The Washington times., 1905-12-19
BURIED IN Tunnel,
SIGNAL RESCUERS
Men Under Long Island City
Still Alive.
SEWER MAY DROWN VICTIMS
Contractors Striving to Dam Stream
Before High Tide Reaches I'm
prisoned LaboTsrs.

NEW YORK, Dec. g.-FHty men are
working like Trojans this morning in
the attempt to rescue number of men
who are entomDed in the Pennsylvania
railroad tunnel in Long Island City
The exact number of men who are
clinging TO life in the tunnel is not
known. The railroad company officials
say there are two The police state
there are six or eight.
Threatened by Tide.
To the horror of the situation is added
the possibility that the entombed men
may be drowned by rush OF water
from Newtown creek when the tide
reaches its highest point.
That the men were still alive this
morning was shown by their tapping on
the iron pipes which pass through the
portion Of the tunnel in which they are
buried. These signals were distinctly
heard by those who are conducting the
work of rescue and caused them 20 do
all in their power to remove the tons
of rock and earth quickly as possible
10 release their imprisoned companions.
1t is thought the men viii be reached
this afternoon
One Prisoner Known.
One of the men known to be buried is
Frank Kale. The railroad officials ad-
nit there is another man with him, but
his name they do not know
The entombment of the men is due to
a cave-in of a section of the tunnel un-
der the Long Island railroad yards. 1t
is believed the men are at least fifty
feet from the surface
The break was discovered at East and
Borden avenues over drift OF the tun-
the shaft where the operations were
begun. At this point s. Pearsons g.
Sons contractors. have erected a heavy
superstructure upon which is hoisted all
of the broken stone and other material
taken from the tunnel and from which
Il is loaded into cars to be hauled away
Sewer Blamed.
A high fence surrounds the premises.
and all that can be seen of the cave-in
is that part of it extending into the
street This is an opening about 30
feet long, 20 feet wide and 20 feet deep.
In this water pipes. gas mains and a
brick sewer were broken The water
from the sewer has caused much of
the trouble.
The break extends under the super
structure, as is shown py the settling
OF the heavy timbers, and extends 10
the shaft which is the only means Of
escape from the tunnel.
The cave-in occurred early yesterday
morning. but not until a hagman In
Inc rdlirO<lQ NarNS nearG a rant raDplng
on an iron pipe which leads down into
the tunnel was il admitted that at least
two men were caught in the trap below
Signals Heard.
As the flagman was passing the pipe
which protrudes- several feet above the
surface of the grepnd, his attention was
attracted by a &Fapping. He listened
and the sound was repeated. He then
took up an iron spike and raped a re-
ply There came vigorous rapping from
below. signifying that the signal was
understood.
The fiagman notified the superintend-
ent of the construction company, who
directed men 10 begin digging imme.
diately over where the sounds 1=ere' frs
heard
After digging six feet. the pine was
disJoined and enc of the laborers called
down through thespipe- He declared he
heard the voices of the imprisoned men
calling back a reply, but could not un-
derstand what was said.
Light Seen.
cluster of incandescent electric lamps
was then lowered into the pipe as a
signal Of encouragement Another series
ef raps on the pipe signified that the
flashes from the lamps were seen.
vigorous effort is being made tc
plug up the sewer at the mouth OF New
town creek. 1t is through this sewer
that the flooding of the tunnel is prob
able. At high tide. the water from tho
creek backs UP far inland As the break
In the sewer has been continually widen
ing since the last food tide, IL is feared
volume OF water sufficient 70 flood tn,