The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-26
Dynamite Blasts
 Menace Lives Of
 School Children
St. Charles Parochial Building Shaken By Explosions In
 Street Nearby.
PASTOR, INDIGNANT,
 CHARGES NEGLIGENCE
One House Badly Damaged When Explosive Is Set or
 in StilIman St.

HarentS Of pupils enrolled in St. Charles parochiaI school are incens- ed over the action. of the Bridgeport Hydraulic Co. in blasting on stiIlnan street. while their children sat study ing at their desks not twenty-five feet distant. Several heavy charges were set off shortly after 2 o'clock yester- day afternoon and the school shook as the heavy detonation of the explo- sive filled the air So great was the explosion, and So heavy the shock that frantic mothers rushed to the school to find whether or not their children were injured.
 The home of John Kelley at the corner of Stillman and East Main where the heavy blast was set off rocked to it's foundations, and occu- pants rushed sto the street panic stricken. One blind on the hduse was completely sclaattered, while several windows were smashed. Large pieces Of rock flew high in the air, and for large rocks in the Kelly yard. Sew erasI landed in chairs on the stoop, but owing to the coo1ness of the weather, MT. Kelly was in the house
 Many rocks were hurled to Brooks street more than two hundred feet away Several narrowly missed strik- ing pedestrians who were passing at the time. Across the street from the Kelly home, and not twenty-five feet from where the blast was set off, was St. Charles school. The children were sitting at their desks when sud- denly the heavy detonation pierced the air. The children rushed shriek- ing to the doors, as the building shook and the windows rattled. 4
 Rev F. J. McGivney, pastoraof St. Charles church. who lives on Ogden street, about two hun dred feet away
 
 ress felt the floor of the rectory shake, followed closely by the heavy roar of the exploding dynamite, rushed to the school house fearing that children might have been injured
 Owing to the great strength of the building the shock did nothing more than shake the floors. and cause the windows to rattle. Owing to presence of mind of the sisters who quickly. grasped the situation, the children were stopped before they could reach the street and were sent back to their seats.
 Seeing that the children were bad Iy frightened. and fearing that other blasts might be set off, Father Mo Givney ordered the suspension Of school for the day. In speaking of the occurrence Father McGivney stat ed: The blasting was gross negIi- gence. The regular foreman had taken the day off to dig potatoes, and one of the 1aborers left in charge took 1t upon himself to set off the blast There was an improper cow ering over the dynamite and when the explosion took place, logs, stones and dirt filled the air. The shock was so. great that F felt it at the rectory.
 Unless the work is done in a proper manner. I will bring action to secure an injunction to stop the work on the mains. If fail in this shall not allow the children Of my parish oners to attend the school, until they may do so with perfect safety. do not think that water pipes are need ed so badly that the lives of children need be placed in Jeopardy. z
 The Hydraulic company has been installing water mains along Stillnan street, and owing to the rock have to resort to blasting. Shortly after the first blast that frightened the resi- dents of the section. an official of the company arrived, and carefully ar ranged for another blast This time it was hardly noticeable more than a few feet distant
 Residents five and six blocks dis tant felt the floor rock beneath them when the explosion took place. For some time telephones in this section were busy answering telephone calls of resi- dents further away who desir-' ed to learn the source of the shock.