The Washington herald., 1909-01-28

one man was killed and four injured
yesterday afternoon by the premature
explosion Of a charge of dynamite on
the line OF the new Western Maryland
Railroad, about a half mile below Chain
Bridge. One Of the injured men may
die.
sticks of dynamite into hole vita an
iron bar instead Of a wooden -'rammer.
constructed for the purpose. The iron
bar has not been found, and the wooden
'-rammer" was picked Up about fifty
yards away.
Nine sticks Of dynamite on the ground
near the mouth Of the newly drilled
hole were thrown in the air. and scat
tered about Had they. exploded ten men
would probably have been killed or seri-
ousy injured.
Dead When Dug Out.
a. Burns, a negro. forty years old, was
buried beneath rocks and clods of dirt
He was dead when dug out
John Moody. fifty years old. foreman
IN charge was hit by flying rocks and
knocked unconscious He sustained serI-
Gus. but not fatal injuries on the head
and body.
Frank Petrusk. italian, nineteen years
old, was burned about the right hand
and arm and internally injured. He may
ole
Michael Siphic. italian. twenty-five
years old, was hit by flying debris He
sustained decorations OF and contusionsi
Of the head. chest, and left arm His
condition IS not serious.
Alexander Hsk0ose. Italian. twenty-five
years old, was thrown ten feet lie was
burned about the face and hands. and
may lose The sight Of his left eye
Men standing twenty 10 thirty feet from
the mouth CT the hole were thrown 10
The ground by the shock, but all es-
caped injury except minor bruises and
cuts.
Police Of the Seventh precinct were on
the scene about an hour after the acci- (
dent Coroner hewitt win order an IN .
quest over the body OF Burns to-day. a [
photographer VIII make pictures Of the
scene Of the accident this morning &c be (
used al the inquest
The explosion occurred about 2.15
O'Clock on the side OF hin near the
Canal road Five hundred men are work E
ing in groups of twenty and twenty-five (
on the roadbed Of the new railroad The
work IS being done by the Charles A /
Simms Company, Of Philadelphia.
The band Of wOrkmen N charge Of 4
Foreman John Moody had cOmpleted one
blast. Half Of the band was drilling a I
new hole while the other men were
ramminE- the dynamite. Three sticks .
OF the explosive had been put in the !
eighteen-fOOt hole. and were being
pushed 10 the bottom by Burns. Nine
sticks were on the ground near the 1
mouth Of the hole
Used an Iron Rod.
In his hurry. Burns used a long iron
rod instead OF the wooden ..rammer.~
Moody was standing near. surrounded byi
Italian laboreTs- Hskoose was on his 4
knees, engaged in putting dynamite in /
The hole 10 be pushed in by Burns. Siphic /
was facing Burns. standing ready 10 aid /
in the work
Suddenly there was roar. Flame shot
from the hole as from a miniature vol
canO- Rocks and dirt were thrown in the
air The ground within a radius OF
thirty-five feet was forced upward.
throwing the workers in different dirae-
tons, and then falling back.
R0-izS a nd dir fan F-o-, -L- ~ & I
stream rs from geyser. and this debris
buried Burns His feet were a few inches
from the mouth Of the hole when the
dynamite exploded. He was not thrown
upward, but sank into the soft ground
around the hole. which was 10osened IN
III il was Ike QuickSand. Rocks falling
are supposed 10 have killed the negro
The fame shooting upward burned
Hskoose- He was hurled backward,
turning three somersaults before he land
ed against a mound of earth. His escape
from death Is regarded 10y his companions
as a freak of dynamite. considered the
most freakiSh Of explosives.
Sipbic was hurled backward his clothes
catching FIRE and burning his arm and
hand before he rolled in the dust and ex-
the flames
Moody fell forward as though he had
Deeh SLFNck from Behlnd- Before he could
get on his feet the rocks and dirt began
falling en- him. making him unconscious
The other Italians came TO their senses
and saw that Burns was missing. It was
at FIST thought he had been thrown some
distance from the hole but neither he nor
his mangled body was found.
Caring for the Injured.
Other laborers. who had been working
a few hundred yards away. ran 10 the
assistance Of their companions. Moody
was lifted from the ground and carried
10 a rowboat on the canal Hskoose. was
assisted 20 the boat PetruSk was uncon-
scious when picked up but regaiued his
senses while being carried 10 the boat.
While the Injured men were being re-
moved to a company shaHty on the other
side Of the canal. the iahorers searched
for Burns
A laborer who had been standing about
20 feet away watching Burns when the
dynamite exploded said be thought the
negro was buried ShoVels and picks
were brought 10 dig out the man
The rescuers had 10 work slowly for fear
Of striking the negro on The head with
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