The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-11-13
A WRECK IN MID AIR.
Workmen Killed and Injured by
Peculiar Accident.
a Car Load of Granite Falls With
Shocking Results.

The great cable used for transporting
granite blocks overhead across agulch at the
Sodom Dam on the new Croton Aqueduct
in New York broke under the strain of a
heavy load. The accident occurred over the
heads of a gang of thirty or forty Italian
| laborers, and the terrified men were in flight
when the great mass of stone and iron was
descending to the ground. Two, however,
were caught and crushed to death, their re-
mains being unrecogniZable as human bodies,
and six of their companions were injured.
some fatally, by flying pieces of granite and
wood.
The Sodom Dam is about two miles out of
Brewsters, in the village of Sodom. 1t is de.
signed to be q storage reservoir for New York
| city, and the water is to cover 1870 acres
by far the largest reservoir in that section OF
the country. The valley in which the dam
| is situated is bounded on each side by lofty
hills. The dam is to be of granite, 125 feet in
height, sixty feet wide at the top and $50 feet
wide at the bottom.
Across the valley Immediately above the
stone work was stretched the cable of wire,
four inches in diameter. 1t ran over towers
on either side and was buried deep in the hill
side with the best Of anchorage. 1t had been
| in use since the work began and was origin
ally capable of bearing weight Of ten TONS
A swinging car was arranged to run OUT
across the cable from either side. This car
was used to transport building material
granite, cement, tools, etc.-but the workmen
were never allowed to ride in it. By means
of guy rope catch could be thrown off and
the car lowered to any part of the work
A car was sent from the west side loaded
with two huge blocks of granite weighing
| two and half tons each. 1t ran as usual
until over the place at which gang OF thir-
| ty OF forty Italians were at work lay ng tho
stones.
As the car neared the men the crowd Of
spectators on the west side began to shout,
having noticed that the strands of the cable
were parting. Those near the work were
alarmed and took up the shout. The work.
men attempted to escape, but the car was by
this time over them and was descending with
lightning speed.
There was scattering for dear life and
many succeeded in escaping the falling mass,
which moment later crashed upon the
stone-work. The great blocks of granite
were splintered and the fragments flew in all
directions.
A cry or horror went up from the crowd
as they saw two of the unfortunate work
men, paralyzed with fear, throw themselves
fiat on the ground. A second afterward
horrible shower of blood, brains and splint-
cred bones was thrown out, but the sight
was mercifully almost hidden by the great
clouds of dust. Rocks were thrown among
the companions of the unfortunate men and
a number of them, with several of the on
lockers who stood fifty yards away fell
bleeding. The broken cablo squirnled like a
thing of life, and several men were struck by
it and knocked senseless.
As soon as the dust cleared away the terri
fed workmen approached the place. They
were Mortified at the spectacle. Blood was
oozing from underneath the car Derricks
were procured and the mass of stone was
lifted When the car was hauled off the
bodies were found to be crushed beyond
all resemblance to human beings. They
were left as they lay, and the wounded were
removed to temporary quarters.