Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-29
THAWED OUT DYNAMITE
Terrible Explosion at Long
Island City.
Five People Killed and Scores
Seriously Hurt.
Buildings Shaken Down and De-
v0ured by Flames.
Window Panes Broken for Many Blocks
Around-An Awful Panic Created
by the observation-disclosures
the Cause.

LONG ISLAND Cry, l.. L., Dec. 2S. =
just in the rear of row OF tenementl
numbered from 81 to 20, Jackson ave
nue., is the entrance to the tunnel thai
the New York City and Long Islanc
Tunnel company is putting under tht
East river between this city and the
New York Central depot. The dyna
mite ussd in blasting froze last night
and when the men started to work this
morning they tried to thaw the dyna.
mite out. Taking three barrels Of dy.
Mantle they placed it behind one of the
tenements and built roaring fire be-
side it, and the fire and dynamite were
left alone while the men went down the
tunnel shaft. The fire burned nearer
the dynamite than had been euppos ed
1t would, and at O'Clock there was q
terrible explosion that scattered death
and destruction around it.
The shock was like an earthquake.
The men in the tunnel were not hurt,
but the persons living in the tenements
made up the list of killed and injured.
The tenements we're scattered. The
postoffice is No. ~. and the letter cases
were wrecked into strips and the clerks
hurled among the debris.
Immediately after the crash wave of
fire swept through the lower part of the
tenements, cutting off all possible escape
through the entrance. Some of the ten
ants managed to crawl to windows, and
made their escape that way. The ex.
plosion was heard all over Long Island.
Large plate glass windows were shat
tered as Jar away as four blocks from the
scene. Across the street doors were
blown off their hinges, counters over
turned and persons knocked eenseless.
Scores of persons were injured this way.
When the excitement had somewhat
abated, prompt search was made for
the unfortunate, resulting as follows:
Dead-Mary Grayden, Henry O'Rrien.
Mrs. Rocco, John Hopkins, Nicola Lo-
dano.
Partial liet of the wounded: Mrs.
Julia Henry. cut in the throat and head
and hands by glass and received &C.
we're shock. Peter McEntee, head legs
and arms terribly injured; several
bones broken. Mrs. Henry Herr,
cut about the head and arms.
Daniel Maher cut about the head
and body and lost his left eye.
Mary Creighton lost an eye and was
terribly cut about the head; will prob
ably die. Edward Delaney, skull frac-
tured and both eyes injured will prob
ably die. Peter Rocco, cut about the
head and body. Joseph Way, back
punctured. Minnie Davren, serious in.
juries to head and body. John Davren,
cutabout the head and face. John w.
Dacren, cut about the head and bands.
Miss Matilda Ryan, cut about the head.
John Purcell, seriously injured by fall
ing timbers. William johnson, cuts
and bruises on the head and body.
James Murphy, cuts on the head.
Mrs. Mary Rogers and son John, both
badly cut about the head; Max Hayes,
seriously cut on back of head; Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Wildey, cut on head; Mrs.
Kate O'Brien, face and hands cut !;
William Krepp, head badly cut; John
Palmer, head and hands cut; Mrs,
Stein and daughter, 3 years old, both
seriously cut and the child lost one eye !;
Alderman James Comiskey, head cut.
1t is now Maid that the postmaster
saved all the valuable letters in the
office. Directly opposite the scene Of
the explosion was row of tenements
occupied by 15 families. Every apart
ment was wrecked, and the debris i'm
mediately caughtfire from an overturned
stove. The scene following was terrible.
Partially clad men, women and children
rushed wildly from every possible exit,
screaming loudly. 1t is one Of
the most thickly settled districts OF the
city. For half q mile on jackson
and Vernon avenues scarcely a pane of
unbroken glass remains. Gray's refrig-
orator factory on Fourth street, opposite
the scene, was completely wrecked, and
. number of employees injured.
McIntire, q workman in charge of the
dynamite, has been arrested for crimi-
nal carelessness. He is severely wound
ed. He says in 35 years experience
with dynamite this is his first acci-
dent. He cannot account for it. The
dynamite was in box through which a
steam pipe ran to thaw it out.