Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-07-22
A HERO AND A MARrYR.


Elsewhere in the account of the terrible
tunnel accident at Jersey City yesterday
mention is made of the bravery Of Peter
Woodland, who was in charge Of the work
men there. 1t seems, by other accounts
Of the affair, that he met his death with
the courage of hero and the firmness of
martyr. OF the twenty-eight men at
work fourteen had been out for lunch and
the others were about to go had the lat
ter delayed minute the accident would
not have happened. for the fatal leak,
which was discovered just too late, might
easily have been stopped if discovered in
time. As they stood together, just at the
moment Of shifting, y peculiar kissing
sound was heard with which all were IA
miliar. 1t meant leak, and leak meant
death.
''Back, and stop the leak ~ shouted
Woodland, and the order was Obcyed al
most before it was given, every man
springing ut once to the place Of extreme
danger. Every man went to work to stop
the leak with his life in his hand.
The rift that one man could have stopped
at the right moment was now wide enough
for the foul current Of corruption and
death to flow in from the river bottom, and
the only safety was in flight. Between the
spot where they were and the open air there
were two locked doors, only one OF which
could be opened at once. The little rift
above them became chasm. The COM
pressed air escaped until there was NO
longer pressure enough from within
to maintain the portion Of untinish-
ed work. 1t broke, and water and
mud closed in around them. Tho electric
light by which they worked was extin-
guished. All was darkness. Even flight
had in moment become doubtful prob
lem. Woodlands quick order to work
had come too late, and he called the re-
treat as promptly as he ordered the ad-
vance. "Quick, boys, get into the lock.
he shouted, and instead of passing in
among the first he stood by the door help
ing one after another in.
Eight men passed. They were not yet
safe. II the others could get in and the
inner door of the lock could be closed before
them was falling by that time) should
block the way they would be almost safe.
But as the ninth man was entering the
lock the awful weight of the mud and
water fell against the door, pinning him
so fast that nothing could have freed him
in time.
The door was fast. One man was fas-
tened in the doorway between the other
and their last chance of life. The
eight in the lock were thus almost lost, for
there was no longer chance to close the
inner door and the flood was on them.
Swiftly the water rushed into the lock, the
flood rose knee deep where they stood, and
the air was compressed by all the pressure
Of the rise above them in the little cham
Der, the door of which was securely
against them. They could not
open this door nor could they break it
from the inside. But in the lock were two
dead lights of massive glass, eight inches
in diameter, and these the men knew were
to be broken rs last resort. Woodland
called on them to keep cool and rs lie
stood quietly by the door he inspired them
with courage. Poor Anderson, crushed
by the door, called for help and three
OF the men caught him by the hair and
neck and pulled but every movement was
agony to the man. and he walled piteously
to be let alone. As the water rose Wood
land ordered the eight to stop the crack
of the door which shut off communication
between them and him and destroyed his
last hope. They hesitated he repeated tho
brave order. The men stripped, packed
the crack of the door with their clothes.
and the portion that AndcrsOn's body did
not fill was closed and the rapid increase
of the water checked.
Through the bulls eye one Of the men
saw Woodland and the dim figures of
their fellow wOrkmcn behind him. lie
shouted the order: "Brcak open the
bulrs-cye.' They hesitaied for they knew
it was sure and sudden death to him. lie
saw them pause and his order again came !:
" Knock out the bulls eye knock it out.
l say ;" and then the stern voice faltercsl
q little, rs lie added land do what you
can for the rest of u.s."
Blow upon blow fell on the thick glass.
and was answered from the outside by two
men who had by this time arrived with
crOwbars. The glass flew out and the cold
air rushed in. Michael Birlsall, q watch
man, and Michael Hurley, u labOrer,
braced themselves on the outside and
the door little; then the
frcnzied men on the inside GOr the water
was bubbling about their shoulders now
caught the iron edge and pulled with all
their strength: Tho door flew open and
with the rush of air came the rush Of
water. Eight naked men were hurled into
the working shaft and, together with the
two rescuers, they hurried up the ladder to
the ground. Behind them, beneath the
water that boiled and scethel i'm the early
morning light, were the bodies Of their
nineteen comrades and the hero, Wood
land.
II A : '