The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-01
Premature Explosion
on Mill Street.
SIX MEN INJURED.
Attempt to Drill Out I'm
exploded Charge the Cause.

Six men employed in the city highway
department were injured by an explos-
ion of dynamite soon after o'clock
yesterday morning. The accident took
place on Mill street about 100 yards
from the corner of June street, where
the highway department is at work
making changes in the grade for the
new speedway.
Several gangs of workmen are en-
ployed at different points along the
street, the one among whose numbers
the explosion took place, consisting of
about 20 men, in charge of Foremen
Bushnell and Hannigan.
None of the injured men are thought
to be seriously injured, although three
of them are still in the city hospital
The injured men are:
Robert McGregor, So years old of 1O7
Salem street; small bone in right hand
broken, severe Commissions about the
chest, possible internal injury
John O'Brien, go Richland street;
tower jaw fractured, right cheek and
ear iacerated, slight scalp wound.
Michael Prendergast, rs years old. of
" Union avenue; confusion of chest,
possible internal injury
James Harvey, 45 years old, AZ Gold
street; wound over left eye, right hand
bruised, went home after wounds were
dressed.
Peter Cramer, 26 years old, 8 Union
avenue; cut over left eye, right arm
bruised. Went home after wounds were
dressed
Angus Legere, 40 years old, 27 Nor
folk street, bruised and cut. Did not go
to the hospital.
No reason is given for the explosion
as the men who handle dynamite are
thoroughly conversant with it's nature
ana use the utmost care, but the cause
may probably be assigned to over con-
ldence. In digging out the frozen earth
IN making necessary changes for the
speedway, it had been found of advan-
tage to use dynamite to blast out sec
lions of the road bed that are frozen
almost as solid as cement.
Monday night, fiYe of these charges
were arranged to be set off together.
For some reason the charges failed to
explode, and were finally set off singly.
four of the number going off as thew
should, while the fifth could not be ex.
ploded, It was supposed that there was
some difficulty with the wire exploder
and the task of re-arranging the ex-
plosive was left until yesterday morn
ing.
Directly after o'clock, James Har-
ney, who looks after this branch of the
work started to dig out the sand that
mad been stamped down over the
charge, using a scoop employed i'm
cleaning out the holes when drilling.
Inc rest of the men were at work in
the immediate vicinity, and no danger
was anticipated.
suddenly there was a terrific ex-
piosion, and the air was filed with dust
and pieces of frozen earth. A hur-
red investigation showed that the
above named men had been more or
less injured by the explosion, but that
none of them had been knocked off their
feet.
The place where they were at work
is some distance from a dwelling and
the injured were finally loaded into a
TIP cart and conveyed to the house of
Calvin Hartshorn, where Mr.. Harris
horns family did all possible for their
comfort. Police headquarters were
notified by telephone, and the police
ambulance and prison van, which was
fitted with a stretcher, for the occa-
sion, sent out, with Driver Kennedy
and Officers Sullivan, Blake, Eaton and
knight, to care for the injured men.
All of the men were able to walk,
but it was thought best that they
should be taken to the hospital The
ambulance corps made quick run,
and within a remarkably short space
of time had the men in the hospital,
where their injuries were attended to.
Street Commissioner Pryor and Supt.
Blaney drove to the scene of the ac-
cident, and afterward to the city hos
pital to look after the men, After
making an investigation, they were at
a loss to account for the accident, and
found no one who could be considered
as blameable for the casualty.
The men who are in the city hospital
were reported last night as comfort
able, and it is thought they will be able
to leave the hospital within a few days.