New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-01
KILLED IN THE AQUEDUCT.
THROWN FROM BUCKET IN LUCKY
SHAFT

AI""inLh fALL oF FIVE MEN-FATAL RESULT 10
Two-DEATH OF AN ITALIAN AT No. T.
Shaft No. "a, of the new Aqueduct, is about
500 feet north OF High Bridge and b,en In course OF
every other shaft this part Of the Alueduct accidents
have been frequent and the workmen have had many
narrow escapes from DEATH until yesterday there had NOS
been any mishaps at shaft "a, and 1t had become Q
favorite spot with the workmen. SO that Z
had been called by them Lucky Shaft" rs
order to lessen the possibility OF the workma
being injured printed rules posted up aroual the
shaft entrance In prominent places.
One OF these rules directs the riding up aud
down the shaft In the bucket to into 1t an not stand
upon the rim This bucket il four aud Onehalf feet i'd
diameter and about the depth II is rked by
hosting engine aud drum at the top Of the shaft aud 10
attached to wire cable inch n diameter 1t Is pru-
cpaly used to remove tho stone and dirt from the
tom OF the shaft to the surface, where It 10
loaded upon car cart. This shaft
Is about IT'S feet deep aud IS nearly square shape be.
Ing about twelve feet long aud feet wide the top
Toward the bottom gradually increases 10 sze This
opening is made much smaller by heavy timber staging,
which is built all sides of within about afty
feet Of the bottom Four heavy twonch pipes from
the air engine which is the to the shaft and
carry compressed air to the drills below There is also
another pipe through which the water that
into tho shaft is forced out These pipes
behind tho staging down to the
aud hang loose in the shaft down to the bottom.
When the eight who the rock drills stood In
the engine house yesterday morning. Thomas Murphy.
the foreman told them to be careful and to get into the
bucket and not stand on the rim and when they came
up to divide the gang aud only four up at time.
After receiving their instructions they jumped into tho
bucket and singing merri!y down into the depths
below. They worked away at the drills In the
hickering lights OF the lamps In their caps until
noon, the dinner hour, when they quit work and
started for the bucket every one being anxious TO get
there first They scrambled burriedly into the bucket.
but there hardly room to take them all up at
once. and they had frequently all gone up together
when standing up the rim and holding fast to the bail
and cable they got into this position, and one OF them
seized the signal rope and gave two short pulls Ths
bucket gave q sudden start and then moved slowly up
ward They had gone only about twenty feet from tho
bottom when became evident that the weight of tho
properly distributed and the bucket tppedto
side and began sway The moved around so a.
to balance It, This they partially succeeded In doing.
but swayng motion increased and the merry shouts
Of the workmen stopped and they stood in silence
clinging firmly TO their hand rests.
On they came slowly upward. Every time the buckes
swayed the ridges Of the shaft Their
heads we're turned upward and the dim lights from their
head lamps penetrated the darkness few feet above
They knew their danger and ono Of them whispered:
1T would better to split the gang in two"
They we're swinging that they could touch the side
of the shaft with their nanur .~ot que VI the mou
moved a hairs BREADTH and they held fast with
the grip of death The staging oomed out above their
heads and the dim light brought 1t plainly TO vews
Tin" Harrington exclaimed IN an agonized whisper;
"My God! Boys. We cannot clear the timber"
Every mans heart stood still They we're facing
death Some remembered tho signal rope and tried To
null it, but it out OF the reach OF the swinging
bucket and effort to catch II made the bucket swing
faster Just before the bucket reached the staging:
when all the would have been crushed to atoms ~
gave sudden lurch toward the manifold where tue air
pipes are attached. The bucket tipped quickly,
swung in among the heavy pipes s,id ana
CRY headong to the bottom about sixty Feet peow
They fell in heap. William Cunningham, age thirty
Ave OF High Bridge Instantly killed. being terribly
%ansed %Ssy rsesScd
compound fracture OF the skull. and was injured
Internally John Carr, age thirty-sx, OF sedgwckave'
and william Ryan, age twentyfour. OF iigh Brldge'
struck on their feet They broke their fall by franc'
ally seizng air pipes but they could not hold fas
Of stones, and Carrs left thigh. was fractured;
the beirope and broke aud the engineer stopped tho
bucket Receiving no further signal ne started u up
again After the fell out the bucket was swung
around against the rocks and owen Hayes was thrown
his companions were hoisted up they could see him
dan Cling In the air When the bucket reached the Top
Foreman Murphy jumped into Il ard descended
10 the bottom OF the shaft. Then tue ehasty
way down he found Hayes hanging with the grip OF
death TO the rope He took him into the buckles
and with his help put the dead man and wounded ones
into the car. They were drawn TO the SURFACE ah sm
balance was summoned and the injured men were taken
10 the Niney-ninth Street Hospital Harrington dlen
soon after taken there. Cunninghams Dody was
removed TO the morgue The other men VIII recover.
Antonio Maava age thrty-nv an Italian iaporer az
shaft No 7 of new Croton Aqueduct In the town o!
Mt Pleasant struck on the head aud instantly Keo
in the morning by heavy piece OF falling timber.