Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-28
SIX KILLED
CONTINUED from page ID

-Four ticket sellers were all cut ABOUT
the heads and arms by flying slivers OF
glass.
The clerical force in the executive
offices of the N. Y. N. H. & H. Rail-
road, which occupy the floors above the
first in the eastern wing Of the depot,
were thrown about by the shock of the
explosion. A. r. Turner, a record clerk
in Supt Shepard's Office, was thrown
from his chair and his hands were bad
ly lacerated.
In the next room Chief Dispatcher G.
H. Wilson and his four assistants were
scratched by flying glass, but did not
even leave their chairs.
Torrents of water from broken mains
poured into the tunnel shaft, while the
wreckage was being cleared from the
street railway subway, and 1t was
feared that the street might cave In.
The cause Of the explosion and the
quantity of explosives which blew up
are not definitely known. Several
causes have been advanced. but an ofii-
ciai inquiry will probably be required to
reveal the reason.
Mayor Low said, tonight, that he
would write to Alexander Orr, the pres
ident of the Rapid Transit commission,
and the other commissioners request
ing that they Immediately ask General
John B. Mcdonald to as
certain from the sub-contractors their
method of handling and storing explo-
sives. The mayor remarked that
Familiarity breeds contempt" and pos
sibly in handling explosives the con-
tractors had become careless as time
went OIL, until the accident happened.
District Attorney Jerome visited the
scene and made an investigation to
guide him in the official inquiry and
the possible criminal prosecution which
may follow Ira A. Shaler, engineer in
charge of the work at Park avenue.
John Bracken, a foreman. and Martin
McGrath, an assistant foreman, were
all placed under arrest, the charge be-
ing homicide. VIM. Barclay Parsons.
chief engineer of the Rapid Transit
Commission, said that Shaler was one
Of the most competent and careful en-
gineers he ever knew.
The damage may exceed 81 900 900.
The first estimate on. the Murray Hill
Hotel placed the loss at 100000, but
afterwards the hotel was abandoned as
unsafe. II the building Is condemned
the loss on it alone will approach ST.
900, 900.
The damage to the Grand Union Ho-
tel is estimated at $4,000 and that to
the Manhattan hospital at $4,000.
The loss at the Grand Central is en-
tirely in glass. as is that of the 100 or
more other buildings affected by the
explosion. No estimate has been made
of the losses sustained by the Rapid
Transit contractors.
Moses Ephs, who was a powder man
in charge Of the shanty where the ex-
plosion occurred, is at Flower Hospital
suffering from confusion and shock. On
going to the shanty about noon he
found a candle which he had left light
ed on a shelf, lying on the floor. Some
paIer about it was on fire and close to
this burning paper was Is boxes of dy-
Mantle cartridges, each box containing
from GO to rs cartridges. Ephs threw a
pail of water over the fire and ran to
get another one. On coming back with
it he saw that the flames were close to
the dynamite and dropping his pail he
tried to get away. Then came the ex-
plosion and the next he knew he was
| q patient in the hospital. This evening,
Ephs was practically prisoner, a po-
lioeman having been assigned to guard
him.
| Andrew Murray was locked up at the
police station, tonight, though no
charge was placed against his name.
Murray had charge of passing out the
sticks of dynamite to the men in the
tunnel who We're engaged in making
blasts. He said there were about 20
sticks of dynamite in the shanty when
the explosion occurred.
/ cla oh Ii, court this ftar-