Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-21
LIE CRUSHED OUT.
Fatal Landslide in Rjnes
Hill Cut Wednesday
Benardino FeTri, Aged 81 Years,
Is Killed Instantly.
Francisco costitini, Fellow Work
man, Receives Serious Injuries.

AS the result of a landslide on the
high bank which leads from the ives
side of the Maine Central roadbed t.
the level of Gage street, height OF
about so feet, Benardino Ferri, one o.
the italian laborers in the employ oil
the Fletcher-I.ahey Co., the Boston firm,
which has the contract for making the
cut through Rines hill for the purpose
of eliminating the grade crossing by
the railroad tracks of the highway at
the foot of the hill. was caught and
crushed to death by the tons of fall
ing earth late Wednesday forenoon
while Francisco Costitini. fellow
workman, who was with Ferri at the
time and who was also caught. but
was rescued before life was extinct, is
at the Augusta General hospital in 9
serious condition.
The place where the tragedy occurred
was at a point between 200 aud 800
yards below the Rines hill crossing,
where the larger of the two steam
shOvels was at work digging along the
bank preparatory to entering the hill,
The bank at that point is probably S
feet high and OF about a one to one
grade, that is, one foot incline to eacl:
foot in height, and is composed mostly
of gravel. The two men above men
toned were with a third man, workin'
about the west side of the shovel, and
three others, it was said. were work.
ing about the east side of the shovel
1t was also said that the men. had been
cautioned about the danger frcm the
bank caving in, but thought that the.
would see it in time to make their es
cape. .t
Everything went along all right un
til about 11.30. when, without an
warning, a large section of the banl
came down directly in front of wher
the steam shovel was working, begin
ming clear at the top. The man who
was working with Ferri and Costitini
saw the earth coming. as did they. an'
made his escape by getting out by tn
derrick which holds the shovel, but til
other two sought to escape by climb
ing up on the running board of tn
shovel. Their efforts were futile. how
ever. and they were caught by tn
great mass of earth and gravel an
forced against the side of the car o
which the engine and shovel are locat
ed
An idea If the pressure to which tn
two men were subjected may be gaineT
from the fact that the rush of cart
forced the heavy piece of apparatu
two feet or more sidewise toward thu
west5ound track of the main line
turned over the rails on which the ca
stood, broke a piece out of the fang
&c 90 nt q
and otherwise injured the car in sev
eral places.
Those who were present say tina
Ferri never moved after being caught
by The earth and it is supposed tina
life was crushed out instantly by tn
fearful pressure. Costitini was crushe
almost as bad and was partly forcet
under the car. but by some means es-
capped his companions fate. The alarm
was IT once sounded. surgical aid wa
sent for and the other members of tn
Italian crew made frantic efforts t.
rescue the two men imprisoned by tn
mass of EARTH but it was slow wors
and it was fully half hour be1or'
they were taken out. Meanwhile tn
Plummer ambulance had arrived am
Costitini, who was just gasplng, wa
placed therein and hurried to the Au-
gusta General hospital, while the re-
mains of Ferri were taken by Trouant
& Bates to the Plummer undertaking
rooms on Bridge street. An examlna
tion of the remains showed that thu
principal injuries were the terrible
crushing which the man had received
Ccstitini, on reaching the hospital
was given a close examination and wa
found To have sustained severe brujse'
and injuries from being crushed by TIL
earth but as far as could be determln-
cd no bones were broken. His condi
ton last night was considered seriou'
but il was thought that he would re
cover. He is 40 years of age.
Ferri was "a years Of age widow
and two children in Italy survive. NO
inouest was deemed necessary by Cor
oner Plumn,er and the funeral will be
held as soon as arrangements can be
made. 1t is probable that the remains
will be buried in Augusta
The death of Ferri and the injuries
received by Costitini cast gloom over
the little Italian colony composed OF
tne gang employed in the work ana
some of them expressed the intention
Yesterday of going back to Boston. Tht
members of the Fletcher-Lahy co. al
so exnresse,, much regret at the occur
renee and one of them said yesterday
that during the q years in which they
had been in business this was the hrst
fatality, that had occurred.