New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-11
KILLED IN THE AQUEDUCT.
ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE OF A BLAST.
COVERED BY TONS OF RocK-A DRILL ACROSS HIS
CUFsT

| COVERED BY TONS OF RoCK-A DRILL ACROSS HIS
CHEST.
AT cut No. on the new Aqueduct the first
serious accident which has happened since the work was
started occurred yesterday morning Two men lost
their lives and two others seriously injured, per-
maps fatally. while several badly hurt Sec
tion No is situated in that abnormally quiet little val
ley about three miles north OF Tarrytown Sleepy Hol-
low For several hundred feet the Aqueduct at this
point Is an open cut terminating at each end In tunnel
The cut has been finished the south end and about
$50 feet Of the tunnel has been completed while tho
heading has been extended about 100 feet further In
tunnel work gang blasts out what is called heading,
three four feet Of the top Of the tunnel and the second
gang follows what is called the bench and clears the
tunnel TO the required size. Yesterday morning about
IL o'clock gang OF fifteen was working In the
heading, while James Quinn, foreman, and Michael
Quinn, George Hubert Joseph Fesjna, Milton Smith,
William Vosburgh, Thomas smiddy and two Italians,
whose names could not be learned working in the
bench 100 feet the mouth Of the tunnel At this
latter point they using two compressed air dTs
one each side, and all working within few
feet Of one another. Michael Quinn had Just stopped
down to pour water in the hole that his machine was
drilling. George Hubert was holding the drill. James
Quinn sitting in tho heading just above Hubert
Milton Smith climbing up into the right side of the
heading and the other i've men were all working within
radius OF six eight feet, when suddenly there was
terrific explosion from the hole, where Quinn and
Hubert working. Every light in the tunnel was In
stanty put out by the ooncussOn The in the head
ing stunned, but reused by the cries OF
wounded and dying coming through the smoke ana
Darkness Quickly relignng their lamps, they hasened
back to the bench Michael Quinn lay dead under pie
OF rocks. George Hubert had been thrown ten feet by
the explosion and his drill weighing about 800 pounds
had been thrown after him and lay across his chest his
lace head and the upper part Of his BODY were terribly
acerated. lie still alive. Joseph Fena lay buried
beneath pile ofrock with his legs badly injured JaAcs
Quinn, who sitting right over the place OF the e1plo
siOn had been blown to the top Of the heading ana land
Cd his feet the bench without any injury whatever
Milton Smith, who climbing into the heading was
not hurt The OF tho men were all lying about I'M
der piles OF rock mbers and more OF less seriously
hurt
The injured men were removed to the neighborlng
rendering every aid in their power. An italian
after removed to the stdtOn-hOuse. lie Is not
expected Olve Joseph FeSjna was cared Tor by some
OF his country with whom he boards lie Is ddhSeT
odsly hurt. George Hubert remained conscious, suucr-
ing terribly until 2:3O p. m, when lie died Inc rest
had their wounds dressed and were soon walking about
Coroner Mitchell cmpauelled "a jury ANA began an III
yestgatiOn. II showed tnat the contractors use the
tape fuse In preparing their blasts Instead OF clcctrcy
They bore to fifteen holes, then load thcu ana
applying different lengths light them all at once,
bat the blasts are discharged short intervals enabling
the foreman the number or explosions ana see
IL they correspond with the number OF charges On
Saturday charges loaded but the one nearest
the side OF the tunnel aid not on lne supp0sl
ton Is that top this blown of by the dis
charge OK the nearest to 1t before its fuse had
reached the cap Yesterday, iu boring hole at right
angles this which had missed IRE, the dr struck
and discharged IT, throwing out several tons OF rock on
the IN front. After examining few Witnesses tho
inquest adjourned until this morning. This accident
VIII probably put end 70 visitors gong into the tun
mel Just as the explosion occurred yesterday two visit
Ors, James hilrOw and DOmnick HannOn, had entered
the tunnel They were bOth Knocked flat. KllrOw had
his new Derby hat knocked of his head and suffered
slight scalp wound They were both made deaf by the
gvu