New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-17
LEAPING FROM 4 BURNING BUCKET


FIVE MEN IMPERILLED BY THE EXPLOSION OF
LAMP-Two LIKELY TO DIE.
The most shocking accident that has yet
occurred on the new Aqueduct place shortly before
?. m yesterday in Shaft No. 90, at One-hundred-and-
seventy.elghth-st and Tenth-ave At that time the
shifts change and ths night force 60 down
to relieve the gang that have been working
all day, taking with them freshly filled
lamps to illuminate tho tunnel At this point the
mining operations carried on at the depth OF I2o
feet and the lot down IN the Iron bucket USED
for hostng rock from the tunnel The bucket 10 sus-
pended by wire cable which passes around drum aud
10 boised by steam winch
Five got into the bucket, and each carried with
him gasoline lamp similar to those used by street ped
lers nighthose fiat lamps resembling an army can
teen with about four feet OF gas pipe
and an arm to which fs fixed Durner'
These lamps hung up at convenient places In 'no
shaft and tunnel and give light almost equal to gas
Tho men were william OTooe, age twenty-five.
q native OF Cape Breton, John Sullivan, aye
twepty-seven Michael O'Bren. age twenty yseven;
white men, and Brant White, age thrtyfour. and John
sholer age thirty colored The lamps were lighted and
deposited in the centre OF the bucket The men had
accomplished one.half OF tho descent into the
shaft when sholer kicked against ono OF
the lamps, exploding II, and INC
was converted into cauldron OF seething flame ln
the midst Of which the poor a. heard by
rang bell pull the bucket back The men were
SEssroa %,s their witn agony sG' amo.s mmedste after
explosion the negro Wnite Jumped out , OF s tne
plunging head first down 10 the rocky hoor anu
Sullivan followed him. These two escaped seri,us Durns.
but White terribly mangled by his fall Mesn%he %
the bucket was the crazed Their
clothing was burned of OF them aud unable longer 10
endure the torture they jumped from the h.nns ui,
bucket, which arrived at the top empty Wnen mni.e
and sullivan jumped they were about SIX Ieet
bottom OF the shaft. The others leaped greater ds-
Thar Oath preI
render assistance the fellows. whose erosns aud
shrieks were plainly heard Tho blazing bucket was
sttnted and Foreman McGinty and two
to bring up the Victims.
sented The men lay struggling In a heap, H,e tneir
clothing smoudering. and their bodies bieealnS
walls OF the shaft They were placed In tile Ducxet anu
raised the surface. willing hands carried Ihen
nH na tine eooo patrol from the Thirty second
Precinct ana the ambulance from manhattan tau
.Ss saoe cose. 'Ds sA Of Of
and his hands and face and body were horribly
wDte was thought to be dead but revived aud may
live His right thigh fractured and his skull Is prop
ably fractured OTOoles back and neck were Dsuy
burned and he sustained internal injuries The skin
was entirely peeled from OBrens stomach, tnishs and
scarcey ss lq' Injured is by hi. a and being
ea s Wa, Va abe to- 20 home to High Bridge White
taken to Manhattan Hospital, at one 'hunareu-anu'
thirty secOnd' and e in' thhsr RsS IN the
ambulance Dr. Hathaway. the house physician dressed
but their suffering. we're terrible and their cries AT
tracted great crowd outside the hospital "nto anu
O'Toole may die All were single men and poardea ~
Tne Aqueduct Commissioners have been considering
the adysabiity OF employing electric ligns IN pace
Of dangerous gasoline lamps. The tuid is peculiarly
dangerous In the damp depths OF the tunnels. an
nnury into the cause the accident will be made III
is SAID that the rules do permit the lamps to be
lighted until placed IN position.