Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-29
A TERRIFIC SHOCK.
EXPLOSION OF BlAsTING-POWOER
IN loNGIsLAND CITY.
Hurt, and Twenty Less seriously
IDjured-The Details.
[py telerraph to the plspntch.l

LoSd-IsLAND CRY. December 2S-An ex-
plosion which shook the length and
breadth Of this city occurred at 8 o'clock
this morning at the mouth Of the shaft re-
Gently sunk by the New York and Long
Island Tunpel Company in Fourth street,
causing the doath of FIVE persons. fatally
injurlng two others, and woundipg twenty
more.
The following is list of tho killed. so
far as could be ascertained tonight: Mary
Graydeu, aged Il, waitress; Henry O'Brlen
Groves. a clerk. aged 80 Mrs Rocca. wife
of Petro Rocca. barber; John Hopkins,
aged %. proprietor of restaurant, and
Nicola LOdanO. brother of Mrs. Rocca.
SCENE OF THE OCCURRENCE.
The scene of the explosion is the most
densely-inhabited part of Hunters Point.
In the vicinity Of the Long Island Savings
Bank IL row of four-story brick build
lngs, in which are the post-office. Petro
I Rocca's barber-shop, John HOpkinss re-
staurant. and +. PLANS iewefy-store.
Next to the post-office is Frank McDer-
motifs saloon, with two apartment floors
above. Seventeen families occupied these
buildings. The tLnuel-cOmpany's shaft
Is about twenty-five feet long by twelve
feet wide. few feet beyond the lower
end of the mouth Of the shaft was a rude
shed in which steam-chests for thawlng
out the cartridges OF explosives were kept.
This shed was within ten feet OF the rear
walls of the pOst-Ottice and Barber ROcca's
rooms. No one has yet been found who
can tell exactly how the explosion oc-
CURED. but the following facts have been
learned:
AN ATTEMPTED THAwING OUT.
q -; 4 &
der had been brought from the storage
house on the meadows early this morning
20 toe prepared for sending down 10 the
drilleTs working IN the heading which IS
being blasted ont under Fourth street Of
depth OF eigbty-fve feel. As the oxplO-
sive was frozen, Foreman McElwee placed
the cartridges in the steam-chest 20 thaw
out. They had been there about fifteen
minutes wnen the explosion occurred,
and all that was left of the chests and
sheds was a few splinters. A hole in the
ground about 3 feet deep by feet wide
told the story of its downward force.
Davren's flats suffered most among the
buildings IN the neighborhoOd.
CHARACTER OF TIE HURTS.
Broken glass did most of the mischief TO
the dead and wounded. One mans throat
was cut so that he dIed Instantly. The
wounds from that cause are lnnumerable.
Many people were hurt by lying DrlcKS
and splnters, and by being caught under
falling walls ana timDers.
FIRE ADDS ITS HORRORS.
The horror of the occasion was intensi-
fed by the bursIng out of flames on the
third floor of one Of the apartment build
lngs. The flames spread rapidly, and be-
fore the fremen got them under control
nearly the whole row of buildings was
gutted. The damage was not confined to
the flats.
For half a mile in every direction the
window-panes IL stores and houses were
blown out, falling on the heads of many
people passing along the sidewalks. by
winch means many were cut aud otherwise
injured, and scores of men and women
could be seen rushing TO the drugstoreS
and doctors Offices to have their wounds
attended TO. The sidewalks were covered
with broken glass.
In many of the stores articles were
thrown from the shelves and counters.
FAMILIES RENDERED HOMELESS.
At least twenty families were rendered
homeless, most Of them losing everything
they possessed except the few things on
their backs.
Nine workmen were in the tunnel when
the explosion occurred. One of them SAID
he felt tue shock and thought the shaft
had collapsed. 1t was nearly half an hour
before any OF them would venture TO in
vestigate and ask to be drawn to the sur
face