Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-10-21
ONE DEAD, ONE INJURED.
CONTINUED from list page.)

not considered the likelihood Of a
slide, having all confidence In the
snoring he had done, and that he had
no warning of the slide until about
second before 1t occurred. He told
where he thought Hopkins was at the
time of the slide and said he was
given all the warning 1t was possible
Ia give. Mr., Kilburn then described
the snoring and stated that he had
taken into consideration the jar OF
passing trains when he constructed
it. He said that dynamite had been
used in softening the clay but that
the concussion would not loosen the
earth for a distance Of more than four
feet about the charge.
Peter j. Wilson, Mr.. Kilburn's fore
man. was next called. He said he had
been employed in excavation work
for a number of years and considered
that all necessary precautions had
been taken to guard against cave
in. When the accident happened he
was standing at the foot of ladder
at the edge of the foundation trench.
He saw nothing to indicate what was
about to occur and had only time to
warn the men in the trench and then
get out of the way.
w. j. Burpee, who was at work UNI
der the end of the retaining wall,
said that he noticed gravel sitting
from a slight hole in the bank about
two minutes previous to the slide and
had warned the men to keep their
eyes open. In his opinion the con-
tractor had taken all the precaution
necessary, and until he noticed the
gravel sitting he had not feared in
the slightest for his own safety.
Thomas Campbell had only begun
work on the job Saturday. He
thought precautions enough had been
taken and was perfectly willing to
work In the trench. When asked as
Ia the likelihood of the "deadmen"
acting as a pry on the soil he said he
did not think such was the case. At
ter Campbelrs testimony the inquest
was continued until Tuesday at 8 a.
m.
Thomas Lynch of Brattleboro was
the first witness at this session. He
said he had worked Sunday mending
q sewer that ran beneath the eXcava-
ton and therefore had not been at
work Monday He said he dug the
holes for several of the "deadmen" In
the rear of Hooker block and that he
had not gone below made soil. Not
more than is inches of this SOIL
showed on the face of the excavation
where the slide took place and he had
hot ha tbnIuhf tho
bank would hold itself. When ne
dug the "deadmen" holes he had told
Mr.. Kilburn that they were not deep
enough but the latter had said he
would risk them"
Contractor John c. Peiett of Wor-
cester, Mass, was next called. lie
described the lay of the soil as shown
bv the face of the excavation and
said he thought that the dead
men" would act as a lever in forcing
the earth against the braces. He did
not consider the upright timbers OF
much use unless braced at least four
times between each end and had
never seen bracing done in that man
ner before. He then told how ne
would have braced the excavation
On Saturday he had asked Mr.. XII
burn when he intended to begin lay
ing the concrete foundation and the
latter had said Tuesday, Mr.. Pehett
replving that "he should not want TO
wait very long"
Charles Allaire testified to being at
work beside Hopkins when the slide
began and of warning him. He SAID
he had never had much experience IN
that sort of work and had not given
much thought to the safety OF the
snoring.
Wesley Ash said that near the re-
tanning wall the made land ran nearly
to the bottom of the excavation, ana
that he had been afraid of it all along.
He also mentioned the crack in the
wall and said that the worlsmen had
been on the point of striking on ac-
count of it. The hearing was then
continued until yesterday morning.