The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-10-29
HUNDREDS OF IONS or ROCK FAIL
MANY ITALIAN WORkMEN ARE
CAUGHT UNDER THE ENOR-
NOUS MASS.
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE CHAR6fB
SUPERINTENDENT AND GENERAL
FOREMAN FOR CONTRACTOR
ARRESTED.

! New York, Oct. 27.-Ten lives were
lost by the cave-in of the roof ana
walls of the subway tunnel at 195m
street Saturday night and four per-
sons were badly injured. All of the
dead and injured were workmen. ana
( most of them Italians.
The accident was the most disas-
trous that has occurred in the con
, struction of the subway. At the
point where the cave-in occurred q
gang of twenty men were at work in
the tunnel, which is about lie feet
below the surface.
Rufus G. Hunt, general superinse1i-
ent of the tunnel work, said that tive
converging seams had appeared in the
roof Of the tunnel during the day work
on Saturday. The presence of the
seams, however, was not believed 10
indicate any
More Dangerous Character
of the rock than had previously
been encountered, although IL was
thought necessary to prop the roof
with a number of upright timber
braces.
The tunnel was being bored by
opening a perpendicular embrasure in
the face of the bore and blasting the
sides to the right and left Of this ern-
brasure. Three blasts were arranged
by the drillers, the holes being
charged well toward the roof. The
drillers then withdrew and the three
blasts were set off in rapid succession
by electricity, loosening large quanti-
ties of earth and rock. The drillers say
that about ten minutes elapsed to al
low the smoke to clear away before
Timothy Sullivan, the foreman, and
Electrician Schuette advanced, the
latter intending to string wires and
hang lamps
To Light the Way.
They were followed by sixteen
workmen. The vanguard of the gang
had reached the broken stone when a
rumbling sound was heard. 1t grew in
volume with lightning-like rapidity
Those in the rear had just time 10
turn about and run when, with a
deafening crash hundreds of ton of
rock fell on the men at the face OF the
boring. The drillers and two or three
italians who were out of reach of the
deluge 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 injured workmen echoed through
the tunnel Two negroes in charge Of
a tram car which they were pushing
along the track to be loaded with the
blasted rock,
Rushed to the Opening
at 200th street and to the Speedway
livery stables, block away, and there
telephoned an alarm to police head
quarters. Reserves were Immediately
ordered to the scene. while ambu-
Iances were sent from several hospi-
tails The work Of rescue was very
difficult and it was several hours be-
lore all the bodies of the dead and in
iured were recovered.
Rufus c. Hunt, superintendent, and
Richard Beyers, general foreman for
John b. Mcdonald, the contractor who
Is building the tunnel, were arrested
as soon as they reached the scene OF
the disaster, but being experts in tun-
Del work and blasting, were permitted
TO direct the work OF rescue. Later a
magistrate remarked them to the
coroner, who held them in $4,000 bail
each.
Coroner jackson said he believed
the accident was caused by criminal
negligence.