Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-20
BLOWN TO PIECES.
THE AIR FILLED WITH FRAGMENTS or
HUMAN BODIES.
Fearful Work Of Dynamite on n New York
Raiiway-Twenty Killed Others
Likely 60 Die.
IBy telegraph to the DIspatch.l

TARRrrowS. N. Y, May ia gang of
Italians were working here preparing the
tracks and making some Improvements on
the road. A freight-car containing large
quantity of dynamite stood upon side
track not far from the depot. The Italians
were working upon the track. Suddenly
an explosion was heard that shook the
ground like an earthquake and tore up
everything about. The air was filed with
flying debris and the fragments of human
bodies, which soon came down like a pat
ter OF hail-stones. People a block OF were
thrown 70 the ground by the conclusion. Glass
was broken In the windows OF houses two or
three hundred yards away. When the smoke
cleared away there was
sIoKRSSG SPECTACLE.
Thirty-one men, principally Italians, lay upon
the ground The car was nowhere TO be seen.
Portions OF the trucks we're thrown hundred
feet away. Not even the heavy iron wheels re-
NAMED on tho track. Portions OF tho track and
the road-bed were blown away and great hole
was dug In the ground. As soon as II was known
that the danger was over n thousand people
rushed 20 the scene. when they saw the pros
trate bodies they supposed that all OF the men
had been killed, and wild rumor was started
that thirty men had been killed by the explo-
sion. Doctors came hurrying from all parts Of
the town.
II was found that only six had been killed out
right, while twenty we're wounded. Nearly all
the dead ana wounded are Italians The crowd
devoted itself 10 moving the dead and wounded
20 the depot, where they were laid out In rows
The six who were killed we're horribly mutilatcd.
They were literally blown TO pieces. The wound
ed men were shOckingy injured. Some were
minus their arms, others had their legs blown
equally horrible manner. A number OF the
wounded Will probably die. Most Of them could
speak little or no English.
KNOWN ONLY BY NUMBERS.
The Italian labOrers who worked on the road
were generally known by numbers. They are
hired by contractors who rarely know their
names when they hire them. Word was tele-
graphed 20 lonkers and a number Of physicians
hurried at once TO the spot. Among them were
POlice-Surgeon Swift and Drs. Moffett, Sherman,
and Miles. The intention was TO carry the wound
ed to 1Onkers and take them TO St J0hns and
st. Joseph's hospitals, but the doctors could get
no further than Dobb's Ferry, The track was
blocked beyond that point The hospital ambu-
lances we're waiting at the 1onkers depot Tor the
return OF the doctors with the wounded.
HOW THE THING OCCURRED.
Tho explosion occurred midway between r.
vington and Tarrytown. The Italians were eIn-
ployed In extending tho rUad-bed. They had re-
moved the dynamite from the car and placed IL
alongside Of the track. They set a blast ana the
conclusion Of the blast exploded the dynamite.
The explosion tOro everything TO pieces and to-
tally wrecked the track. Travel is entirely
blockaded between TarrytoWn and lrVingtOn.
All trains have been forced 10 come 20 stand
still each sdo Of the accident. The surgeons and
doctors are attending the wounded ON the spot
The widest excitement prevails
THE EUABER oP DEATHS INCREASED TO TWENTY.
Ldter.-The total number OF deaths from the
explosion Is now placed at twenty. Three have
died since the explosion. Ten bodies were
picked up along the track, five were taken out
no kirfa tha
Italians In a state u frightened bewilderment
were seen 70 run 20 the river and Jump In and
have not since been found. Others OF the wound
ed likely 20 die, and IL IL also probable that
the bodies have not all been found, as an eye
witness says he saw bodies blown from the car
Into the river and In every other direction. cor
rect story Of the accident is probably the one
now told
CORRECTED STORY OF TIE ACCIDENT.
An engine and one fat-car were conveying a
| load OF Italians and twenty-tour cases OF dyna-
mite, each containing 1fty pounds. The Italians
were being taken 10 n section Of tho road where
a third track was being laid. coil Of rope lay
on the front q the truck Of the engine. Just as
the train was passing Holmes Point, midway be-
tween TarrytOwn and irvington, spark from
the locomotive ignited the coil OF rope. The
moving train famed the flames, and before the
| Italians realized their danger one OF the pack
ages OF dynamite exploded. Ono man on the
| train who SAW the danger jumped from tho car
and fell under the wheels end WAS killed. A lew
others tumbled OF and saved their lives, but all
THE RxPIOsIoE PROPER.
| The next moment there was a rumbling noiso.
n dense cloud OF smoke, and flying mass shot
| up into the air. Some Of the killed and injured
| we're trainmen and not Italians. They included
| the brakemen, tlme-keepors, conductor, en'
gineer, and fireman. Some Of the injured were
taken 10 hospitals In Yonkers, and others 70 New
| York city.
The locomotive and Hat-car were blown to
| pieces, the only parts Of the engine left being
| the trucks and tender. About three minutes
before the explosion Occurrod the Chicago Limit
cd express having on board many passengers
passed this point.
FEIT PAR IN EVERY DIRECTION.
The force Of the explosion was heard and felt
| ns far down the river ns YOnkers and Spuyten
Duyvil and up the river as far IA Peekskil
Windows were broke en- Ia Irvington, Dobb's Ferry,
| and tho villages surrounding TarrytOw The
| force Of the explosion was also felt across the
river at Nyack, where buildings were shaken aud
| windows broken. In TsrrytOwn and Dobbs Ferry
many clocks In public and private buildings
were stopped.
THOUGHT 1T WAS An EARTHQUAKE.
In the high school of Tarrytown n portion OF
the coiling was knocked down and panic en-
sued among the pupils. Tho school building Wa'
| shaken violently and the scholars thought that
an earthquake had occurred. The pupils began
TO run out Of their class-rOoms and the teacher'
with difficulty prevented stampede.
SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The scene Of the accident Ia one Of tho mos
beautiful points on the bank Of the Hudson. II
is directly In front OF the house OF Richard Hoe
tho printing-press inventor, while the house o
Elliot y. Shepard and the residence OF Million
| airc Rockefeller are not far away.