Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-07-21
kilograms to The Star.
Twenty Men Killed.
THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN,
SARATOGA RACES TO-DAY.
SHOOTING AT WIMBLEDON
THE EASTERN QUESTION.
TURKEYS SIDE STATED.

TURKEYS SIDE STATED.
FRIGHTFUL DISASTER AT JER-
SEY CITY.
Cave-in at Hudson River Tunnel.
JERSEY CITY. n. j., July 21.-At O'clock this
morning the catson surrounding the deep well
leading to the entrance of the Hudson river
tunnel IN course OF construction at the foot OF
10th street, In this city, caved in Carrying with
IL an immense quantity of earth. TWenty-one
men were buried; seven were soon afterwards
taken out alive and fourteen remained under
meath. The water from the river flowed in rap
idly, and the steam fire engines were set To
work to, If possible save those who might still
De eEVe rom drowning. The workmen re-
Sa Slueu III she Iiclnlty or the tunnel, and very
large and excited crowd of persons soon con-
gregated.
How the Disaster Occurred.
me night gang OF 50 men, including Assistant
SupeIlntendent Woodland and two firemen,
entered the shaft at midnight the hours of
work for this gang being from II to O'Clock
The depth OF the shaft is Is feet, and while most
OF the men were employed at the bottom of the
shaft, about one-third of the gang was engaged
On the brick wall OF the arch, 25 feet higher. 1t
was the latter squad, who were all bricklayers
the tunnel runs out from the shaft distance OF
about 80 feet, when it opens into the two dis
1lnct arches that are TO form the tunnel.
Through some negligence of the men 1t is SUD-
posed the air lock was not prop rly adjusted
when the process OF shifting Commenced. The
brick wall connecting the two arches gave way
and the water rushed into the cave.
The Imprisoned Men.
The superintendent thinks the air in the tun-
nel must have escaped through the silt. He
has put gang OF 100 men at work to dig new
passage to the tunnel, but they will not be able
to reach there In less than three days. The
names OF the men in the tunnel are as follows:
Assistant Superintendent Peter Woodland
Foreman Frank Olston, Foreman Thos. Burns,
.ia a Eichn Dof ial-
kerWfn. Chas Nelson, VIM. F. Bagley, Andrew
jacobson, Bryan Sheridan, Chas. Stevenson, P.
Anderson, F. Burk. Mat. Mccarthy, Patrick
Collins, Michael Broderick.
Official RepOrt-Tygenty Men Killed
The following is the official report of the Hud-
son river tunnel company, ,throughtts engineers
Messrs. Speilman and Brush), relating to the
accident to the Hudson river tunnel, which Oc-
CURED at the foot OF 18th street. jersey city:
This morning: about 4:3O, 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-eight men were In the tunnel
at the time, OF whom eight escaped through the
occurred at the connection of the iron plates
with the brick wall of the working shaft which,
du,ing the changing OF the shifts was probably
Lot watched by the men as closely as 1t should
have been and the compressed air was allowed
TO escape. This compressed air is relied upon to
assist in supporting the roof, which was also
sustained by strong timber brac1ng, and escape
OF the air has always been prevented by stopping
any leaks with the waste silt. AS the roof fell
the plate closed the door of the air lock into the
tunnel, and the water rising rapidly cut or the
escape OF the 20 men who were killed. The
building OF this connecting chamber though
dl1fcult piece or work progressed until now.
The connection Of the iron plates with the
shaft was being made at the time Of the acci-
cent Work Will be prosecuted night and day
win all tne men that can be adVantageously
employed until the bodies are recovered which
Will probably take about three days. The acct
cent cent VIII probably delay the work for three
statement by One of the EscaDed
Men.
=. The following statement was made by one of
the men who escaped: After eight men had eS-
caped one man, In trying to pass through the
door leading from the a1rlock into the Tempo
rary 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.
the assistant superintendent, 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 and try to
get assistance to help the rest and himself, who
were left behind. He refused to leave himself
saying that he would stay and make every eff.
fort to get the rest out, and If 1t were not pos
slole that those who were escaping must try to
get The rest and himself out alive, If possible. -
The Rush of the Water.
The men who were rescued did not reach the
surface moment too soon, for the water rush
ed a1ter them with amazing rapidity till it
reached level within five feet OF the top of
the shaft. The survivors were so bewildered
that they seemed TO lose all presence of mind
even II assistance could be rendered to the Door
FELLOWS In the pit. Nearly all the men employed
In the tunnel lived in proximity to the works
In 18th, 14th and 18th streets, and friends and
relatives rushed to the place In most excited
frame OF mind.
Exciting and Painful Scenes.
The news Of the disaster spread like wiidttre
through surrounding oil
points immense crowds thrOnged to the scene
OF the calamity. About the fatal excavation the
aWe-struck spectators stood. A Gordon OF police
officers were stationed about the shed and en-
glne room to prevent any interference with the
iaborers at work to recover the bodies Through
the broken windows OF the Shaft house the faces
seen with anguish and they sought In vain for
forms that would never be seen again alive.
Thrilling Account Of a Narrow Es.
cape.
Thns. Van Nostrand, one Of the men rescued
in the waste lock, gave reporter thrilling
account OF bis narrow escape. He Sa q there
were Is men at work in the tunnel. They went
On at II O'Clock last for an eight-hour Shift. l
was at work near the east end OF the waste
lock, and In the west end OF the tunnel. 1t was
at about 4.9O o'clock that heard the bolts snap
and the braces give way: At the same time l
with seven Of the men Who were near me, and
ran into the waste lock. The air pressure
crowded the doors shut at the east end. At first
it was blocked by jofSt which we pulled out,
and then the door Slamed too. The lock has doors
at both ends and glass deadeyes to admit the
light Through the deadeyes we could see
the men inside the tunnel The water was |
rushing in. Peter woodland, the city assistant |
stood at The door outside the waste lock, when |
was stationary. 1t would not move with Us |
without knocking out the deadeyeS. This would |
be fatal to the men outside, as the water would |
rush Ill and drown the men in an instant. |
Woodland knew this, but he stood at the door. |
Ills face was ghastly white, and he realized |
The terrible danger. He said to me: ''Tom, |
quick! burst the deadeyeS and do what |
you can for u.s." l knew it was death |
TO us all II did not So Obeyed the order. |
AS the glass broke the air rushed in, and the |
waste lock shot out into the main shaft. leaving
the men to drown, as the space occupied by the
shaft filled with water in an instant We were
wholly stripped OF our clothes when we craWled
out. heard the rush OF the water at our back.
1t filled In fast, but the distractions kept 1t
back long enough for us to escape from the |
main shaft. It was all we could do to
save ourselves. Woodland was standing |
In the water up to his waist, when
last saw him. 1t was sure death, and had to
knock out the deadeyes, as l told YOU He
knew as well as that 1t was all over with them.
shall never forget the look on his face or the
sound Of his voice. as he told US to save our
selves though the very act was to insure his |
death.
List OF the Saved
The Following is a complete LIST OF the saved: |
Ihos. Brady, b. McGovern, A. j. Moline, ThoS. |
Grmnins, Chris Hansen, J.Van NoSrrand, John