Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-05-20
DYNAMITE DISASTER
Terrible Explosion on the New
York Central Road.
Is MEN KIILED-27 INJURED
Tho Mangled Remains of the Victims
Scattered Along the Roadbed.

Many OF the Killed and Injured Were
ItalIans-The Railroad Track Burrowed
for Yards-The village Of Tarrytown
shaken as by an Earthquake-Horribl
scenes where the Explosion Occurred.
TARRYTowN, N. Y, May 20.-At IL q
m work train ON the Hudson River
Railroad was blown 10 atoms, one mile
and a half below Tarrytown, by an ex-
plosion of dynamite in transportation for
blasting purposes in track construction.
There were probably S8 men, including
italian laborers and train men, on board.
or these IS were Instantly killed and 10
terribly torn and wounded. Many OF the
dead were blown into the river.
The train was In charge of Conductor
Connors and the gang Of men under
Jerome Disston as boss. The dynamite
was all stored on the first of the four fiat
cars composing the train. It consisted
of "a cases, and each case contained 90
pounds, making grand total of 1900
pounds Of the terrible explo i've.
The Explosion was Terrific.
The force of the explosion was terrific.
The ground trembled as though from an
earthquake, the walls of several larry
Town HOUSES WGEG Suhhch anu CI6CkCUy
and in the Tarrytown streets the window
glass fell in showers to the sidewalk.
In Tarrytown scores of clocks stopped,
and it is in this way that almost the ex-
act hour of the explosion, 11:20, is fixed.
A spark from q passing engine is believed
to have caused the explosion. !.
An Awful Sight.
A terrible sight presented itself to
those who hurried to the scene of the
awful accident. The ground as far as
could be seen was covered with debris.
The track was torn up for space of 600
feet, and the rails were bent into all
kinds of shapes. Dead faces and mutt
lated bodies looked mp at one from all
directions. The engine was blown out Of
all semblance of an engine, and the ten
der was blown half way into the river
Bringing In the Victims.
Then began the awful work of bring
ing in the dead and wounded. Men
were found dead hundred yards away
from the track, while others were found
in the excavations made by the deadly
explosive. The wounded were suffering
from most horrible mutilations, in many
Instances arms and legs being torn of,
heads bruised and bodies bleeding. The
scene reminded old soldiers of scenes af-
ter bloody battle during the civil war.
{ Ing ucdu duu 4ujuEOA MGHS CO1tCJCu - w
the Tarrytown depot, where the injuries
of the wounded were looked after by a
score of physicians, who had been hur-
riedly summoned from all directions.
The injured were afterwards taken to
different hospitals. s-..
Removing the Dead.
The dead were removed to Vanderbilt's
morgue in Tarrytown. Ten of those
killed were picked up along the track
and five were taken from the river. Three
of the injured removed to the depot died
shortly after reaching there. 1t is be-
lieved that there are still two more bodies
in the river, and this would bring the to-
tai number of killed up to 20. From
later reports received from the scene of
the accident, it would seem that instead
of 83 men being on board the Inflated
train, the number was nearer 90.
The following is a partial list of the
dead and wounded, whose dead or man
gled bodies have been recovered. The
names of the Italians cannot be ascer-
tanned, as the were only known by num-
bers: .. ..-.. ,ssa.- -.. ~ -4s
John Mccarthy, timekeeper, of North
Tarrytown, Frank Morrissey, who had
Brakeman John Smith; fifteen Italians,
names unknown. @
-~ The Injured. -
George Herrick, engineer, severely
bruised. e1, "a. - q. s
Leo Pau, fireman, of Stattsburg, N. Y,
burned and bruised. XIX
Conductor Connors, of East Albany,
slight wounds ON the head. -.
Ed. Finneg&, laborer, bruised from
| head to foot. s. 49, 81
John Fisher, brakeman of Croton, seri
| ously injured in head and body.
Mike Mccormack, foreman of the gang,
seriously hurt. r. ..s-----ze. --- IT,.
Tom Finnegan, blacksmith's helper,
probably fatally burned. -
| The others injured were Italians whose
names could not be learned, but accord
ing to the best information obtainable
there were 81 in all.