The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-12-15
EXPLOSION KILLS IA
ON PANAMA CANAL
Caused by Premature Firing Of
Giant Dynamite Blast.
FIFTY WORKMEN WERE INJURED
Others Missing and May Be Buried
Under Tons of Debris at Bias
Obispo-Thrce Americans Among
Those Blown to Pieces.

Colon, Panama. giant blast Of
dynamite, already prepared for firing.
was premature1y, exploded in the
workings on the Panama Canal at
Bias Obispo. Fourteen men were
killed and fifty injured.
1t may be that others have been
killed, for the debris is piled UP in all
directions.
Bas Obispo is about thirty miles
from Colon, and the shocks of the ex-
olosion was distinctly felt here.
Numerous reports are current as to
The cause of the accident, but the Off,
.ial version from Clebra states that
Turing the loading of the last hole OF
he blast the dynamite in this cutting
was discharged, and the remaining
twenty-five tons were exploded by
.oncussion. The holes had not been
connected electrically, as the dis
charge of the blast was set for
o'clock in the afternoon. The last
lole was being loaded under the SUI
)ervision of one of the most efficient
powder men in the employ of the COM
mission.
Thirteen bodies have been taken
rom the wreckage caused by the ex-
)losion. 1t is believed that score or
more are still under the masses of
locks and earth that were rent and
aurled about over a space 500 feet
Iong by 400 wide. The death list
would have been appalling had train
conveying 500 laborers passed few
minutes later. This train steamed
l.. L L. I. 11x
If view when the explosion occurred.
All the tracks were first torn up and
hen buried deep under sod and frag-
nents of rocks.
The whole hillside in the cut has
been wrecked, the dynamite scatter
ng the earth and tossing huge bould-
srs in all directions.
A ninety ton steam shovel was
crushed to bits under the weight of
.alling rocks. Every one of the crew
was killed.
The clearing away the wreckage
continued throughout the night, but
much longer time will be necessary
20 clear away the great heaps of
earth and rocks in the search for the
buried dead. Hundreds of men were
working heroically to find the bodies.
Here and there pieces of human flesh
and bone are turned over with pick
and shovel
The blast consisted of fifty-one
aoles sixty feet deep and spread out
over large section of territory. The
asst hole was being charged by John
J. Reidy, an experienced powderman,
when it exploded. The others were
exploded by the conclusion. Reidy
was blown to pieces.
The other Americans dead include
John J. Korp, steam shovel engineer,
and J. T. Hummer, steam shovel
3raneman. Two Spaniards were also
killed and eight West Indian negroes.
The badly injured include B. H.
Cole, powderman, and Arthur Bas-
sett, drill foreman, both Americans.
The officials at the Ancon Hospital,
where many of the injured were
taken, report that they are doing
we'll, some of the men not being
seriously hurt.
A thorough investigation, with
view to fixing the responsibility, has
been ordered, and already officials are
taking evidence and endeavoring to
ascertain the cause of the premature
discharge of the blast.
Washington, D. C.-The following
dispatch was received from Chief En-
gineer Cocktails:
"The premature explosion of twen-
ty-one tons of dynamite at Bias Obispo
at lilo this morning resulted in the
death of fourteen men and the injury
of fifty. Three or four of the injured
will probably die.
Following Americans killed:
"James T. Hummer, craneman,
steam shovel, Dunnellen, N. J.
John ]. Korp, steam shovel en-
gineer, Phillipsburg, N, ].
"John J. Reidy, powderman, In
dianapolis.
Seriously wounded: Benjamin H.
Cole, foreman, Rochester, N. Y.
Slightly wounded: Arthur H.
Bassett, foreman, Philadelphia, Pa.
w. G. Bell, foreman, New York City;
G. w. Hayden, steam shovel engineer,
Sandusky, Ohio"