The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-10-26
WORST ACCIDENT IN THE
HISTORY OF THE TUNNEL
Ten Lives Lost in the Cave-in of Subway Roof and
Walls and Three Men Injured
Superintendent and General Foreman Arrested Charge Of
Criminal Negligence

NEW YORK, Oct. 25.-Ten lives were
" lost by the cave-in OF the roof
and walls Of the subway tunnel at
One Hundred and Ninety-hfth street
last night, and four persons were badly
injured. All Of the dead and injured
were worl1men and most OF them
Italians. Following is a list Of their
names.
Timothy Sullivan, foreman.
William Schultz. electrician.
Giuseppe BarOnO.
StanziOne Bruno.
Louis TippiO.
Five unidentified Italian laborers.
injured: Juno Pasquale, Batasto We
lantiO, AIphOnse Armatello, Juno BakL
Worst Accident So Far.
The accident was the most disastrous
that has occurred on the construction
Of the subway. At the point where
men was az work ia the tunnel, which
Is about 1t0 feet below the surface.
Rufus G. Hunt, general superintend-
ent Of the tunnel work. said today that
two converEing seams had appeared in
the tunnel during the day on Saturday.
The presence of these seams, however,
was not believed TO indicate any more
dangerous character. Of the rock than
had previously been encountered, al
though it was thought necessary to
protect the roof with a number Of up
right timber braces.
The tunnel was being bored by open.
ing a perpendicular embrasuTe in the
face Of the bore and blasting the sides
10 the right and left Of these en-
treasures. Three blasts were arranged
by the drillers. the holes being charged
we'll toward the roof. The drillers
then withdrew and the blasts were set
or IN rapid succession by electricity.
loosening large quantities OF earth and
rock
Came Down With a Crash.
About ten minutes elapsed to allow
the smoke to clear away before Tim
othy Sullivan. the foreman, and Elec-
trician Schuette advanced, the latter
intending to string wires and hang
electric lamps to light the way. They
were followed by sixteen WOrkmen-
The vanguard of the gang had scarcely
reached the broken stone when q RUM
bling sound was heard. 1t grew i'm
volume with lightning-Hke raPldity.
Those in the rear had just time TO turn
about and run when. with a deafening
crash. hundreds of tons of rock fell on
the men at the face of the boring.
The driliers and two or three Itai-
fans who were out OF reach of the del
uge of rock were knocked fat on their
faces by the rush of wind driven
through the tunnel.
When the roar had ceased the cries
Of the injured workmen re-echoed
through the tunnel An alarm was
teIephoned quickly into the police
headquarters and reserves and am
balances were Immediately sent to the
scene.
Work of Rescue.
a policeman and two ambulance sur
gcOns were the first 60 enter the tun-
rel. They ran along the track. which
was still lighted by incandesceut
lamps until they reached the great pile
or boUlders and crushed rock. The
first victim found. an Italian laborer.
was pinioned on a shelf Of the eXcava-
tion by one leg. q boulder Oc about ten
tons i'm weight having fallen on II. he
was hanging head down. grooming in
semi-consciOusness. The rock that
held him was restrained from falling
further by a small piece OF stone in
securely wedsed under it, and an ef-
fort to move the boulder would cause
the Italian to be completely crushed.
The doctors then determined to ampu-
tate the pinioned leg. and this was
done I'm the light of the ambulance
fed, died later at a hospital
The work OF further rescue was de-
layed for some little time owing to the
threatening position Of the boulder
Meantime the cries and groans from