The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-30
EXPLOSION INQUIRIES BEGUN
THREE OF ZEN, NOT no MENTION
DIR. SOLOMON GOLD ENKRANZ's.
Dlstrict Attorney. Rapid Transit comm.
sion and Fire commissioner All haru
work Investigating Coroner jury
walks Aromd-The Negro rowuef
Man Tells Ills story He Is hcio'

at work Investigating -Coroner's Jury
walks A~round-The Negro Powder
Man Tells Ills story - He is Heid.
Three different investii cations of Mon
dav's explosion at Park avenue and Forty
6rst street. TO say nothing OF the inquiry
alreadv under way by Coroner Solomon
Goldepkranz, were begun yesterday. One
wa. held in the Criminal Courts Building
IN the ONCE Of Assistant District Attorney
Rand and under the general supervision OF
the District Attorney. It was behind closed
doors Another was undertaken by the
rand Transit Commission, which held a
special meeting at which William Barclay
Parsons. the commissions ohief engineer.
made such report Of the accident as he
was able. The third investigation was
undertaken by Fire COMMISSIONS Sturgis,
None of the Investigations was finished
and no definite co uofusions were arrived at.
Mr.. Parsons took occasion to pay his re-
spects to Coroner Goldenkranz. saying
that the Coroner. in placing Contractor
Shaler under arrest and removing hin
from the scene Of the explosion soon after
Il occurred, hampeIed seriously all investl-
cations as TO the cssuse.
Fire Commissioner Sturgis aid hat he
hoped to establish three things by his inves-
t~ieation. First, what caused the explosion
second. how much dynamite was stored
In the Forty-irst street magazine at the
time OF the explosion, and third, how much
dynamite II Is customary TO have every day
along the entire line OF the subway. He
said he would have no report TO make until
to-day or tomorrow.
At the District Attorneys investigation
three witnesses were examined, ncluding
the colored blast man, Hamilton n
The District Attorney wouldn't say VINO
the other witnesses examined by MIR. Rand
were, but he did make this interesting state
ment:
we have been told TINT there Ia a city
ordinance, or som law, which prohibits
the storage Of more than sixty-two pounds
of dynamite In any one place within the
CITY limits. There may be such a law, but
a careful search on the part of myself and
my assistants has failed to find II. would
like to know where it is
George L. Murray. inspector oil the
Bureau Of Combustibles. will be examined
to-day, and II Is hoped to get from him
what the law is under which the amount
Of explosives to be kept in one place in the
city is limited. Tn Fire Commissioners
has certain powers to give permits Tor
keeping limited amounts for sale. Mr..
Jerome thinks that the amount that may
be kept for blasting seems to have been
left In the discretion of the Fire Commits
sioner, II left to anybody.
Mayor Low, Comptroller Grout and
Contractor join B. Mcdonald attended
the special meeting of the Rapid TRANSIT
Commission. President Orr reported ver-
bally that the magazine In which the ex-
plosives were kept wa built OF sheet iron
and was a. safe a storage house "a could
be devised. He said he had ascertained
that on the night before the explosion
there were thirty pounds Of combustibles
In the magazine and that on the following
morning 430 pounds more we're delivered.
Four-nfths OF this amount had been used,
leaving about 100 pounds on hand. Mr..
Orr asserted that he had not been able TO
satisfy himself rs to just what caused the
explosion, and he did not believe that the
cause would ever be known A full report.
setting forth the result OF the joint In
auiries OF Mr.. Parsons. Mr.. Mcdonald
and himself. he said. would be forwarded
TO the Mayor In a few days.
Mr.. Mcdonald told the commission that
Major Shaler, the sub-contractor, was
well known for his care In blasting opera
lions, and maintained that the explosion
could Ia no way be attributed 10 any neg
lisence on MAJOR ShAler's part,
Mir. Parsons la his report said that II was
not vet possible for him 90 complete his
inyestigation, nor 10 make a report which
would IL Of real service 10 tbs board. The
men from whom Information could lie OBJ
aimed we're either under pressure Of ex-
treme excitement OF we're injured and IN
accessible. All the information, however,
would be laid before the commission ~ the
earliest possible moment lie quoted TINS
extract fnm the contract hrtSeen the city
and the Rapid Transit contractor a. showing
the precautions taken against sach Aoc'-
dents:
Ths contractor shall complete the entire
work upon every ssctlop ~ W most Nofk
nanlikf manner and With uhs highest regard
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