New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-23
WOMEN KILLED
UNDER DEBRIS
Great Chasm 400 Feet
Long Opens from Curb
to Curb.
HUNDREDS AT RESCUE
Snoring in Excavation Gave
Way, Investigators Say, but
Cannot Explain Why.

Four hundred feet OF Seventh
Avenue. between Twenty third end
Twenty-ffth streets, undermined for
subway construction. collapsed yes-
terday morning following a small
blast and carried scores to death
and injury. The list of known dead
last night reached eight, six Of whom
were taken dead from the chasm
made by the cave-in and two Of
whom died at the hospitals.
The horror Of the disaster was in
creased IN the evening when the be-
lief grew that four more workmen
had been crushed 20 death in a
shanty. These men had gone into tho
shanty to dress preparatory to going
down into the excavation for work,
and were thought to be in it when
the street gave way under them.
At 1890 o'clock this morning act
ing Inspector Conboy announced that
three of the four missing men had
been found at their homes. The
fourth man, J. Y. Zavina. whose adj
dress the police had us 300 Avanus
A, they learned did not live at that
address.
Under the glare Of many power
ful electric lights, fremen. police
and gangs of subway laborers
worked al night dragging over the
mass Of great twelve-inch wooden
beams and massive steel girders in
search Of more victims.
Car Falls Thirty Feet.
Most OF those who were seriously
injured in the crash were passen-
gers in n Seventh Avenue Ger pass
ing over the section that gave way.
It dropped thirty feet TO the bottom
Of the opening, but only two Of its
occupants were killed.
ht AhitAlof Wa AdhHtu W AiAt
giving away OF The temporary shor-
ing used 10 hold up the street and
car tracks while the permanent steel
construction IS being put in. After
day Of investigation, taking OF
evidence and theorizing by experts
and all the public officials who have
anything TO do with subway con-
struction and public disasters the
exact point Of blame for the catas-
trophe remained a mystery. No one
was ready TO give a positive opinion
how such a thing could happen after
fifteen years experience in this city
Of subway building.
With this inability OF any one to
venture an explanation Of what or who
was at fault came the significant state
mcnt by Robert Ridgway. engineer in
charge Of subway construction for tho
Public Service Commission. that there
were many more miles of other streets
under support OF temporary construc-
ton similar to that which erumbled up
yesterday morning.
I'VE are making a rigid inspection Of
all such work." he said. "tO make sure
that this accident will not bo dupli-
! Gated elsewhere"
Other Streets Undermined.
Among other places in which he said
this was possible were parts OF tho
Seventh Avenue line. from Forty-sec-
ond Street 20 the Battery. taking IN
also Varick Street, West Broadway and
/ Greenwich Street There are also
stretches in Lexington Avenue from
Fifty-third Street 70 the Harlem River.
he said. as well as in Broadway, from
: Fourteenth Street TO Thirty eighth
Street. In Brooklyn the danger spots
stretch from Atlantic Avenue TO the
Plaza. and IN The Bronx they are in
Southern Boulevard and l3sth Street.
The question was raised as to
whether the anal blame for conditions
that produced yesterdays accident
rested with the construction company
or the inspection service Of the Public
Service Commission.
At the commission II was pointed
out that the contracts provide that the
construction company snaii Do lespoh-
sible for injury to persons or damage
TO property. A main question TO DO
considered Is whether the type OF
temporary construction used WAS at
fault
"The Public Service Commission
specifies the design Of the permanent
construction" Mr.. Ridgway said, "bus
the contractor uses the style OF tenn
porary snoring that suits him. II tho
commission specified this II would
share the blame for faulty design.
Company Did Not Skimp.
"The design used by the United
States Realty and Improvement Com
psny. who are building this section ot
the Seventh Avenue line. has been used
successfully. Absolutely no blame at
taches TO the company for skimpinz 1