New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-09
EXPLOSION ~ VEST END-IrE.

CARELESS FXCAVATING PLAYS HAVOC WITH
HOUSES ~ TIE NEGHnoEHoon
Ca-olcssncss on tho part % workmcn employed
IN excavating 10, ~ Onc-hurdrod and dfth-st ana
Wost End-ave caused big explosion yesterday 'f
noon Tho fronts az Ave houses On ~" opposite 'i'
OF the avenue were damaged and the residents 'o'
several blocks around were badly scat"l- Nff
Helen Koch who lives IN ono of ~" damaged
houses was IN tho front room % IN" second floor
when the explosion occurred. and was e'ruck hy a
niece OF nving rock. receiving slight s'alp wound
and a CIT on the lip The damaged houses ~" NJ.
80 West End-ave.. belonging 90 Peter Duffy. 80.
~ belonging 90 Mrs Helen Koch. 80 80 belong
ing to Mrs. JoaHnetto Haslei' Va. -. h'Ionens
TO Gyms l. stevens and 80. 7S'. belonging 20 ohm
+. Make.
Tho work whore tho blast occurred is being done
~, Frank FAX II pne-hunIr % lrteth-si an
Broadway. Last SATURDAY series 81 eleven charges
TO remove layer OF rock four feet thick ana four
teen feet deep was exploded. on" ~ III" cnats
failed 10 explode. leaving 4 mass ~ rock intact
When the debris Of inc blast Was removed. NO
smaller holes were drilled beside the unexpected
charge. in which small charges were placed. @" ns
TO forgetfulness or n"geerc" on the part ~ Tho
work men the blast was lof; uncovered when ''H'A"i
off. and all three charges explored Win i'frH'
force sending fragments OF rock weighing ~" pounds
or more crashing into the fronts o. N" houses %
posiic and smashing the windows Of the adjoining
building Had IT not been for tho warning given
BY the workucn several persons might have been
killed
So great was tho force q The explosion that q
piece Of rock weighing not ies, than 80 pounds
crashed through the front door ~ the Duffy house
and embedded nsoN IN the partition between 'ne
hall and the dra wng-room. Another piece crashed
into the bay window Of No ~ splintcr!nS The
stoneWork and wrccking 4 bedstetl in tho back ~
the room. y round hole. two feet IN diameter. was
made through the corn.ce OF ~. 81 and The glass
in eleven windows smashed to atoms. In Cyrus
A. Stevens's house a large wndowcap on ~" second
floor was splintcred and the window frame com
p'ctcly demolished. Two smaller fragments worc
thrown more than 800 feet. and another piece struck
between the windows on the second floor 81 40 ~
West Onc-hundred-and- third-st. 800 feet away The
damage Is estimated at &,Gr
Falk not about when the explosion occurred
The foreman Charles r. Knapp. ami Patrick Nc
Mahon arraigned before Police Justice Wclif
In the Harlem Police Court. Mrs Jeannrite :. Has
lett appearing complainant. She testified that she
was in a window the top floor 81 her house. -aw
the blast when il was fired. ana distinctly noticed
Makley a neighbor. testified that he had frequently
| seen the workmen fire blasts that were either I'm
| properly covered not covered Al all MCMAHON
sWore that he covered II with ten logs chained TO
gcther and that so pounds Of stones were place.
| upon the logs additional precautiOn Knapp cor
| roborated McMahon's testimony In every particular
Mr.>Nan Colt. who appeared for the prisoners sale
| that the accident caused by nssure or flaw
in the rock and that his clients were not rcspon-l
| bic. but Justice Wcide held them IN 500 bail "hcf
| for trial. The damage done viii be IN" subject O
civil suits against Frank Falk. the contractor.