The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-12-30
AN EXPLOSION.
Dynamite Does Destructive Work
on Long Island.
Glass in Surrounding Buildings Fol
Blocks Away Shattered.


LoNG ISLAND Cry. L. l., Dec. a9.-At
o'clock Wednesday morning box Of
dynamite exploded In the shaft sunk
for the new East river tunnel, near the
junction OF Jackson and Vernon
avenues. this city. The explosion set
fire 10 The four-story b.'ielx bailding adj
joininy, and shattered every pane of
glass in the buildings for blocks around.
At o'clock nine bodies were reported
to have been taken from the shaft
A score or more persons were injured
by falling timbcrs, glass, etc. The ex-
plosion was so terrific that nearly every
building on Jackson avenue, from Fifth
street TO Borden avenue. was either de-
stroyed or badly damaged. The
structures include the post-ofiice and
Sylvester & Co.'s factory. A fire i'm
mediateiy started in the debris and Is
now burning.
At the top of the embankment where
the work was in progress Is the rear of
a row of tenemcnts Tho men took the
dynamite to this spot in the rear Of 81
Jackson avenue and almost over the
tunnel. Here the men attempted to
throw out the explosive and the catas-
trophe followed.
Among the dead are: Mary Brennan,
aged 35; Henry 0,Brien, grocer Of 90
jackson avenue; Edward Hopkins, %
years old, restaurant keeper; Mrs. Roc
co, Italian, % jackson avenue.
The injured so far as known are:
Mary Grevy, skull crushed and internal
injuries, will die; Edward Dssaney. %
West Third street. ago IS, skull fraesa
turcd and probably fatally injured; un-
known Italian, fractured skull, man
gled beyond recognition, can not re-
cover.
Henry OBrien was killed while sit
| ting near the yyipdowsof III home Rfty
| feet from Ill1 sd6fesDf the eHplOsior.
The house was shattered and an ava
lanehc Of broken glass from large mir
ror fell over him Pieces aef glass
pierced his throat scvering the juglar
vein, and he bled to death.
Foreman John McAttlec was inter-
| nally injured and may die-in fact, all
OF the injured will probably die. -.
All Of the tenemcnts and large por-
i ton Of the tunnel work were wrecked.
| The long Island City post office, nearly
opposite the plaeewhere the work was in
| progress, was badly wrecked. The scene
| following the explosion was terrible
1 Men, women and children emily partinl-
/ " clad, rushed wildly from every pos
sible exit in the greatest excitement,
screaming loudly. The district where
the explosion occurred Is the most
thiclsly inhabited section Of the city
For half mile jackson and Vernon
avenues presented peculiar sight
| Hardly an unbrolSen pane OF glass
could be found within that radius.
Gray's refrigerator factoryon Fourth
street, opposite the scene Of the esplo-
sion, was almost completely wrecked.
/ A number Of people were at work in
i the building at the time, but how many
of them were injured it is not at pres
i emit known.
At noon the fire was still raging in
4 the ruins The fire department seemed
totally inadequate to cope with the sit
uation.
1 The cupalo of st. Mary's Catholic
church on Vernon avenue and Fifth
street was smashed into pieces by the
conclusion.
Work on the tunnel has been pro-
i crossing about two months. The city.
1 II is said, has been warned time and
again of the danger attending the
work. but no action was taken for the
protection Of the residents Of the neigh
borhood against disaster Of Wednes-
days character. -
The flames werezgot under control
II in the afternoon.