The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-05-04
ADDITIONAL LOCAL.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT MT. AIRY TUNNEL.
Four Men Killed in the Mt. Airy Tunnel
others. Supposed to be Shut In-Hun-
dreds Volunteer to Rescue Their Com.
rades-Inquest and Verdict, Etc.

Information reached here on Sunday of
terrible accident at Mt. Any last Saturday,
about O'Clock, p. m. Persons Efom Mt.
Airy on Monday stated that no more bodies
had been recovered and thai as fast as the dirt
was removed new tim5ers were placed so as
to protect the laborers. The following are
the particulars:
end of the Mount Airy tunnel, at Ridgeville,
for the Baltimore and Ohio railroad improve.
ments, about 1000 tons of earth fell in, bury
ing n number of workmen alive. The follow
ing were taken out dead:
Arthur Frazier, colored, laborer, of WASH
ington, D. c., neck broken and body badly
crushed; Douglass Hicks, colored, laborer, of
Baltimore; Michael Coyne, aged 40 years, OF
Fayette county, Pa, foreman of the work.
Michael Currans, another foreman, is known
to be under the many tons of earth and several
hundred men are working night and day to
recover the body.
Some of the head men about the works be-
lieve there are several others under the debris,
as they have not been seen since the accident
However. as it was Saturday, they may have
gone to Frederick to spend Sunday, and the
exact number of men killed will not be known
until Monday, when they should report for
work
Coroner Thomas M. Waltz impaneled a jury
of inquest, with Charles N. Utz foreman, on
the body Of Frazier After hearing evidence
the jury rendered verdict generating the
contractors, III. G. Clements Il Co., OF Phila-
delphia, from all blame. The accident was
considered unavoidable, and the workmen had
been advised of their danger and requested to
come out of the tunnel.
Dr. Jesse w. Downey rendered medical aid
to several injured workmen who managed to
escape and left for their homes in Baltimore
and Washington.
Sunday morning Coroner Waltz viewed the
remains of the other two men and issued
certificate in accordance with the one in Fra
ziers case without assembling jury.
From the evidence adduced at the hearing
it appears that the workmen were in the tun-
mel about 100 feet, excavating 40 feet under
the surface, which was held up by timber.
About SO or so of them we're in the drift when
they were sent for and requested to come out,
as blast had been set off in the shaft and the
earth was crumbling. They withdrew hur-
riedly, and as much earth had not fallen after
the lapse of 80 or 40 minutes number OF
them returned to their work.
1t was shown that the contractors were sink
ing shaft from the surface about four feet IN
diameter down to the tunnel They had got
ten down a considerable distance, when
heavy charge of dynamite was put in 10 loosen
went oft fairly shook the surrounding earth,
and when the workmen returned TO see the
effect of the blast they found great rents in the
ground and the earth crumbling.
just an hour from the time the blast was
set off rumbling sound was heard and
crash, when the fears of the blasters were re-
alized. The dynamite had loosened the earth
to such an extent that when the props below
gave away crater 40 feet in diameter was
made, carrying the earth into the tunnel, bury
ing the workmen.
Relief crews were set to work TO rescue the
men and they worked with desperation 10 bring
out their companions alive. They were en-
couraged in their labors by their fellow men
below calling for help and begging the relief
crews to hurry or they would die. Relays of
shovelers were formed and even steam SHOW.
els were set to work. The cries of Michael
Coyne were heard up to near 9 o'clock, when
they ceased. Frazier's body was recovered
and sent to Washington Sunday morning
When Michael Coyne's body was gotten out
Sunday morning at 6 O'Clock it was found the
fallen timbers had formed bridge over him,
but from his hips down his limbs were all
crushed.
Fully l 200 persons visited the scene of the
accident Sunday and watched the work of
rescue.
Accounts on Monday night state that the
body of Michael Kearns, was gotten out this
morning This is the first body gotten out,
and it is now believed that no more men were
caught beneath the pile of dirt and timbers.
1t will take nearly months work, however,
to remove all ofthe dirt that fellinto the tun-
nell Kearns' body badly crushed. II
was found beneath heavy timbers. Kearns'
home was at Clarksburg. Pa, where he had
wife and several children. The boss of the
blasting gang, man named st. Johu, was so
affected by the accident that he threw up his
Job and left last night He is not blamed for
the cavern, however The charge used was
an ordinary one-about half pound of dyna-
mite-and the blast was not thought to be