The evening world., 1906-05-02
Three Victims of Fumes
in Tunnel Likely
to Die.
MANY HEROIC RESCUES.
Gas from Broken Main Burst
Forth, Overwhelming Men
Near Jersey End of Bore.

p.osion OF gas fumes IN the north bore
o, the new subway tunne! under the
Hudson River to-day. or twenty men
At work in the shaft sixteen were over
come and three may die. Luckily for
the whole twenty no fame accompanied
the bursting forth OF the accumulated
fumes. Five others were overcome IN
attempting TO enter the tunnel 20 rescue
The vict.ms.
Those who are not expected TO re-
cover are:
Hines. James. No. saa Grove street.
Jersey City.
Hubert. John. No. II MoDousal
street. Brooklyn.
Maloney. James. No. ss3 Henderson
street. Jersey City.
The tunnel Is the old bore OF the Hud-
son Company. begun twenty years ago.
and now owned by the McAdoo Com
pany. 1. IS being built IN twin bore
from tho foot OF Fifteenth street. Jersey
City, 10 the foot OF Morton street. New
York. where It will connect IN time with
Sixth avenue subway.
This morning a gang OF men started
into the north tunnel from the
Jersey side. cementng the sides and
root OF tho long ourrow through the
sill: o. the river bed.
Alongside the single track on either
side an L-shaped waikway has been
built for the use OF track-walkers
Beneath this walkway is a hollow
space.
In this space gas had accumulated in
great volume. The daublns OF cement
on the waikway confined II more and
more. Suddenly It burst out with
tremendous report Sixteen OF the men
were fiung through the air Ike chips.
Tons OF dried cement. reduced to pow.
der by the force OF the explosion. hAed
the close ar OF the tunnel with great
white cloud.
Eight men fell senseless choking ana
manned. Eight others staggered around
IN circles
As 1t CHANGED four had been iar
enough hack in the tunnel TO escape IN
jury altogether. -.
These four dived right into the heaf'
OF the sunoclting clouds and s'eKeH''s
fumes, and one by one dragged the ~"
ured forward to place OF oonpAsH- Va
live safety. Then one OF them fH4'
aid. from
In nfteen minutes the reserves rom from
four precincts were holding back huse
crowd from the mouth OF the tuilno.'
while alnbuiances bore uncohsclous'
rasplns workmen TO 81. FRANCES inns
and city Hospitals. Some had the'F
ear-drums burst. Others suffered from
oonoussion o. such severity that tAey
may die.
Only the use OF electric lights saved
ali the men from instant death. The
open name OF one candle would nave
mean, death 10 all.
The rescue forces were hampered by
the noxious stream OF gas which belched
from the SHORE end OF ,he bore. Five
workmen who ventured into the hole 10
helm drag out the victims were taem-
solves overcome and TELL hrif asphyAl,
| ated IT was IN hour beISFe the saA
was checked ,,,.,,,
spItad through the neighborhood nun
dress OF women swarmed out OF the ,eh
| ements and watcrside boarding houses
| thuse overcome. These packed the
! space about The tunne! mouth, weeping
! and praying At first II was thouSa'
| that there had been many deaths inside
| ,ae shaft, and as each victim Was car
| ried forth there was rush OF women
whom the policemen found 1t hard to
As quickly as possible supt. r. S.
| Courtney of the tunnel company rugged
| the oxygen tanks used IN the days when
the tunnel was being cut and the SAND
| hogs used TO crawl out with lhe
! bends" As each victim was brought
up the surgeons gave him II hurried
/ Oxygen treatment In some cases this
! revived them, but over four the am
bulance men shook their heads. saying
these would probably die.
| Supt. Courtney thought an old gas
main had broken somewhere near the
tunnel wall last night and that the
| outflow escaping through fault IN
Inc cenieuted sides. had accumulated
under the frame OF the walk. He said
il was impossible for gas to generate
peter Mfrabe thought Il was ilumi-
| mating gas, too. and not the other kind
! He said II tasted like 1t. Peter Me
Cabe. who is the oldest of the com
J panV's employees both in years and
| service. was knocked out while aiding
In the rescue and had to so to the
! city Hospital.
As usual with such cases the officials
! spent pan, OF their time trying to kecT
the reporters from learning the facts
| In the toh OF news-suppressinE Court
nov had able assistance from his two
foren,en Tarres Eai',- ava r0'res R-adt.
|