
hoisted tho girder to It's full height when the chain
snapped ana the heavy g,rder fell, striking four OF
the men III It's Descent nJuring, II Is supposed, two
OF them fatally and iniictiLg painful and severe
wounds on the other two. Al the tune OF the dis
astcr the airder hall swung around whilc
the ends were bong got IN their proper position and
IL was placed at right angles Win the sidewalk.
About two hundred spectators were ranged around
watching the movements OF the workingmcn, and
they crowded the sidewalk in the vicinity, meanwhile
numerous pedestrians kept passing beneath tho
swinging girder.
Suddenly the crash cano and tho girder Toll trans
versey one end IN the direction OF the Ilroad TACK
aud the other directly front of Schrocder's Hotel
AT the latter place three men tugsIng
ruok guy p pep neav na bsa and U ns% %sTy
injured Their names arc Bernard Bergman, lorty
SIX years OF age, residing at No IS East THIRD street.
East Thirty -sixth street. The former was caught
under the glrder and received fatal internal INJURIES
while tho latter received scalp wound and had HIS
thigh broken. Cornelius Swecuy OF No. IS New
Bowery, who escaped with slight wound on The heel
had his shoe torn from his foot Tho wounded men
conveyed TO Chambers Street Hospital Tor surgi-
Gel treatment Tho first Two married men and
city and arrived from ST. Louis month ago. He took
lodgings Ut No So Third street Win his vie and three
ment as u workman on the Elevated Railroad.
Tho neighbors VINO reside IN the house with
the Berry MANS wnen they hoard OF the disaster
gregatcd together TO soc which OF them would consent
TO apprse poor Mrs. Bergman OF tho luiai accident
which had beiulIon her husband, but nouc OF tho
women could summon sufficient courage 10 be tho
bearer OF sucn sorrowfui tidings.
While The kindly hearted women hesitating as
10 which would 60 on this distressing mission d
with lery face and rod beard rudeiy brushed past,
assembled tho stairs and loudly knocked the door.
Receiving no answer he used his boot shaking tho
door almost oil the hinges but received response
from within. lie had 10 leave without being nd
miticd. IL turned out that he was eighborlng
dertakcr, who had heard oil the Disaster aud VINO al
lowed no sympathetic feeling to stand between HIM
and business opportunity. Whom, subsequently,
the women wero appraised OF tho Identity oil tho
known visitor they were IN their expressions
OF Indignation.
STATEMENTS woKKMES.
james Williams, OF No 346 East Eighteenth street,
was ono OF tho wUrkmuI who was pulling at tho guy
rope when the accident occurred. He gave tho follow
Ing version OF tho case . and Bcrrymu aud Robin.
son had hold OF tho uptown end OF the rope. winch
controlled the movements oil Tho swinging sirdcr IL
was twisted round The wrong way. We wanted to
reverse tho ends. and had managed to bring It
around half way with one end over the sidewalk
aud the other stretching toward the railroad track
when one Of the links OF the cham snapped,
and down the three ton weight OF
grder. was on The further end Of the rope and |
bounded back. In doing SO struck woman VINO
was passing She held chlid by the hand. In str X
| ing them threw them distance out OF harms way
otnerwsc they certainly would have been killed
THIS pont an attacbo VI tic iino came aloEg and
pcrcmptory forbade the men saying any thing 10 re-
portefs, saying I'll you give Them any Information
ut all they VIII be suro 10 make sensation out OF IL
Turning 10 tho reporter. said, II have jus come
about THIS affair: II Is only accident and NOBODY
TO blamcn