Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-22
The American Rifemen Still Gathering In
the English Prizes
DOMESTIC NEWS.

| Frfghfful Disaster In a Tunnel.
| NEW York, July 2lst.-This morning the
caisson leading to the entrance of the Hud-
son river tunnel, constructed at Sixteenth
street, Jersey City, caved in, carrying with
it an immense quantity Of earth. Twenty
one men were buried Seven were soon after
taken out bruised, but not seriously, and the
rescuers are laboring hard to reach the re-
manning fourteen. Meanwhile water from
the river flowed in rapidly, and steam fire en-
gines were set to work to save those who
might still be alive from drowning. The
men resided in the vicinity Of the tunnel, and
a very large and excited crowd of persons
soon cons sregated.
SECOND DISPATCH.l
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE CATASTROPHE.
NEW YORK, July 21st.-It now appears
that twenty-five men lost their lives, while
eight had an almost miraculous escape. The
night gang of thirty men, including Assistant
Superintendent Woodward and two foremen,
entered the shaft at midnight, the hours of
work for this gang being from u to s. The
depth of the shaft is sixty-fve feet, and while
most Of the men were employedsat the bot
tom Of the shaft about one-third of the gang
were engaged on the brick wall of the arch
twenty-five feet higher. 1t was the latter
squad-all bricklayers-that escaped, except
two. The main arch Of the tunnel runs out
from the shaft about distance of thirty feet,
when it opens into two distinct arches that
are to form the tunnel. Through some neg
ligence of the men, it is supposed, the air
lock was not properly adjusted, and when
the process of shafting commenced the brick
wall connecting the two arches gave way and
the water rushed into the cave. Following
is the list of casualties Peter Woodland,
Assistant Superintendent; Frank Aleston,
foreman; Thomas Burns, foreman, and
twenty-five workmen perished. The Super
intendent thinks the air in the tunnel must
have escaped through the sill. He has put a
gang of 100 men to work. These will make
q new passage to the tunnel. They are not
expected to accomplish the task in less than
three days.
THIRD DISPATCH.l
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE DISASTER.
NEW YORK July 21st.-The official report
of the tunnel disaster says that 2S men were
in the tunnel when the accident occurred, of
whom s escaped and 20 were drowned. The
cause given is that probably the men did not
watch the brick wall of the working shaft as
closely as they shoull. The accident will
stop work for three weeks. There are no
other points in the official report not already
covered. When the eight men had gotten out
another workman, in trying to pass Though
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, the Assistant Super
intendent, told the men to try to get out, and
when the ninth man was fastened in the
doorway he called out to those who had es-
capped, telling them to hurry and try and get
assistance and help the rest and himself who
were left behind. He refused 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. Following is a COM
plete list of the saved: Thomas Brady, B.
McGovern, A. J. Moline, Thos. Cummings,
Christensen Vannesterand, John Doyle and
James Hayes.
FOURTH DISPATCHl
STATEMENT OF ONE OF THE RESCUED.
New YORK, July 21st.-Thomas Vannos-
trand, one Of the rescued men, said: The
main shaft is sixty feet deep, and from the
bottom of this shaft the entrance to the tun-
mel is effected through a cylindrical barrel
six feet in diameter and fourteen feet in
length. This is called an air-Iock and serves
to preserve the density of the atmosphere of
the tunnel, which in turn is secured by the
forcing of air through pipes from the pumps.
There is door in each end of this air-lock.
They both open inwardly. At each side of
the doors are round windows of thick glass,
through which from the outside Of the air-
lock view can be gained of the work and
workmen inside the tunnel. They went in at
IL o'clock last night for the eight hour shift.
l was at work near the east end of the lock
and in the west end Of the tunnel. At about
4:30 o'clock heard the bolts snap and the
braces give way. At the same time felt
rush of air on my face. / started back with
seven of the men who were near me, and ran
into the lock. The air pressure crowded the
door shut at the east end. At first it was
T.. Il L.. -, II
then the door slammed to. Through the
deadeyes we could see men inside the tunnel.
The water was fast rising.
vERITABLE HERO.
Peter Woodland, the Assistant Supeiin-
tendent, stood at the door of the outside lock,
| which was stationary. 1t would not move
with us without knocking out the dead eyes.
This would be fatal to the men outside, as
| the water would rush in and drown the men
| in an Instant. Woodland knew this, but
stood at the door. His face was CHASTITY white,
| and he realized the terrible danger. He said
| to mo, Tom, quick burst the dead eyes
| and do what you can for u.s." knew it was
death to us all if did not, SO 1 obeyed the
order. As the glass broke the air rushed in
and the lock shot out in the main shaft, leav.
| ing the men to drown, as the space occupied
by the shift filled with water in an instant.
We were wholly stripped of our clothes.
When we crawled out 1 heard rush
of water at our back. It filled
in fast, but the obstruction kept it
back long enough for US to escape from the
main shaft. 1t was all we could do to save
ourselves. Woodland was standing in water
up to his waist when / saw him. 1t was q
sure death, and / | ad to knock out the dead
eyes, as / told you. He knew as well as
that it was all over with them. shall never
forget the look on bis face or the sound o.