The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-16
lsex York rier,la re.lerdar. /


4 New York Herald yesterday
A.peemliar and painful accident happened
Yesterday morning between and 3
O'Clock on the Long Beach branch OF the
Long Island road at East Rockaway. by
which about thirty Italian lab0rers came
near being hurled to instant death. As u
was, sixteen were injured; one had his arm
irightfully manglcd and the rest were more
or less injured. The accident occurred
directly opposite a reservoir which IL In
course OF being built by the Long Beach
Improvement Company for the pur-
pose OF supplying water to the new
Long Beach Hotel and the adjacent
cottages. On this work some forty
men were employed and two derricks
were used for the purpose OF lilting out
the sand TO make the well for the Dick
made reservoir. The services OF these DER
ricks were discontinued last week, and one
Of them was removed and the other was in
process OF removal when the accident hap
nened. The shaft OF this derrick stood
about twenty-five feet high. and bad gafl
of about tn same length. 1t was steadled
In IFS place By four guy-ropes made OF wire,
and one OF these extended across the rail-
road track TO the fence on the opposite side.
Sixteen men, under charge OF Gangmaster
John LAWYER, were occupied In the work
Of taking down their last derrick
when gravel train from PearsalPs station,
going at the rate Of twelve miles an
hour. came along. On this train, when
consisted of six trucks, was gang OF about
thirty.fyc Italian Iaborers, who were en-
poyed by the COMPANY to do the work OF
grading the road. AS the train passed In
front OF the stilI-standing derrick, the WIRE
rspe which was being lowered, though 1t
successfully passed over the smoke-stack,
struck the whistle behind IL and bent 1t
over. The check pulled the four men who
were holding the end OF the guy-rope clean
through the fence, thus allowing it to slack
down, so that when the fourth car OF the
train passed under it. struck the men Sit
ting on either side OF it, and swept them
of like chaff In succession 1t cleared on
the occupants OF the fifth and sixth ears,
throwing them on either side OF The track,
where they fell in dszed though not &C.
riousIy-injured condition.
A CASE OF SERIOUS INJURY.
One among them, however, was whipped
off TO the rear OF one OF the cars and
dropped on the track between the wheels,
which passed over bis arm, mangling 1t
fearfully. Prompt attention was given TO
the sufferers by their fellow-laborcrs work.
inc on the reservoir. A doctor employed
by the company arrived in twenty-five min
utes AFTER the occurrence, and directed the
removal of the victims to Bellevue Hospl-
taI. This was done; but it was discovered
when the suffering men reached Jamaica
that they did not come within the jurisdic.
ton OF New York, and il was concluded To
take them TO Brooklyn, where they were
sent TO st. Peters, the Brooklyn City, Long
Island College, and st. Catharine's Hos
pltas.
rye omit seventeen names
Michael Mucio, diminutive Italian,
when accOsted by the reporter, raised his
head, and pointed to an ugly wound under
his chin. lie said be had been working on
the railroad for about a week, and was one
OF those who were on the last truck OF the
gravel train. He thought that there were
about tbirty-fve liborers in all on the tram,
which was running pretty fast as they
approached East Rockaway. His attention
was first attracted by some OF the men
shouting, and in looking toward the engine
he saw the stav-lne sweeping the trucks,
and the men falling off on both sides. Be
fore he could have time TO think he was
caught under the chin by the iron guy. and
although it's touch seemed 70 burn him like
a hot iron, be succeeded in keeping himself
in the sand, and thus escaped being thrown
off.
CONDITION OP Tue WOUNDED.
Miss Fanny Pearsall, the barmaid at the
ancient Long Beach Hotel, opposite which
the accident occurred, said &" Those Italians
around here are fools, anyway. They jump
on and of the trains as il they didn't care
whether they were killed or not. The first
we knew OF anything wrong we heard the
shouts and cries OF the men. Then the
wounded ones were brought here In the
shade OF the house, and some OF them were
pretty badly hurt, tell you. l saw many
OF them with cut heads and arms, aud they
were all covered with blood. One OF them
had bis arm all smashed to pieces, and be was
crying and talking like baby. In little
while after a doctor came and fixed them up
with bandages, and then the poor fellows
were taken away to the hospital. The
gravel train was running pretty fast at
the time-indeed, never saw it running so
fast before. IL ran more than hundred
yards before it could come to standstill
after the accident. But it is my opinion
that the most OF the Italians who halooed
were more scared than hurt"
William Lewis, young man residing at
Flushing, said: 81 was at East Rockaway |
a minute or so after the accident took place |
From all could learn, it was evidently the
fault Of the derrick-men, who should have |
8 faeged' the gravel train. You see those |
Italians were all sitting with their backs to |
the engine, and didn't have chance to get |
out OF the way OF the rope. There were |
two brakeman on the train, and when they |
saw the rope coming one OF them jumped |
of and the other dropped down and buried
himself in the sand. | saw The men when |
they were picked up, and some OF them
were badly used up"
John Lawler. the gangmaster, said "We
were just in the act OF taking down the der
tick when the train came along. There
were four men standing across at the other
,ide of the track holding on to the guy
rope, and we had hope that the train
would pass underneath without touching.
The rope went safely over the sm0kestack,
md then unfortunately it struck the top OF
he whistle, and this pulled it out OF the
bands OF the boys who were holding it,
pulled them through the fence, and down
t went and struck the Italians in the sand
.ars. II was nothing but au accident, aud
nobody can make anything more out OF it.
These Italians were very little hurt, except
me man. did my best for them and all
hose around me, but it strikes me they
we're more frightened than hurt. About
me or two OF them suffered. hut the rest
u them are able TO 20 to work."
General Beauregard's Denial.