New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-06
BURIED BY CAVE-IN
Siirty Caught in b. r. I. 1Ua-
lanchc-One Man Killed.

One man lost his life three we're seri-
ouslv injured and more than sixty OF
gang of Iaborers narrowly escaped WIN
their lives yesterday morning. when many
tons Of earth ard rock crashed INTO tHe
tventy-foot excavation. in which the men
were at work at Avenue l.. on the Brighton
Beach line of the Brooklyn RaoiJ TTanSi-
system The loosening OF the earth was
caused by the passing OF A tain o7e thS
tunnel which is being dug to make road
way for Avenue I. under the trac,st OF the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit and the ;-'I'g ISL
and railroads. The two lines rtII pdTdlieI
at this point on a fourteen-foot enoanE-
ment.
The men at work In the tunnel had 10
warning OF their danger. II ts CONSIDERED
little short OF miracle that many were
not instantly killed. but all managed to e.
cape fatal injuries except James Russo. o.
s0th street and Thirteenth avenue. Brooh-
!vn. Russo vas caught beneath four FEET
of ca nth and rock. his body being 80 tightly
wedged that he was unable 10 moe II
required the work of fifty men for n hour
TO remove lbs body. The man 'Fas stu
brea thing when he was taken OF sur
geon tried hard TO save him, bat his ef-
forts were futile.
The three other mon who were seriously
injured were John Panzi. of No. z3Ss PIT
kin avenue; Asp Iasasso, OF No 2s6 Cen
trail avenue. and Leonardo Giauto. Of No
317 Meserole street These mon suffered
from broken ribs, arms and legs, md oil
sustained internal injuries.
A panic followed the cave-ir. re dee7
tunnel vas filed with frantic rnen. all
struggling 70 reach the street level They
fought with one another I'm their efforts 20
reach the top Of the tunnel. for each man
feared that still more earth would slide
down and bury him.
When assured that the danger had
passed the labor-rs had rolIcaT to de
terrnine If any OF their number we're miss
ing. When the name of Russo was called
out there vas silence. and the men knew
then that one OF their comrades had been
caught in The treacherous earth The fore
man OF the gang Immediately called the
ParkviIIe police sta ton for assistance
Ca plain George FAR, at the head OF the
reserves. arrived within five minutes. and
at once began planning 70 free the I'M
prisoned man. He set his own men end
many of the laSorers TO work with shovei5
and picks jumping into the trench him
self and urging them on.
in spite of AID by the Fro Department
and vrecking wa gon from tie Brooklyn
Rapid Transit il was fully an hour be-
fore the crushed form OF Russo ~as
brought ont. Captain Farr summoned Dr
Ives from the Kings County Hospital.
but Russo breathed his last while his
companions still grouped themselves around
his manned form
The police arrested the enEineer III
charge Harry &. Smell, Of No. 81 1-afsy-
cite avenue Brooklyn. and NELL Duffy.
the foreman. OF No ee1 Hart street. both
of whom were charged with technical
Traffic on the Brighton bedeE
lire was tied up for half an hour
1t Is said that the only thing that kept
Russo from being instantly killed was
heavy plank, which fell across the trench
at the point where he vas caught ihis
beam partially kept back the weight OF