The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-03
Anthony Ferreri, italian Laborer.
Luigi scarini, Laborer,
Francesca Grippe, Laborer.
Patrick Beezy, Foreman.

The first three men are now at the
Lackawanna hospital, and Ferreri and
Scarini are in q precarious condition,
though Dr. John Corser senior house
surgeon, has hopes of their ultimate
recovery Grippe is only cut and
bruised about the face and chest, but
may lose his eyesight from the effects
of the conclusion. Foreman Beezy,
who resides "a: Elmhurst, is only bruis-
ed and slightly marked by nying grav-
el. He will be at work again today
Scarini is the most dangerously in
jurcd OF the uuartetto. Ills face, as
DR.. Corser eXpressively puts It, was
like an open rose The mouth and
chin are cut and bruised out of all SEM
blance. The nose and upper lip are ter
rible to behold. The right eye is en-
tirely destroyed and the left little bet
ter. His cheeks, neck and scalp are
also cut and confused 1t took con-
siderable time for Drs. Corser and
Gates. Of the hospital. TO arrange the
mans features so that they would be
presentable. If he RECEIVERS he will be
totally blind in the right eye, and
small hope is entertained of saving the
left. He is an unmarried man.
CAUSE OF ACCIDENT.
Ferreri, who in all probability caused
the accident, is not so seriously in
jured. lie has an eight-inch, half
moon shaped scalp wound just above
the left ear, which may have been
made by the pick he held when the
explosion occurred, and which was
thrown upward-and out of his hands.
His right eye ball is terribly lacerated,
and he can barely see with his left.
His face, neck and scalp are also cut
and confused. He is married and has
two children. The three men are resi-
dents of the Italian community at
Bunker hill, Dunmore.
From an interview with Superintend-
ent Robert Reeves, it was learned that
the laborers themselves are to blame
for the accident. When Superintendent
Reeves was notified of the affair he
went up to Elmhurst Immediately,
made an investigation, and held a talk
with Foreman Beezy at his home. This
| is the substance of the latter's story:
The pipe line, which is a new one
is being cut from the big Elmhurs
reservoir, along the creek, on the Erie
and wyoming Valley railroad side, and
|
| the Erie and Wyoming Valley station
a bed Of rocks was struck and blast
ing became necessary. Wednesday af'
ternoon, just before quitting time, sew
eral holes were charged with the in
tention of blasting and then clear away
the debris in the morning. After al
was ready it was found that tn,
charges would not explode, being to-
cold. It was decided TO wait unit
morning and then try again. The worl
of cutting extends about a mile il
length and about 200 men are Away
at work thereon.
STARTED TO DRILL.
Yesterday morning about oclocl
the men were started above and below
the joint where the blasting was beini
done and Foreman Beezy, assisted b.
some workmen, started to drill nev
holes, intending to leave the old hole
as they were. The three men who wer
afterwards injured kept crowding to-
close to the place when the charge
We're in, and were warned back twice
While Foreman BeeZy was busy AM
his back was turned, they got close u
again, Ferreri leading. n few mo
| mentS later the explosion occurred an
il is thought that Ferreri had stucl
his pick into one OF the holes.
is not known whether the charge eX
ploded or just the Illuminating cap, a
either would do the injury resulting
The effects of the explosion were a
on the right hand side of the men, ant
although there were about forty me
in the danger zone, no others wer
hurt.
The injured men We're given sue
aid as was possible az the time an
later were brought here to the hospi
tai in wagons furnished by Charlie
Battaylio and the water company.