The sun., 1902-01-28
EXPLOSION WAS ON SURFACE.
DYNAMITE WAS STORED IN A
SHANTY ABOVE THE TUNNEL.
varying Estimates OF Amount or Explo-
sIve on Hsnd-Negro In Charge says
400 Pounds Allows Only 01
Pounds Caught From Turning Paper.


District Attorney Jerome discovered at
? o'clock yesterday afternoon that the only
man who could tell accurately how the
explosion happened was Moses Epps. the
colored man who was In charge OF the
powder shanty on the street surface on
the west side of the Park avenue tunnel,
Just south Of Forty-frst street and near
the guard fence of the street railroad sub
way. The shanty stood on the spot where
now is the great pit In the avenue. The
District Attorney got his information from
the men already under arrest Ia the Ten
derloin precinct. and he asked Capt. Titus
of the Detective Bureau IN find Epps.
Epps was found at Flower Hospital by
Detective Sergeant Brady, who placed him
under arrest Brady had a long talk with
the prisoner and left the hospital with a
satisfied air. He telephoned the prisoners
statement to Capt. Titus and then com
municated with District Attorney jerome.
Sergt. Brady refused 10 divulge what Epps
had told him. but said he guessed that
somebody was sin for it,.
Supt. Hornby OF Flower Hospital had a
long talk with Epps. Epps told him that
there were thirteen boxes containing from
gelatne, and that there was in all about
six hundred pounds of the explosive IIhe
amount il disputed. The shanty was
lighted by candle In a small lantern,
which had been placed on a shelf above
where the explosives were stored. Accord
ing to Eppss story the lantern was Jared
as a blast went of in the tunnel and fell to
the floor The candle rolled out and ig-
nited some paper which was near the cyna-
mite.
Epps says that the paper ignited no
RAPIDLY he did not have time TO stamp II
out and went outside Of the shanty for
pnil of water which he threw on the flames.
This did not extinguish the fire and he
rushed on. for another pail. He was about
to rosnter the shanty when he saw that
the flames had reached the dynamite. To
save his own life no dropped the pail and
ran. He had only gone few feet when
the explosion came and he was knocked
down. He was picked up by doctor from
Flower Hospital and taken there in the
ambulance.
NOT MUCH DYNAMITE THERE, SAYS PARSONS.
William Barclay Parsons, chief engineer
of the Rapid Transit road, said last night
that he had not as yet made even pre-
liminary investigation OF the accident,
but said that it was his intention to begin
one this morning When this was com
pleted he will make a report based on what
he had found out to the Rapid Transit
Commissioners.
AS soon as heard OF the accident, said
Mr.. Parsons last night. Il went at once to
the scene. found that the work OF re-
storing traffic was the first TO be dealt with,
and that is practically all undertook this
afternoon. Of course | had a talk with
Mr.. Mcdonald and others, but before !
make an Investigation myself do not care
20 make much Of a statement | will say
this. however, that all these stories of vast
quantities Of dynamite being stored In the
tunnel that people did not know anything
about are untrue. In the first place, the
rule has been adopted In the work on the
subway Of having only the amount Of
dynamite needed for n days operations
NJ any sect ion Of the line. Blasting Al this
part icuar spot begins NJ the commence
ment Of work IN the morning and should
end. according 20 tho regulations, about
noon or not later than 1890. Only the
dynamite needed for that time has ever
been on storage there. This rule IS fol-
lowed bv all the contractors. ard We CON
rilcrad II a very safe rule
i don care to 90 into figures regarding
the amount ~ dynamite until ] have in
ye-tigatcl matters myself j. should be-
remembered. however, that only half
hour uf the hlaF'iug time remained and ln
thar time probably one more blast ana
not more than one. would have been set
on. consequently only a fragment 81 the
dav's rtonn II dynamite wa- LETT 20 eNplod"
h.-ides that which Il wa Intended g. SET
% don't believe that more than a case
~ dyY.uiita remaiIed How this came to
pxplode ! don't know surely, and ! don't
want tu venture any upluluG without Icing
p1-itiye That viii all T." determined.
.Tbs reason why 10 did su much damage
VII, t'r shock Was =" great, ~ perfectly
plafp DO. engineer u wa hccauss It went
"a la t..r oIsn AMI there wa nothing to
kethr iprct ~ up, ~ in the cass ~ dyna-
nit. .,f "a iu gu,t Nhort tH force D. sD.nt
M shAtt,rng the rock u only take a little
dyHauII" a. raIr" tremendous Fho"h
uudsf .ufp ,IulI'l.is. ana nom the force
nf thr -hnrh yesterday %" pl" a. oLo"
tItu,t.-i fu t.ir ,1ltr|4 |4rlUu ilai tone II dyuh-
mite l.d exploded. uhirh, af ! have taid,
B. uutI4r
sIt..ns vl.cu ~ 49, ugl.t down - bottom
IL. v.lI b.. f.Iui that this BE- not tho
nuIt q au, uut BOO Ia0il'llaf hut q hap.
,...tlF IauiIN ,tp"tri tH l~ iuT.neru
NaIi fu o., rF't lrfu t.st ! consider
A. hUa..i ur H..rI DIu.lH irI' siii uiHei
rarriu ..au Boo have Du Zoo ,nilf" Nufh
IsI, Iat N laugh h"uriIuirH ub rsf
Al .sm. . I., IIttaatlHls i' has tatrr
hu.uIUg u.aI .I IlW iIYul uus usu %.
,.,.at.I.r ] f.. trfJ tauf lrIf tliai De-
Ias d.Is a. Iu h.r p.seI sI HAT ssf
r,ass.a..' %. f.i'T4ia.il" ''.s - ~ a,t.a
It ur /. ft .f IF AHIntratau ninnr.
I..v.. tHu....F UIHlrf ST. fIlnuilIH