New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-17
DIE LIKE RATS In TRAP.
FOUR KILLED IN CAISSON.
Smothered by Smoke and Droscned
in East RiUer Tunnel.

-Four men died yesterday when smoke and
flames poured down the pipes used for sending
cir 10 the caisson at the bottom Of shaft No of
the Pennsylvania tunnel. Man-o'War Reef,
off East 42d-st. Two other men were saved by
Harold A. Smaller. foreman in charge. who nearly
lost his own life and in turn was rescued by his
assistant. Karl Terbecke. The dead men were
negro laborers. as were the two men taken out
alive who probably will recover. The shaft was
about thirty-ive feet deep and twelve feet
square soon after l O'Clock the six men at
work below found that instead of fresh air
pouring down the pipes. there came a not
stranglins blast and fumes of burning OIL
Almost the same instant Smaller heard the
signal bell calling to Hoist away" and smelled
what appeared to be burning rubber At the
same time he heard the whistle of air escaping
through the Joints of the caisson Smaller de-
scended and found four Of the men lying pros
trate while two others were running around,
crazed with fright. Smaller got them into the
bucket and out. Then he went back accom-
panied by Verbecke.
By this time the burning Of the air tubes had
reduced the air pressure in the caisson and the
water was pouring in. He and Verbecke got a
man each into the bucket. Smaller then col
iapsed. and verbecke had to lift him into the
bucket
Revived by the fresh air, the foreman and his
assistant tried TO get the other two men, but.
after cropping around in the water, choked and
blinded, they had to give it up.
Coroner Acriteu was informed and with sew
eral patrolrnen went out TO the reef on tug.
The two bodies and the two unconscious men
were brought ashore. the injured being taken to
Bellevue and the dead to the Morgue. Later IN
the day the break in the air hose was repaired
and the water pumped out, which allowed the
removal Of the other two bodies The four men
died while being brought up by Schailler and
Luther Arthur and Arthur Jordon. who were
drowned.
Coroner AcriteH at first intended to place
SchailIer under arrest but when he learned OF
his heroic work he did not do SO.
Paul J. Brown. foreman Of the day shift, said
that he found the compressed air hose burned
at the lower end. He could not explain how 1t
caught fire.
While the cause of the accident is not KNOWN
1t is supposed that the fabrication oil from the
compressor had been forced along into the air
reservoir This reservoir is connected with the
shaft cylinder by a rubber hose In some way
this oil ignited and, instead of the pump fore
Ing air down to the men, it sent the deadly oil
fumes which killed them.
The CITY Club some time ago sent TO Mayor
Mcclellan a letter saying that the Belmont peo-
pie had no right to build a tunnel under 42d-
St, from 9th-aVe- TO Long IsIahQ Cliy' ds 'ieiA
franchise granted 10 the old Steinway interests
was not valid. Mayor Mcclellan ordered an IN
vestigation and Borough President Ahearn re-
yoked certain permits which had been granted TO
MI Belmont for work in 42d-st. The action Of
the borough authorities did not stop the work on
the tunnel
CORPORATION Counsel Delany said yesterday:
we have prepared papers in an action that
viii test the validity of the old Steinway tunnel
franchise.
Accidents of various sorts have made this
tunnel a hoodoo venture, it is said. Within
week. cav employees Of the tunnel, the COM
pressed air pipe in the Man-o-War Reef shaft
burst Men al work barely escaped with their
lives. as the water came pouring in the moment
the pressure was lessened. A few days before
that there was an explosion OF dynamite in the
shaft at Lexineton-aver which nearly caused the
death Of the shift at work. There have been
several other accidents, few details of which
have. been allowed to leak out.