The sun., 1906-02-18
HARLEM DELUCE.


ter, from a business standpoint, that Har-
lem ever suffered, and it will be weeks be-
fore Manhattanville RECEIVERS from tho
drenching and crippling.
FIREMES TO THE RESCUE.
II was proud day for the Manhattan
vile flreinen. though they had no time to
pat themselves on the back while the trouble
was at the worst, and neither did they do
it when they got back TO the engine houses
worn out soaked to the skin anol pla stored
with mud after plungng into the water
filled gulch and dra agging out women and
children Nobody will evet know how
many acts Of courage, plain, nnboastful
courage, were performed by the lean. uick
moving fremen. but enough was talked
about in Harlem last night tn be remem-
bered for some time.
Luckily they were right on hand. coming
fifty strong from three houses along Amster-
dam avenue with the first cries for help.
They scattered over the flooded district
like the food itself, running, wading and
in THE Gulch" even swimming and taking
the whole exciting business as bit of the
days work.
THf DISASTROUS BLAST.
Ii was within a minute or two of 2 clock
yesterday afternoon when gang of seventy
five Italian aborers were ready to touch
off blast to loosen a ledge Of rocks on the
east side of Convent avenue about thirty
feet from the street line. The Italians had
been working there two months preparing &
a plot of ground between Convent avenue
and ST. Nicholas terrace and l2sth and
l2sth streets for building purposes. Origi-
nally, the land was part of the ground held
by the Convent Of the Sacred Heart, which
is at l33d street and Convent avenue.
It has changed hands several times
within the past few years, and is now owned
by wholesale liquor dealer who intends
to put up dwelling houses. 1t ia n rough
niece of ground, full of great rocks that
stick up blunt noses from many feet under
ground There is considerable elevation
, eastward from Convent avenue and before
the blast that turned Manhattanville insit 9
out was set of rocks lowered over Convent
avenue in ragged Cliff.
The laborers, under a contractor named
Antonio Altieri had been tearing out these
rocks for two months with dynamite blasts
that made Mannattanville householders
uneasy every time that they heard a roar
They had reason to be, Many a man had
gone to the police Of the West l25th street
station house complaining that his dishes
had been broken, his window panes shattered
or other damage done by the terrible con-
c,issions that came from the old convent
grounds. There was nervous feeling all
through the district. People feared that
! some day there was going to be big trouble
POLICE WARNED CONTRACTOR.
Capt. James F. Thompson. who commands
at the West 125th street station, got the idea
in his head 40 strongly that he put the matter
up to Inspector Dennis Sweeney, VINO
bosses Harlem. The inspector put it NJ
! to tac contractor.
The contractor promised to be carefu
and to use only safe and moderate charges
! He promised. the police say, to send a
warning to the urerintendent of the sta.
/ ton at Convent avenue and l35th street
in which are the water gates which contro
! the flow Of eight y inch mains that connect
there with the new aqueduct running from
! Crotop Dam, every time that an unusually
I heavy mine was to he fired.
/ Antonio c. Pucci Of 1898 East l0Gth street
! was foreman Of the gang of basters, and
: fucc, too. the police assert. got warning
! from the inspector and the water officials
! He said he would be careful Supt. James
McDonough who runs the water gates at
| Convent avenue and l35th street, says he
| made an arrangement with Pucci that
every time a big blast was to be set of
Pucc was to send him warning by one OF
the laborers.
| II was Pucci, some Of the aborers tolo
the police, who was in charge Of the gane
Yesterday afternoon. At his orders. they
said, five holes were drilled in the cliff ol
! solid rock and 80 pound charge If dyna'