The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-07-30
TELEGRAPHIC.
A Fearful Aceident.-Twenty-o Men Bur
Ia AIfrl

with it an immense quantity of
earth and burying twentY-one men. |
Seven were soon after taken out, badly |
bruised but not seriously injured, and |
rescuers were working hard to reach the |
remaining fourteen. Meanwhile the |
water from the river flowed in rapidly, |
and the steam fire engines were set 10 |
work to save those who might still be |
alive from drowning. Wnrkmen who |
resided in the vicinity of the tunnel |
and very large and excited crowd of
persons soon congregated.
The following is the official report of
the Hudson River Tunnel Co, through |
engineers Spellman and Brush:
This morning about 4 80, while the
men were changing shifts, that portion
of the iron roof adjoining the shaft of
the connecting chambers between the
two tunnels and the sinking shaft fell in
Twenty weight men were in the tunnel at
the time of whom eight escaped through
an air lock and twenty were killed. The
accident occurred at the connection of the
iron plates with the brick wall of the
working shaft, which, during the chang
ing of shafts, was probably not watched by
the men as closely as it should have
been, and the compressed air was
allowed to escape. The compress
ed air is relied upon to assist in sup
porting the root, which was also sus-
tanned by strong timber bracing, and es-
cape of air has always been prevented
by stopping any leaks with waste silt.
AS the roof fell Plat closed the door of
the air lock into the tunnel, and the wa
ter rising rapidly, cut off the escape of
twenty men, who were killed. The
building of this connecting chamber,
though difficult piece of work, progress
ed until now. The roof was all in posi-
ton and securely bOlted. The cOnnec
ton of iron plates with the shaft was be-
ing made at the time of the accident.
The work will be prosecuted night and
day with all the men that can be advan-
tageously employed until all the bodies
are recovered, which will probably take
about three days. The accident will
probably delay work for three weeks.
The following statement was made by
one of the men who escaped: After
eight men had escaped, one man, IN try
ing to pass through the door leading
from the air lock into the temporary
chamber of the tunnel, was jammed in
the doorway, and despite the efforts OF
those ahead, could not be brought out, as
the door closed upon him and held him
| fast. Peter Woodland, assistant super
| intendent, told the men to try and get out,
and when the ninth man was fastened in
the doorway, called out to those who had
| escaped, telling them to hurry up and try
and get assistance to help the rest and
himself who were left behind. He re-
fused to leave himself, saying he would
stay and make every effort to get the rest
out, and if it were not possible, then
those escaping must try to get the rest
and himself out alive.
Immediately after the accident word
was sent to the police station in Jersey
| 4 Er,lu,ADIsa.,
to the scene with five of his men and
| kept back the crowd of men and women
Ropes were stretched from point to
point. a large throng of men and boys
gathered at the scene as soon as the news
spread abroad Many of them were at
tracted by mere curiosity, but among the
throng were the wives and friends of the
men who were caught IN the tunnel and
drowned.
When full details of the calamity were
known it was found that these men were
drowned and buried beneath seventy fee
of earth, and that it would be impossi
BILE to recover the bodies for two or three
days. Many of these women were lee
to their houses by their sympathizin!
friends, but the curiosity seekers remain
, ed, and their number constantly increas
ed. Two Catholic priests arrived on tn
scene and did much to quiet and console
the sorrowing women. The crowd wa
very orderly and the police had n
trouble in keeping them outside of tn
! line.
NEW YORK, July Ga Last nigh
while the workman were putting tn
t cylinder end of the pump in pOsitio
: over the shaft of the Hudson river tuI
q mel, the cylinder fell from the beams o.
. which it rested into the shaft, in conSt
: | Of xxrhieh tho vunrly had I.
e suspended until adiver could go dow
f the shaft and find the cylinder. 1t bein
impossible to get diver before thi
morning, no work was done after
last night. At this morning, JoSep
I Warmborg, diver, went down tn
n shaft, and at found the cylinder, whe
y work was Immediately commenced I
put it in position. The officers of I'll
II company state that the cylinder end wi
:, be placed in position soon and the waite
i taken out late in the afternoon. whe
q the bodies will be reached.
!. State Convention OF the Colored Men
Illinois.
y SPRINGFIELD, July 21.-The first sta
d convention of colored men ever hel
2 in Illinois, met at the state house Z
day, pursuant to call recently issue
with 1875 delegates present from ditfe
81 ent parts of the state. John G. Jone
l. of Chicago, was made temporary chat
.s man and the usual committees were a
- pointed. Addresses were then made
Rev Henry Brown and Rev. n. j. NJ
a. Cracker, of Springfield, and s. ii. Hu
d son, of NATION. At the afternoon Sc
re sion, John q. Jones, OF Cook count
7, was made permanent chairman, and
:, committee was appointed to invite Go
IL Cullon and Secretary of State Harlo
70 I Ill 81, in
of The committee on resolutions presents
e. its report as follows:
10 WHEREAS, The colored citizens of {
state of Illinois have met in conventi'
pursuant 10 call to take into consider
lion the various interests of our race, a
lay out plans for future action by whi'
we can better secure proper recognize
- therefore
le ResOlpsd, That at this momentnus I
u litical crisis, fraught with grave a
10 wcighty consequences, it is just a
III proper that all classes of citizens gi
gu some expression of their sentiment
IN relation to the several political part
IN presenting themselves before the vote
~ for their suffrage.
q Res0tUed, That as colored men W
is' have emerged from the condition
10 slavery to enfranchised citizens throu
a a the agency of the Republican party, a
~ all rights and privileges exercised a
ct enjoyed have been secured by Reput
Is, can legislation, independent of acqui
OF cence or support from the Democrat
L party, we hereby re-aflirm our devoti
vi to said party and pledge il our hea
oi. and unanimous support in the pres
NJ campaign.
4u ResOlUed, That we recognize in
lar candidates of the Republican party,
81 tional and state, that craftsmanship a
patriotism which is so essential to Ii
who are called to the incumbency
es- such high and important functio
III that their past services in time of pc;
an as well as war are sIch as TO CONNIE
= them to our nations defenders and p
raj tectors, irrespective of party, and,
10 WHEREAS, 1t has been charged &
as currently reported that this convent
,oI had been called in the interest of I
he Democratic party, therefore
nj ResOlBed, That We disclaim any iHt
; a tion or purpose to give aid OF confor
cv the Democracy, either by thought, d
IA or action. but on the contrary recogn
mo- in it life long enemy to the neg
9t seeking while IN power to perpetu
nat his degeneration, and since out of p
1at er TO hinder and retard his elevation
in il has not vet exhibited that repente
ave which inspires confidence in parties
his wen a. uifiuuaiS' anu VIC VII OOnti
ire, 10 Watcn II WIN suspicion anu urea
lin as deadly poison.
nee Pending action on the report,
NE convention adjourned until 10 a. IA,
on, morrow; 60.
ned DENVER, July 21-Hon. r.
ich Thompson, secretary of the Navy, de
e s cred a speech here last night. tie I
ev- a letter from General Hancock, write
Hon. S, T. Glover, at st. Louis, July
1868, endorsing the platform and Ca
dates of the Democratic party that V
which platform declared thai all the
stitutional amendments, the enfranch
is a ment OF the negroes and the entire W
af recommendation xyara mil and y