I would personally like to thank Mr. Chuck Cahoon, the author of the following material, for allowing me to use it on this site.
Chuck is an avid historian and his efforts will help many with historical research with regards to Hoosac accidents and deaths.
Hoosac Tunnel Accident Victims
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| History records that there were 195 men killed and others injured, during the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel. This is an alphabetical listing of those that were documented in newspapers, vital records or in the personal memoirs of witnesses to the events. It gives an index to their identities.
* These are the victims of the central shaft disaster. Rev. Dec 2017 |
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| Bakey, James | 29 Nov 1869 | Killed | Explosion |
| Barrett, James | 15 Dec 1873 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Barryman, Richard | 4 Oct 1869 | Drowned | Flood |
| Berry, Thomas | 26 Mar 1874 | Killed | Accident |
| Blanchard, Isaac Jr. | 20 June 1872 | Killed | Explosion |
| Bond, E. A. | 3 Oct 1873 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Bottrell, Reuben | 14 Oct 1871 | Injured | Drawing a Charge |
| Bottrell, Reuben | 22 April 1872 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Bourdon, David | 11 Sept 1873 | Killed | Explosion |
| Bradley, Daniel | 19 Jan 1865 | Killed | Load Overturned |
| Bray, Thomas | 28 Sept 1869 | Killed | Accident |
| Broderick, Jerry | 5 Mar 1880 | Injured | Explosion |
| Brown, Robert | 26 Dec 1870 | Killed | Fire |
| Brown, Stephen | 29 June 1873 | Killed | Explosion |
| Bucklin, Thomas | 17 Dec 1860 | Killed | Accident |
| Burnett, James * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Burns, Thomas | 15 Sept 1860 | Injured | Cave In |
| Burt, John | 9 Nov 1870 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Callahan, John | 8 Aug 1871 | Injured | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| Cameron, | 15 Apr 1861 | Injured | Explosion |
| Campbell, Michael (Tool Boy) | 29 June 1873 | Killed | Explosion |
| Casey, Michael | 20 Jan 1874 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| Cash, Thomas | 10 Aug 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Cavanaugh, James * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Chamberlain, Nestor | 29 Apr 1868 | Injured | Struck by a Broken Drill |
| Chean, John | 18 June 1874 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Churchill, John | 21 Apr 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Clark, James | 9 Feb 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Cochran | 5 Apr 1859 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Collins, Dennis | 2 Aug 1855 | Injured | Explosion |
| Collins, Peter * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Collins, Thomas * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Columbus, Terry | 14 Oct 1871 | Killed | Drawing a Charge |
| Condis, John | 18 Mar 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Condis, John | 3 Apr 1871 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Conolley, Patrick * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Cook, Benjamin | 26 Jan 1876 | Killed | Explosion of the Nitro Factory |
| Cook, Thomas * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Crager, John | 29 June 1869 | Injured | Fall |
| Crager, John | 2 July 1869 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Cronan, (Son of Mary) | 15 Sept 1864 | Killed | Skull Fracture |
| Cullen, John | 26 Jan 1876 | Killed | Explosion of the Nitro Factory |
| Cunningham, Michael | 3 Oct 1872 | Killed | Drawing a Charge |
| Curron, John * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Daily, William | 25 Sept 1868 | Killed | Accident |
| Davis, J. | 1 Aug 1864 | Killed | Machinery Accident |
| Desrine, Michael | 15 May 1867 | Killed | Pre-Mature Blast |
| Doherty | 19 Aug 1874 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Donavan, Joseph | 28 Feb 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Donnelly, Patrick | 6 Mar 1874 | Killed | Explosion |
| Donnie, David (A Tool Boy) | 7 Sept 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Donocliff, John | 7 Sept 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Dunn, Richard | ? | Killed | Explosion |
| Dunn, William | 21 Apr 1871 | Killed | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| Dunn, William | 11 Aug 1867 | Killed | Fall |
| Dusten, John | 29 July 1869 | Injured | Explosion |
| Englishman | 9 Mar 1864 | Killed | Explosion |
| Fennel, John | 17 Dec 1859 | Killed | Explosion |
| Ferns, Henry (A Tool Boy) | 29 June 1873 | Killed | Explosion |
| Ferns, John | 8 Aug 1871 | Killed | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| Fitzgerald, James * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Fitzgerald, Patrick | 15 Dec 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Fitzgerald, Patrick | 28 Feb 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Flaherty, Michael | 15 Dec 1873 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Flynn, John | 14 Jan 1971 | Injured | Explosion |
| Frawley, Michael | 15 July 1868 | Died | Heat Stroke |
| Fourney, Daniel | 19 Jan 1857 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| Frenchman | 16 Dec 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Gallagher, James | 18 July 1874 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| Gardner, Henry | 27 Mar 1860 | Killed | Fall |
| Gladding, James | 4 Sept 1874 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| Goff, Patrick | 12 Apr 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock From a Blast |
| Granger, Joseph | 14 Oct 1867 | Injured | Drawing a Charge |
| Granger, Joseph | ? | Killed | Explosion |
| Hanlon, James | 4 Aug 1874 | Killed | Accident |
| Harrington, Michael | 11 Sept 1872 | Killed | Explosion |
| Haskins, Edwin * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Hicks, John | 9 Sept 1859 | Killed | Accident |
| Hicky, William | 16 Sept 1873 | Killed | Flying Stone from an Explosion |
| Hocking, John Jr. | 29 Nov 1870 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| Howard, John | 1 Sept 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| James, William | 18 Oct 1870 | Killed | Fall |
| Jewell, Matthew | 18 Oct 1870 | Killed | Fall |
| Johnson, Michael | 29 June 1869 | Killed | Fall |
| Johnson, William | 10 Sept 1859 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| Jones, Griffith | 23 Jan 1871 | Killed | Fell Down Central Shaft 1,028’ |
| Kane, William | 21 Sept 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Kennedy, John | 8 Aug 1871 | Injured | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| Kennedy, John | 16 Aug 1871 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Kennedy, Thomas | 1 July 1875 | Injured | Machinery Accident |
| Kehoe, Michael | 20 Dec 1861 | Killed | Explosion |
| Kerns, Patrick | 14 Jan 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Kingsley, Francis | 29 June 1873 | Injured | Explosion |
| Labelle, August | 10 July 1874 | Injured | Explosion |
| Labelle, August | 11 July 1874 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| La Montang, Felix | 9 Oct 1869 | Killed | Explosion of the Magazine |
| La Montang, Oswell | 9 Oct 1869 | Killed | Explosion of the Magazine |
| Lamote, Anthony | 24 June 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Lawless, Patrick | 3 Jan 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Lawless, Patrick | 12 Jan 1871 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Long, William | 30 June 1876 | Killed | Explosion of the Nitro Factory |
| Lynch, Timothy (A Tool Boy) | 29 June 1879 | Killed | Explosion |
| Lyons, Michael | 4 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Lyons, Michael | 6 Dec 1866 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| MacDuff, Felix | ? | Killed | Explosion |
| MacDuff, George | 9 Oct 1869 | Killed | Explosion of the Magazine |
| MacDuff’s Brother-in-Law | ? | Killed | Explosion |
| Mack, Patrick (A Tool Boy) | 12 Jan 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Mack, James | 31 Aug 1874 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Marcoux, Albert | 5 Mar 1880 | Killed | Explosion |
| Marr, Jerry | 18 June 1874 | Injured | Flying Rock From an Explosion |
| Mason, John | 21 Apr 1871 | Killed | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| McArthy, Stephen | 3 Oct 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| McArty, Patrick | 20 July 1857 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| McArty, Patrick | 23 Aug 1857 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| McCallon, Leonard | 18 July 1866 | Injured | Fall from a Wagon |
| McCann, John | 28 Feb 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| McCann, John | 2 Mar 1872 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| McCarty | 18 Nov 1858 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| McCormick, James * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| McDermot, Paul | 24 June 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| McDermot, Paul | 25 June 1871 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| McFayden, Dennis | 29 June 1873 | Killed | Explosion |
| McGannon | 6 Mar 1874 | Injured | Explosion |
| McGowan, John | 29 Dec 1870 | Killed | Fire |
| McKay, | 28 Sept 1855 | Injured | Explosion |
| McNamara, Edward C. | 16 Apr 1875 | Killed | Accident |
| McNamara, John | 10 Aug 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Menable, Patrick | 13 Sept 1869 | Killed | Fall |
| Merrical, Frank | 2 June 1866 | Drowned | |
| Messier, Joseph * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Michel | 31 July 1875 | Killed | Explosion |
| Miller, Fred | 25 Dec 1869 | Killed | Accident |
| Millit, James | 17 Apr 1861 | Killed | Struck by a Descending Bucket |
| Mulaney, James | 6 March 1874 | Killed | Flying Splinter from a Blast |
| Mulcahy, Patrick | 15 Dec 1873 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Mulcare, Thomas * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Mulcay, William | 3 Jan 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Murphy | 16 Dec 1871 | Injured | Rolling Stock |
| Murphy, Daniel | 25 June 1868 | Killed | Accident |
| Murphy, Timothy | 6 Mar 1868 | Injured | Drawing a Charge |
| Murray, Michael | 2 July 1875 | Killed | Accident |
| Name Not Learned | 4 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | 4 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | 4 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | 4 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | 4 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | 20 Dec 1866 | Killed | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | 20 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | 20 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Name Not Learned | < Oct 1867 | Killed | Fall in Central Shaft |
| Name Not Learned | < Oct 1867 | Killed | Fall in Central Shaft |
| Name Not Learned | 4 Feb 1870 | Injured | Fall |
| Nelson, John N. | 23 Dec 1876 | Killed | Explosion of the Nitro Factory |
| Nevin, Patrick | 1 Sept 1875 | Killed | Accident |
| O’Grady, Miles | 15 Dec 1873 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| O’Hern, Edward | 1 Dec 1864 | Injured | Machinery Accident |
| O’Leary, Jeramiah | 10 Feb 1873 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| O’Leary, Jeramiah | 11 Feb 1873 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Olds, Joseph | 6 July 1855 | Injured | Flying Rock from an Explosion |
| Oliver, James | 12 Jan 1871 | Injured | Fall From the Bucket |
| Papen | 31 July 1875 | Injured | Explosion |
| Patchford, Thomas | 2 June 1866 | Drowned | |
| Patterson, John | 17 July 1872 | Injured | Machinery Accident |
| Pender, Michael | 3 Oct 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Phillips, Thomas | 3 Oct 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Pierce, John | 30 June 1879 | Killed | Explosion of the Nitro Factory |
| Quinn, John | 15 Dec 1871 | Injured | Fall |
| Rainey, Patrick | 16 Aug 1871 | Injured | Fall From a Moving RR Car |
| Ray, James | 5 Apr 1871 | Injured | Accident |
| Raycroft, Thomas | 21 Apr 1871 | Killed | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| Redding, Cornelius | 18 Oct 1870 | Killed | Fall |
| Regan, Christy | 27 May 1868 | Injured | Explosion |
| Reno, Eugene | 17 July 1872 | Injured | Machine Fell on Him |
| Reynolds, Richard | 29 June 1869 | Killed | Fall |
| Rhuel, Edward | 27 Mar 1860 | Injured | Explosion |
| Rice | 21 Sept 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Rice, Frank | 4 Aug 1871 | Injured | Collision with a RR Car |
| Rigney, Edward | 8 Dec 1874 | Killed | Accident |
| Roberts, Alfrnte | 21 Apr 1871 | Killed | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| Roberts, Robert | 15 Aug 1870 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Rundle, James | 1 Nov 1870 | Killed | Accident |
| San Souci, Samuel | 28 Feb 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Scollay, John | 11 Sept 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Sennett, Patrick | 9 Feb 1871 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Sennett, Patrick | 28 Apr 1871 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Shea, Patrick | 9 June 1865 | Killed | Accident |
| Shea, Patrick | 20 Dec 1866 | Injured | Explosion |
| Shea, Patrick | 21 Dec 1866 | Died | Result of Previous Injuries |
| Shea, Patrick | 8 Aug 1871 | Killed | Explosion Sparked by Lightning |
| Shean, John | 18 Nov 1858 | Killed | Falling Rock |
| Sheenan, John | 19 Jan 1858 | Injured | Chopping Wood |
| Smith, John | 21 Sept 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Southwick, Daniel | 18 June 1874 | Injured | Flying Rock |
| Stafford, Richard | 14 Oct 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
| Stokes, Martin | 22 July 1866 | Injured | Thrown from a Hand Car |
| Stone, Peter | 21 Sept 1872 | Killed | Explosion |
| Sullivan, Timothy | 8 Sept 1875 | Killed | Accident |
| Thibadeau, Joseph | 6 Jan 1871 | Killed | Dualin Explosion |
| Tool Boy, (No Name Recorded) | 11 Sept 1872 | Injured | Explosion |
| Tower, Marshall O. | 11 Aug 1867 | Killed | Fall |
| Treat, Andrew | 7 Nov 1870 | Killed | Accident |
| Trombly, Fred | 6 Apr 1867 | Killed | Falling Drill |
| Tullman, Michael | 18 June 1874 | Injured | Falling Rock |
| Velsor, John | 23 Dec 1870 | Killed | Explosion of the Magazine |
| Walker, Frank | 9 Nov 1868 | Burned | Explosion of Benzene |
| Wallace, John | 26 Jan 1876 | Injured | Explosion of the Nitro Factory |
| Whalan, Michael * | 19 Oct 1867 | Killed | Fire at the Central Shaft |
| Wilson, E. J. | 29 Jan 1878 | Killed | Explosion of the Nitro Factory |
| Wilson, Orrin | 20 Sept 1874 | Killed | Struck by the Elevator |
| Witto, David | 11 Sept 1872 | Killed | Explosion |
| Wolf, James | 14 Jan 1871 | Injured | Explosion |
Hoosac Tunnel Accidents
The building of the Hoosac Tunnel required very hard labor under difficult and dangerous conditions. Many workmen lost their lives and others seriously injured in this arduous task. Their stories are revealed in various news accounts and vital records of the time. These stories are presented as a memorial to those who lost their lives and were injured during the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel, which has been justly called one of the World’s greatest achievements. Rev. Dec 2017
An Innocent Bystander
Mr. Joseph Olds, of this town, was severely cut last week, by a stone blasted from the railroad cutting at the foot of Furnace Hill. At the moment of the explosion, he was looking from a window, in his bowling saloon, in the direction of the blast, when one of the descending stones, took him upon the back of his head. The blow was very severe, leaving him prostrate and with a large cut extending across the head, though we do not learn that the skull was fractured. He is slowly recovering.
from The Weekly Transcript Vol. 12 No. 46 –- Thursday 12 July 1855
Severe Accident
It is our painful duty this week to record another accident at the Tunnel cutting through Robinson’s hill in this town, by which one man, an Irishman named Dennis Collins, was severely cut upon the side of the face and neck and otherwise injured by cuts and bruises on various parts of the body. Several blasts had been ignited at the same time, and discharged, as usual, in rapid succession, one or two of them simultaneously. One of them, however, “hung fire,” owing, perhaps, to a defect in the fuse, and the overseer and some men entered the Tunnel again, after the lapse of a few moments, to continue the work. Scarcely, however, had they entered, when the eighth blast went off, throwing some of the men out of the Tunnel and over the ledge. Collins was taken up insensible and conveyed to his house. We are glad to learn that he is doing well. Two of the other men were considerably bruised and their escape was almost miraculous.
from The Weekly Transcript Vol. 12 No. 49 –- Thursday 2 August 1855
An Irishman Killed at the Tunnel
Last Monday (19 January 1857) an Irishman was killed at the West end of the Tunnel, in the following manner. The fuse had been lighted, and the workmen had as usual retreated to their place of security, but the blast not occurring as soon as was expected, one of the party very naturally thrust out his head to see if the fuse had gone out; but just at that moment the blast went off, and a small piece of the rock struck the poor fellow’s head and broke it.
from The Weekly Transcript Vol. 14 No. 21 –- Thursday 22 January 1857
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1859 Page 5 Line 1
Daniel Fourny, a laborer in the Hoosac Tunnel, age 36, died 19 Jan 1857 of a skull fracture
Place of birth – County Cork Ireland
Accident at the Tunnel –- Narrow Escape From Death
While the workmen were engaged in the heading of the Western Division of the Tunnel, on Monday last, (20 July 1857) a large piece of rock suddenly fell from the roof, and very nearly crushed to death one of the laborers –- an Irishman. It struck him on the back, knocked him down, and rested for some time on his legs. The weight of the rock was so great that four laborers were barely able to remove it. The unfortunate man was at last extricated and received prompt surgical assistance from Dr. Babbitt. His spine was injured and bruises were very serious, but we understand no bones were broken, and there is a chance of his recovering.
from The Weekly Transcript Vol. 14 No. 47 –- Thursday 23 July 1857
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book III P 13 Line 55
Pat McArty, age 23, a laborer born in Ireland, died of an accident 23 August 1857.
Accident
John Sheenan, an Irishman, at the West end of the Tunnel, received a severe cut in his ankle on Tuesday last, while chopping wood.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 1 No. 23 –- Wednesday 20 January 1858
A Second Account of This Accident
An Irishman named John Sheenan, at the West end of the Hoosac Tunnel, in this town, while chopping wood on Tuesday last, received a severe cut in his ankle.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 15 No. 16 Whole # 744 –- Saturday 23 January 1858
Incident In The Hoosac Tunnel
One day last week as the drilling was in progress in the heading of the Tunnel, on the East side of the mountain, the drill of one of the laborers shot out of its socket and struck him on the side of the head with such force that it knocked him down senseless and a stream of water rushed out of the hole with great impetus for two hours before it abated. It proved to proceed from a fissure in the rock and is the second one of the kind which has been punctured in like manner on that side.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 1 No. 51 –- Thursday 5 August 1858
Accident At The Tunnel
On Thursday evening, (18 November 1858) about 6 o’clock a portion of loose rock in the heading at the West end of the Tunnel, fell from a distance of some five feet and struck two of the hands who were working under it. Injuries were received in the back and loins. One of the men, named John Shean, was so badly injured that he died in an hour and the other, Named Murty McCarty, had a spinal injury, which is pretty serious, though he still survives. Shean leaves a wife and three children, the youngest 4 or 5 days old. The rock in the heading is growing more compact, as the work was progressing finely and but for an occasional exception of a gravel seam, would be secure without timbering.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 16 No. 7 Whole # 787 –- Saturday 20 November 1858
A Second Account of This Accident
Fatal Accident
A rock fell, in the heading of the Hoosac Tunnel on the Adams side of the mountain, last Thursday afternoon, (18 November 1858) striking two laborers, named Shean and McCarty, the former of whom died from his injuries in about an hour. The latter, whose spine is badly injured still survives and is now thought will live. The accident was caused by a gravel seam, but these are growing scarcer and the rock more firm as the work progresses. Week before last twenty feet were taken out in this heading in six days.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 2 No. 15 –- Thursday 25 November 1858
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book III P 17 Line 92
John Shean, age 30, a laborer born in Ireland, died of an accident 18 November 1858.
Amputation
The man Cochran who was injured in the Tunnel, (East end) some weeks since, had his leg amputated last Tuesday (5 April 1859).
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 2 No. 34 –- Thursday 7 April 1859
Accident
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book III P 20 Line 114
John Hicks, age 28, a laborer born in England, died of an accident 9 September 1859.
Sad Accident at the Tunnel
William Johnson, a native of England, and age 29 years, while engaged in loosening a fragment of rock displaced by a blast, in the North Adams end of the Tunnel, last Saturday, (10 September 1859) by the falling of a portion of the arch, had his leg crushed and his body so bruised that he died of internal injuries in a few hours after the accident. Mr. Johnson served through the Crimean War, being a member of the Land Transportation Corps, which body of men went before the army to arrange the line of march. He came to the Tunnel a few days ago in company of a friend who had been a boon companion in toil and travel for many years, which friend took work at the Tunnel then, but Johnson having great fears about working in the heading, staid about for a few days, but finally loth to leave his friend, took work and on his fourth shift or day, met with his death as above.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 3 No. 5 –- Thursday 15 September 1859
A Second Account of This Accident
Accident –- On Friday last, in the Western division of the Hoosac Tunnel, Wm. Johnson was so badly injured by the falling of loosened rocks upon him, that he died in a few hours. His leg was entirely crushed below the knee and his body severely bruised. Mr. Johnson was 29 years old, an Englishman by birth, and served in the Crimean war. He had worked in the Tunnel but a few days.
from The Adams Transcript V 16 No. 50 Whole # 830 –- Saturday 17 September 1859
Fatal Accident at the Tunnel
On Friday last, (16 December 1859) the gang at work in the Eastern part of the Tunnel, having lighted the fuse, retired behind the embrasures and awaited the blasts–four of which had been loaded.
Three of these exploded with the stunning report, which only those who have remained in the cavern during the discharges can realize, but the fourth “hung fire.” After waiting a reasonable length of time, the foreman of the gang, Mr. John Fennel, went to it, found the fuse had gone out and inserted another, lighting it and repaired to cover, awaiting the discharge. But hearing no report, after waiting some time, he again went up to the heading, which he had but just reached, when off went the terrible battery of rocks, blowing off the upper portion of his head, terribly mutilating the rest of his body, and he survived the accident only 24 hours.
This is one of the unavoidable, but not frequent accidents, which occur in blasting and is but the second fatal one which has occurred in that portion of the Tunnel since its commencement. The other case referred to, was one of the workmen who, one of the blasts hanging fire, put his head out from behind the enclosure in which his gang had taken refuge, when the blast went off, throwing a stone which struck him in the head, causing a fracture, from the effects of which he died.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 3 No. 19 –- Thursday 22 December 1859
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1859 Page 6 Line 7
John Fennel, age 35, a laborer, died 17 December 1859 of a premature explosion
Fall
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book III P 22 Line 31
Henry Gardner, age 22, a laborer, died of a fall, 27 March 1860
Accident at the Hoosac Tunnel
About seven o’clock last Tuesday Evening, (27 March 1860) while Edward Rhule was lighting slow match to the blasts in the heading of the Tunnel, at the Eastern end, the first blast went off before he had finished lighting the whole number of fuses and his body was badly mutilated by the flying rocks. He will probably recover from the injuries inflicted.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 3 No. 33 –- Thursday 29 March 1860
Recovering
Edward Rhule, who was injured in the Tunnel last week, is recovering. He received a compound fracture of the arm and a good many hard bruises.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 3 No. 34 –- Thursday 5 April 1860
Rehabilitated
In the care of Dr. Lawrence, both cases are doing well. So is the arm of Edward Rhule, at the Hoosac Tunnel, which received such a dangerous compound fracture, some weeks ago.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 17 No. 37 Whole # 869 –- Thursday 14 June 1860
Accident at the Tunnel
A bank of earth fell upon Thomas Burns at the deep cut now being made by Cameron & Co. on this (West) side of the Hoosac Mountain, on Saturday, (15 September 1860) crushing his breast down upon a crow bar and bruising him badly.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 4 No. 6 –- Thursday 20 September 1860
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book III P 24 Line 108
Thomas Bucklin, age 45, a laborer from Ireland, died of an accident, 17 December 1860
Fatal Accident at the Hoosac Tunnel Shaft
On Saturday night last, (13 April 1861) at about 11 o’clock, an accident occurred at the Shaft of the Tunnel, by which one of the miners, named James Millit, was killed. In lowering the bucket too rapidly and not checking its speed sufficiently by means of the brake, as it approached the bottom of the shaft, it struck Millet on the head with such force as to fracture his skull. There were two miners below at the time, bailing water and as they had just blasted at 11 o’clock, the shaft was too full of smoke for them to see the bucket descending, though the lowering signal had been made to them.
The deceased was an Englishman, about 32 years of age, and leaves a wife and one child in Pennsylvania. His remains were brought to St. John’s church where the impressive services of the Episcopal Church were held over them, after which a large gathering of his friends and fellow workmen followed them to the tomb – where they will remain until the wishes of his family are known.
The shaft has now been sunk to the depth of 300 feet and within a few feet of the required depth and this is the first accident that has occurred there in connection with it, showing the care and skill that has been exercised during the work.
from The Hoosac Valley News & Transcript V 21 No. 35 Whole No. 1075 – Thu 18 Apr 61
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 1 Line 26
James Millit, age 28, a laborer from England, died of an accident 13 April 1861.
Blown Up
A brother of D. J. Cameron of this village and a contractor on a section of the Troy and Greenfield Railroad on the East side of the Hoosac Mountain, fired a seam blast on Monday morning (15 April 1861) which did not go off. Thinking the fuse had gone out, he ventured up to the seam and while pouring in an additional charge of powder, the burning fuse ignited it and blew the whole charge into his face, badly burning it and filling the skin full of the powder grains. We since learn that he has been removed to this village and that fears are entertained that he has lost his eye sight.
from The Hoosac Valley News and Transcript V 21 No. 35 Whole # 1075 – Thu 18 Apr 61
Accident
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 2 Line 90
Michael Kehoe, age 33, married, a laborer from Ireland, died of an accident, 20 December 1861
Cause: victim inhaled carbonic acid
Fatal Accident at the Hoosac Tunnel
Last week Wednesday afternoon (9 March 1864) an Englishman who was working on the East entrance of the Hoosac Tunnel, was instantly killed by a blast. A number of blasts had exploded, but one hanging fire, the deceased went up to it, when it exploded, throwing a fragment of rock against his breast, killing him instantly.
from The Hoosac Valley News and Transcript Vol. 24 No. 30 – Thursday 17 March 1864
Killed in the Shaft
A man named J. Davis of Lowell, working in the shaft on this (West) side of the Hoosac Mountain, was instantly killed on Monday afternoon. (1 August 1864) Davis, with several others was at work upon a platform some 140 feet above the bottom of the shaft, said platform being upheld by a rope and kept stationary by a brake in the engine house above. Some children entering the engine house while the engineer was at supper, disturbed the brake handle, throwing the fastening off and consequently down went the unsuspecting laborers to the bottom. Davis was killed by the fall, but his companions having caught hold of the rope, it broke the collision at the bottom of the shaft and they escaped with slight bruises. This is the first loss of life in this shaft and proper care should be taken against recurrence of such accidents.
from the Hoosac Valley News and Transcript V 24 No. 50 –- Thursday 4 August 1864
Accident
A son of Mary Cronan, at the Central Shaft in Florida, had a tree fall upon his head this Wednesday forenoon, (14 September 1864 ) breaking his skull.
from The News and Transcript V 25 No. 4 –- Thursday 15 September 1864
Accident at the Tunnel
Ed O’Hern of this village, while at work with a stone derrick at the Tunnel-works, last Thursday morning, (1 December 1864) had his arm broken twice, and was badly bruised, by improper management of the crank in the hands of a green hand on the machine.
from The News and Transcript V 25 No. 16 –- Thursday 8 December 1864
Sad and Fatal Accident in Florida
Last Thursday, (19 January 1865) as Daniel Bradley of Florida, was descending the East side of the Hoosac Mountain with a two horse sled loaded with four inch plank, for the tunnel dam, his load overturned so suddenly that he fell crushed beneath it, and was probably instantly killed.
His team was found standing attached to the overturned load by a man ascending the mountain, who summoned help and his body was only extricated by cutting the chains which the plank were bound to the sled and removing them one by one off of him.
He was drawing lumber from the Central Shaft and the accident occurred in sight of his father’s house. He was some 29 years of age and leaves a wife and five children to mourn his sad loss.
from The News and Transcript V 25 No. 23–- Thursday 26 January 1865
from The Florida MA Vital Records 1865 P 3 Line 9
Daniel Bradley, age 30y, 7m, 12d, laborer, of Florida, MA, died by accident 19 Jan 1865.
Death
from The Adams News and Transcript V 25 No. 29 –- Thursday 15 June 1865
In Florida, (Hoosac Tunnel) June 9, Patrick Shay, aged 38 years.
from The Florida MA Vital Records 1865 P 3 Line 8
Patrick Shay, age 38, married, a laborer, from Ireland, died of an accident 9 June 1865.
Accident at the West Shaft
Foreman McKay, of one of the night gangs in the West Tunnel shaft, met with a severe accident last week Wednesday night, (20 September 1865) while engaged in tamping a blast hole. The powder ignited from friction, blowing out the tamping iron and carrying with it a part of his cheek and nose.
from The Adams News and Transcript V 25 No. 44 –- Thursday 28 September 1865
Two Men Drowned
from The Florida MA Vital Records 1866 P 3 Line 5
Thomas Patchford, age 45,married, a laborer, born in Lowell, MA drowned 2 June 1866
from The Florida MA Vital Records 1866 P 3 Line 6
Frank Merrical, age 28, single, a laborer, born in Lowell, MA drowned 2 June 1866
Accidents
On Sunday last (22 July 1866), Martin Stokes was thrown from a hand car, on the Troy and Boston Railroad, and run over, dangerously injuring his shoulder and spine. He was riding with others, and attempted to seize the crank for the purpose of turning the car, but was struck in the face and knocked forward under the car and dragged several rods. His shoulder was dislocated. His spine deeply injured and otherwise seriously wounded.
Last Wednesday, (18 July 1866) Leonard McClallon, the teamster who drives the mule team at the Hoosac Tunnel, while coming down the shaft road with a load of wood, was thrown from his load and under the wheels of the wagon. His arm was horribly crushed, the bones penetrating through his clothes. Cause –- the fright of the mules. Both men are under the care of Dr. Babbitt.
from The Adams Transcript V 26 No. 34 –- Thursday 26 July 1866
Accident and Explosion at the East Tunnel
On Tuesday, (4 December 1866) six men were injured by an explosion in the Tunnel. It seems that one of the blasts did not go off and was concealed by a portion of the rock from the other blasts. The workmen returned as usual after the blast and resumed their drilling when this blast exploded. The men came out burnt, wounded and bleeding, but fortunately only one out of the six was seriously injured, and he not fatally. It was a narrow escape.
from The Adams Transcript V 27 No. 1 –- Thursday 6 December 1866
This incident took place during a test of “Dr. Ehrhardt’s Powder”
Succumbed to Injuries
The accident to young Michael Lyons to which we alluded last week, resulted as we feared, in his death, after suffering great pain. His funeral was largely attended at the Catholic Church, and a long procession of young men in regalia –- members of the different fire companies and of the St. Francis Society –- followed his remains to the grave.
from The Adams Transcript V 27 No. 2 –- Thursday 13 December 1866
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 20 Line 108
Michael Lyons, age 27, a laborer born in Ireland, died of an accident 6 December 1866.
Fatal Accident at Hoosac Tunnel
On Thursday Dec. 20 (1866), while workmen in the Central shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel were preparing to explode the blast, a spark from the lamp adjusted on the visor of the cap of one of the men fell among the powder, and caused a premature discharge. One of the laborers was killed instantly, a second was seriously injured, and two more seriously hurt. We have not learned their names. The bottom of the shaft at the time of the explosion seemed one flame of fire, and several wagon loads of rock were thrown up by the force of the discharge, it is impossible almost to conceive how any of the workmen in the pit escaped with their lives.
from The Adams News and Transcript V 27 No. 5 –- Thursday 3 January 1867
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 20 Line 111
Patrick Shay, age 36, married, a laborer from Ireland, died of an accident 21 Dec 1866.
A Terrible Accident at the Tunnel
On Friday last, (5 April 1867) Fred Trombley, a Frenchman, who worked at the bottom of the Central Shaft, was fatally injured by the falling of an iron drill from the top of the shaft. This drill, by some cause unknown, fell point down 325 feet and struck Trombley in the abdomen. It passed through his bowels and came out below the knee and pierced a two inch plank on which he was standing, thus pinning him to the ground. He was found in that condition, with one end of the drill sticking out his body, and the other in the earth quite a distance below the plank. To extricate him, they were obliged to drive the drill back through the plank with a sledge before it could be drawn from his body. At last this was done and he was drawn up and carried home. Medical aid was summoned at once, but he was beyond help, although he lingered until Saturday before he died. He leaves a wife and several small children.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 27 No. 19 –- Thursday 11 April 1867
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 23 Line 71
Fred Trombley, age 40, a laborer born in Canada, died of an accident 6 April 1867.
Premature Blast
On Monday an explosion occurred in the Tunnel, at the East end, which resulted in the death of one man and the injury of two more. The name of the person who was killed was Michael Devine, (sic) the names of those injured we have not learned. The cause of the accident was the premature return of the workmen after the explosion of the blast. One fuse hung fire and went off after their return. Generally the workmen can count the explosions and thus tell whether all the trains have been fired and they supposed that they had done so in this instance, but were mistaken. These terrible accidents should teach the utmost caution, but somehow they do not.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 27 No. 26 –- Thursday 30 May 1867
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1867 Page 6 Line 34
Michael Desrine, (sic) age 22, born in Ireland, a miner in the Hoosac Tunnel, died 15 May 1867 from an accidental premature blast.
Fatal Accident at the Central Shaft
Marshall O. Tower of Florida and William Dunn were killed on Sunday, (11 August 1867) by falling down the Central Shaft. Tower was killed instantly, and Dunn lived only a few hours. They were working about the mouth of the shaft, and by some cause unknown were precipitated to the bottom–a distance of 140 feet.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 27 No. 37 –- Thursday 15 August 1867
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1867 Page 4 line 3 & 4
Marshall Tower, age 27y 11m 14d, married, farmer, b. Florida, MA, died 11 Aug 1867
William Dunn, age 23y, single, miner, b. Ireland, died 11 Aug 1867
Accident at the West Shaft
At the West Shaft, east heading, on Monday morning, Oct 14, (1867) by an explosion caused by drilling out a charge of powder that missed fire, Joseph Granger was severely injured in the hand and about the face; two other miners were slightly burned in the face.
from The Adams Transcript V 27 No. 46 –- Thursday 17 October 1867
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AT THE CENTRAL SHAFT
THIRTEEN MEN KILLED !
Great Destruction of Property
On Saturday (19 October 1867) at one o’clock in the afternoon, the large building erected over the Central Shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel caught fire and was entirely consumed, together with the machinery and apparatus used for pumping the water and raising the stone and miners from the bottom. At the time the building took fire thirteen miners were working at the bottom of the shaft-a distance of 580 feet, and by this disaster were cut off at once from all help, until aid was unavailing. The Central Shaft is located on Florida Mountain at a point equally distance from the two openings of the Tunnel. The distance from the mouth of the shaft to the bed of the Tunnel below is 1034 feet, 580 feet of which has already been sunk. The opening of the shaft is surrounded by a heavy stone wall, to a depth of 40 feet and some 50 feet across. This wall measures the depth of earth excavated before striking the solid rock. Then commences the shaft through the rock, the size of which is 15 by 27 feet. Within the shaft are built circular wooden platforms, 12 to 23 feet apart, reaching to within 70 feet of the bottom. These platforms, connected by stairs and ladders, except a few of the last, reduce the opening, leaving a space large enough for the passage of the buckets, by which the stone is drawn up and in which the miners descend and ascend. Over the mouth of the shaft, was erected a large wooden building resting upon the circular wall, in which, with its additions, were included the machinery, shops, tools, offices, and everything connected with the working of the shaft. When the fire first burst out the bucket had just ascended filled with stone. The man in charge dumped the bucket and attempted to lower it for the miners, but was prevented by the flames. The fire soon melted the connections of the bucket and it plunged down the shaft. The first landing above the opening was arranged for tools of all kinds-drills, hammers, chisels, & etc. Soon three hundred iron drills were on this landing, and when it gave way, these plunged down the shaft-a perfect shower of sharp instruments. Then fell the timbers and roof, which with the ashes completely closed the mouth of the shaft-shutting the helpless miners from all chance of escape and sealing them up as in a bottle. This was the condition of things when the news of the disaster came to our village. Of course the excitement was very great. At once there was a great rush of people to the scene of the accident. Some 100 firemen went, taking an engine with them. The timbers were still burning and prevented all efforts to reach the miners. At last the fire was extinguished, the timbers removed and an opening made, ready for any man bold enough to venture down the fearful descent.
A SAILOR VOLUNTEERS TO GO
The emergency found a man in the person of Thomas Mallory, one of the workmen, who volunteered to go down. He has been a sailor and familiar with danger. He was industrious in making the necessary preparations. He spliced the ropes in true sailor style, leaving directions in case of death, and was let down. The decent was made on Sunday morning at four o’clock. Hundreds of people surrounded the scene, among who were the trembling families of three of the miners. The dense crowd hushed into silence and awaited the result with agonizing suspense. The scene was thrilling and tragic in its interest and issue.
The fate of the miners hung in the balance. The time seemed terribly long-twenty, thirty, forty minutes elapsed when the signal came from below. Mallory was drawn up and had only time to say that there was no hope when he fainted. The brave fellow was exhausted with the effort. He was restored to consciousness only after the most vigorous efforts. He has gone to the bottom only to see the shaft covered with water to a depth of 10 or 15 feet and the burned timbers and brands floating on the surface, but found no trace of the unfortunate men. This act of Mallory was an exhibition of genuine heroism. The danger was great and palpable. It had no mitigations or qualifications: no stirring battle music to kindle the bloods: no rushing thousands to share and reduce the terror: no dazzling acclaim and glory to crown the successful effort. The peril was grim and dreadful, and he was to go alone amid silence and shuddering suspense. He did it all without noise or pretention, as if going upon an ordinary task of labor. He is between 45 and 50 years of age, of stout build and with a strong manly face. There is a quiet daring and power in his clear grey eye which strikes an observer at once. The courage and character displayed by this man made an instant impression on the crowd. We are all hero worshippers, and a man of courage always commands the heart. On Monday, when we visited the grounds, we found this man the “observed of all observers”. The involuntary and genuine respect shown towards him by all, was a fresh illustration of the loyalty of the human heart to magnanimity and heroism. He was preparing to make another decent into the shaft when we reached the ground. At 5 o’clock he entered the bucket, equipped with lanterns, a signal cord and other facilities and was lowered into the shaft. The air at a point opposite the lower platform-70 feet above the bottom-was so foul as to extinguish his lamps and seriously affect his respiration. He signaled at this point and was drawn up. this settled the matter and must postpone all further attempts to recover the bodies until the machinery is restored, the water pumped out and the shaft supplied with fresh air.
NAMES OF THE VICTIMS
The names of the miners are as follows: James Burnett age 24, Patrick Conolley age 36, (this man leaves a wife and seven children, the oldest of whom is 13 years) James Fitzgerald age 28, Thomas Mulcare age 19, Edwin Haskins age 23, Thomas and Peter Collins -brothers- ages 27 and 24, Michael Whalan age 21, James Cavanaugh age 37, (who leaves a wife and two children, only three weeks from New York State) John Curron age 25, Thomas Cook age 30, (who leaves a wife and two children) James McCormick age 24. It is said that a stranger was lost with these miners, who went down in the bucket to take a look at the work.
The ages of these victims are from the Florida MA Vital Records. Later documentation from the Springfield, MA “Republican”, reveals the name of the stranger as Joseph Messier, a Frenchman.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE
The works have been lighted by oil until Saturday, when the use of gas made from naphtha was renewed. The State had constructed an apparatus for its manufacturer, but had abandoned it last April on account of the danger. The tank containing the naphtha stands just outside and beyond the building, while the gasometer, for the manufacture of the gas, was placed close to the engine under one end–a most unfortunate location, because an accident or explosion at that point must effect the man who has charge of the engine which controls the entire machinery. The naphtha was conducted in pipes directly under the engine to this gasometer where the gas was manufactured. Someone had the occasion to examine the gas and went to open the door of the gasometer, leaving a lantern some 30 feet behind. Instantly the gas became ignited and flashed over the building, driving the engineer from the wheel and enveloping the entire works in flames. Mr. Gowan, the contractor, says he had no knowledge of the location of the gasometer, supposing it was on the outside near the tank: that he found the apparatus there and used it without changing it.
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
The main building, the blacksmith shop, the machine shop, the saw-mill, office, with all the tools of every kind was destroyed. The engine and boilers are thought to be ruined. Five hundred cords of wood and some 20,000 feet of sawed lumber were burned. The loss is variously estimated from $50,000 to $100,000. While the loss to the State in buildings and material is large, the delay to the work will not be as great as the loss in vain would indicate. The present contractors had found the existing machinery inadequate to the accomplishment of the work. They had therefore ordered new machinery-engines, boilers, and pumps-which would have displaced those which burned. We understand that nearly all the old heavy machinery would have been superseded by the new as soon as it was finished. The new machinery will be put in position as soon as possible and the work pushed with more energy and efficiency than ever.
NO ESCAPE LADDERS
The distance from the lower platform to the bottom of the shaft is 70 feet. No provision seems to have been made for an escape from the bottom in case of accident, which was liable to occur at any time. Ladders made of iron, capable of being raised to avoid the blast, might have been supplied and it would seem, should have been. This would have offered an escape from the water, at least. It is impossible to decide the cause of death in these cases–whether from suffocation, or drowning, or falling material, and it makes little difference, because they would have died had they reached the platform, as the last decent of Mallory proves.
There will no doubt be an investigation of the matter by a competent commission, when the facts will be more fully ascertained. We understand that the families of the men are left in destitute circumstances and need immediate assistance. They should not appeal in vain for aid. Prompt measures should be taken for their relief.
from The Adams Transcript V 27 No. 47 –- Thursday 24 October 1867
An Accident At The Hoosac Tunnel
A Correspondent of The Boston Journal gives the subjoined account of an accident which occurred at the Hoosac Tunnel a few weeks ago, (previous to the fire of 19 October 1867) the sailor mentioned as sustaining his three companions being Thomas Mallory, who, after the serious accident caused by the explosion on the 19th inst., went down a single rope to ascertain the fate of the men who had been at work in the shaft. The writer says:
“As the shaft proceeds down, at about every 20 feet holes are dug in the sides of the shaft to receive the ends of the timbers on which to lay a floor, and as laying this floor is always considered dangerous and requiring all the hoisting apparatus of the shaft, it is usually done when no other work is going on in the shaft. On this day a stick of timber had been sent down with four men on it. The utmost skill is required to shoot one end of the timber into the hole dug in the side of the shaft, and work the other end into the hole in the opposite side. The difficulty will be seen when you remember that the stick of timber is about twenty feet long, twelve inches square, suspended by a single rope, in this case 437 feet long, and 100 feet from the rocky bottom of the shaft, and the holes outside the center of the shaft, with nothing to hold on by but the single rope and the timber on which the men are, in semi-darkness. The timber had been landed in its place, and as one of the men was standing he caught the heel of his boot and, losing his balance, he went over the side of the timber. In his fall he caught the man next to him, and over he went; he also caught the man next and he also followed, catching the last man, who was the sailor who was sitting on the timber with his feet crossed under the timber. In a moment he was wheeled round the timber, with the other three men hanging to him, he with his head down, they upright. There they were, suspended to the timber only by the feet of the sailor clasped on the upper side of the timber, out of reach of the signal rope, a hundred feet from the rocky floor. After a short time of suspense the upper three felt themselves relieved of a weight, and in a few moments heard a heavy thud on the rocks below, by which they knew that one of their comrades had gone. He was quickly followed by a second, but from his groans proceeding, so that they knew he was still alive. The third now said to the sailor, “I suppose it will be my turn soon, as I cannot hold on much longer,” but the sailor cheered him and told him that he would save him. He told him to swing himself, and when he could feel the timber with his feet to clasp it with them. After some time swinging he was enabled to do so, and after some further time to get up on top of the timber. Relieved of the weight, the sailor, after resting himself as well as he could in his position, was also able to get up. There they lay for quite a time. Finally the sailor got up and went to the signal rope and signalized: “Serious accident. Send help,” but how was help to reach them? The only communication was by the rope still attached to the timber and the men were too much exhausted to unfasten it. Another sailor soon solved the problem by clasping the wire rope and sliding down the 437 feet. Arriving at the timber he asked for the other men. All they could say was that they were gone. “Oh, well, keep up a good heart, we will be soon down to help you,” he said, and quickly unfastened the rope, and attached it to his body he was drawn up. He quickly got a cage, some more men descended and succeeded in getting the two men into the cage and they were all drawn to the surface. As soon as the sailor found himself safe, he says, “now, that is all over, let us go down and see about the others” and nothing would prevail to prevent his going down, only to find the first one that fell a broken mass, the second still alive, but he only lived about eight hours after being drawn up.
from The New York Times—28 October 1867
Accident at the Hoosac Tunnel
Yesterday (6 March 1868) a sad accident, caused by the premature explosion of a blast, occurred at the Eastern face of the Hoosac Tunnel, by which a man named Timothy Murphy was very badly injured. The blast had failed to explode with the electrical shock and Murphy went up to it to pick the powder out of the hole, when it exploded, sending a shower of rocks and stones about his person. His injuries were mostly about the head — his eyes being partially if not wholly destroyed. The unfortunate man was brought down on the Troy and Boston train this morning from North Adams and took the cars for New York for medical treatment. — Troy Times. March 7.
Re-printed in The New York Times — March 10, 1868
Accident
While Nestor Chamberlain, a workman employed at the West shaft was at work on Wednesday (29 April 1868), a piece of steel flew from a drill, striking him in the eye with such force as to destroy the sight.
from The Adams Transcript V 28 No. 22 –- Thursday 30 April 1868
Accident
Christy Regan employee at the West shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel, was severely burnt on Wednesday of last week (27 May 1868), by an explosion of a cartridge; one eye is so badly injured that it is doubtful whether its sight can be restored.
from The Adams Transcript V 28 No. 27 –- Thursday 4 June 1868
Killed
Daniel Murphy, employed by B. N. Farren, on the section of the railroad which lies between Charlemont and the Tunnel, (east end) was suddenly killed on last Thursday, (25 June 1868) by a large stone rolling down an embankment, striking an iron bar in the hands of Murphy, driving it with such force against the pit of his stomach as to cause death in a few hours.
from The Adams Transcript V 28 No. 31 –- Thursday 2 July 1868
Sudden Death
On Wednesday evening last week, about 8 o’clock, Michael Frawley on his way home from this village to the West shaft, where he was employed as a workman, and fell dead upon the railroad within a short distance of his house, where he was soon after found. He was seen in this village at 6 o’clock, apparently in good health and no other cause can be assigned for his sudden death, except that he was overcome by the heat.
from The Adams Transcript V 28 No. 34 –- Thursday 23 July 1868
Fall From A Bridge
On last Thursday afternoon as William Daley of this village was crossing the railroad bridge near Johnson’s ground he accidently slipped and fell a distance of 20 feet, receiving such injuries as to cause his death in a few hours.
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 29 Line 176
William Daily, age 57 y 3 mo., married, a laborer, died of an accident 25 September 1868.
ACCIDENT AT THE HOOSAC TUNNEL
Frank Walker, of Adams, Mass., was shockingly burned at the West shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel, recently, by an explosion of benzene, with which he was kindling a fire under a boiler.
from The New York Times —9 November 1868
Accident At The Tunnel
Two men were killed at the Central Shaft and one severely injured on Tuesday afternoon. (29 June 1869) Five of the miners on the lower platform, 60 feet from the bottom of the shaft, entered the bucket to ascend to the next platform when the bucket was lowered so suddenly and violently as to throw out three who were precipitated to the bottom, instantly killing two and seriously injuring the other. We do not learn their names.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 29 No. 31 –- Thursday 1 July 1869
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 7 Line 10
Michael Johnson, age 25, a miner of Ireland, d 30 June 1869 of an accident in the tunnel
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 7 Line 11
Richard Reynolds, age 35 a miner of Ireland, d 30 June 1869 of an accident in the tunnel
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 8 Line 12
John Crager, age 23 a miner from Ireland died 2 July 1869 of an accident in the tunnel
The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV 33 Line 116, lists John Crager, age 23, a miner, died of an accident in the Hoosac Tunnel 2 July 1869. This suggests that he was the third miner seriously injured in the preceding newspaper account, the above documents identifying all three of these men.
Tunnel Accident
On Wednesday of last week (28 July 1869) after the firing of a blast, it was discovered that one of the charges failed to explode. A miner named John Dusten, (sic) after removing the tamping, attempted to loosen the powder with a drill. The result was an explosion of the three feet of powder in the hole, blowing Dusten from a scaffold twelve feet high, tearing his right hand almost off, so as to require amputation and destroying both eyes. The injured man was doing well at last accounts under the care of Dr. Williams of this village.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 2 No. 29 –- Wednesday 4 August 1869
A Second Account of This Accident
Accident At The West Shaft
On Wednesday night of last week (28 July 1869) at about 10 o’clock, an accident took place at the West Shaft by which an Englishman named John Dunstan (sic) was seriously injured. It appears that on the firing of a blast in the bottom drift, one of the charges failed to explode, the connecting wire having broken in the tamping. Dunstan undertaking to remove the charge, struck into the powder with a drill. An explosion followed instantly, which tore his right hand nearly off and destroyed the sight of both eyes. He is under the care of Dr. A. G. Williams. Two of the other workmen were slightly injured.
from The Adams Transcript V 29 No. 36 –- Thursday 5 August 1869
Fatal Accident At The Central Shaft
A man named Menable was killed last Monday morning (13 September 1869) at the Central Shaft, while being lowered in a bucket. The particulars of the accident have not been learned.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 2 No. 35 –- Wednesday 15 September 1869
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 8 Line 13
Patrick Menable, age 26, a miner of Ireland, d. 13 Sept 1869 of an accident in the tunnel
Accident
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 8 Line 14
Thomas Bray, age 23, a miner of Ireland, died 28 Sept 1869 of an accident in the tunnel
West End Of Tunnel Flooded And One Man Drowned
On Monday (4 October 1869) about 10 o’clock, the stream North of the Tunnel, broke through the embankment and poured into the cut or excavation between the Western end of the old Haupt Tunnel, so called, through which the water is conducted off into the Hoosac River. The East mouth of the Haupt Tunnel was closed and soon the cut was filled and the water began to set back into the West end Tunnel with great force. Seventy-five men were at work in the tunnel, scattered along to the West Shaft and beyond for nearly a mile. As soon as possible after the break, Mr. Hocking, of the firm Holbrook & Hocking, gave the alarm to the men in his employ, who attempted to escape from the East end, but, were forced back by the torrents of water to the “Brick Shaft” where all but one of them were saved. The two sons of Mr. Hocking displayed great courage in their endeavors to save the men.–John Ryan, a little boy about twelve years old, was rescued by John Hocking after repeated trials. The current was so swift that young Hocking was three times swept away from the timbers of the shaft, to which he was clinging. At length he succeeded in seizing and saving the boy. James Kelly who was floating upon a piece of timber about thirty feet from the shaft, was saved by a rope thrown to him by James Hocking. After Kelly was saved and when the Tunnel was nearly full of water, James Hocking shouted and was answered by Richard Barryman, a young man who had only that morning began work. (sic) He appeared to be floating on a timber and the current was carrying him away from the shaft into the Tunnel. For a few moments after he shouted, James heard the poor fellow praying earnestly, –- then suddenly his voice hushed and he sank to rise no more.
Immediately on giving the alarm to the workmen at the West End, Mr. Hocking mounted a horse and rode with all speed to the West Shaft to apprise the miners at that point of their danger. The workmen at the heading quickly hastened to the shaft and were saved and Mr. Hocking seizing a light started Westward for the audit between the West Shaft and the West End, through which some of the miners were attempting to flee in the dark, pursued by the rushing water –-with the aid of Mr. Hocking’s light they reached the West Shaft and were saved. –- Barryman is believed to be the only man lost in the disaster. The open cut, between the West End and the Haupt Tunnel is level full of earth.
The entire Tunnel from the mouth of Farren’s arch to the end of the heading beyond the West Shaft –-nearly a mile –-is full of water, with fifteen feet in the West Shaft and rising continually. This will interrupt the work and be a serious loss to the contractors.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 29 No. 45 –- Thursday 7 October 1869
East End Magazine Explodes
One of the most serious casualties connected with the use of nitroglycerine took place in the autumn of 1869 (9 October) at the magazine where it was stored at the east end. The magazine stood upon the hill side, a quarter of a mile from the portal, and it contained at the time of the accident about five hundred pounds of the nitroglycerine. Three of the miners, whose business it was, went one morning to the magazine to prepare the nitroglycerine for the day’s use; and by some unknown accident an explosion took place, killing them all. One of the men was outside the building, and he, though terribly lacerated, was identified when he was picked up; but of the other two men hardly a vestige was found. They were literally blown to atoms.
Of the building, not a plank or timber was left in the neighborhood and nothing but an ugly fissure in the ground remained to mark the spot where it stood.
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 7 Line 5
George MacDuff, age 29, miner from Scotland, died 9 Oct 1869 in a magazine explosion
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 7 Line 6
Felix LaMontang, age 23, single, a miner from Canada, died 9 Oct 1869 in an explosion
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 7 Line 7
Oswell LaMontang, age 21, married, a miner from Canada, d. 9 Oct 1869 in an explosion
Researcher’s Note – This account is the first giving nitroglycerine as the explosive in use when a deadly blast occurred. George Mowbray’s factory had been in operation almost two years when this event took place. Seven more similar incidences would take place before the Hoosac Tunnel was finished with double tracks installed in 1880.
Explosion
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1869 Page 7 Line 8
James Bakey, age 22, a miner of Canada, died 29 Nov 1869 of an explosion in the tunnel
Accident
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 34 Line 180
Fred Miller, age 31, married, a laborer from Canada, died of an accident 25 Dec. 1869
Man Falls One Hundred Feet at the Hoosac Tunnel
Yesterday (4 February 1870) a man, whose name we have not learned, engaged in the work on the Hoosac Tunnel, fell down the central shaft a distance of one hundred feet, but remarkable to relate, was not killed by the mishap, though he was, of course, horribly mangled and probably cannot survive. One of his legs was twice broken, and he was otherwise seriously injured.
from the Troy Times, 5 February 1870
re-printed in The New York Times — 6 February 1870
East End Magazine Explosion
The magazine at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel, containing 400 lbs. of nitroglycerine, blew up Wednesday night of last week (16 March 1870). The concussion was heard for 20 miles around. No lives were lost. The accident is supposed to have arisen from the fire in the stove, as the building was observed to be on fire before the explosion.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 30 No. 17 –- Thursday 24 March 1870
Saturday 13 August 1870 — Central Shaft Reaches Grade Level
Accident At The West End
On Monday, Robert Roberts was severely injured at the west end, a heavy rock which hung after a blast, falling on him. He was cut and bruised on the back of his head and neck. It is thought he will recover, but he is in a critical situation.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 30 No. 38 –- Thursday 18 August 1870
Accident At The Central Shaft –- Three Men Killed
On Tuesday afternoon, (18 October 1870) as superintendent Cornelius Redding, William James and Matthew Jewell, Were descending the shaft in a bucket, the rope gave way, precipitating them 500 feet into the water at the bottom, there was fifty feet of water at the bottom of the shaft, and before aid reached them, they were drowned; the bodies have been recovered.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 30 No. 47 –- Thursday 20 October 1870
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1870 Page 8 Lines 7,8 and 9
William James, age 34, Matthew Jewell age 39, and Cornelius Redding Age 48, miners from England, died 18 October 1870 of an accidental falling bucket in the central shaft.
Information from Ella Dunsmore, a descendant of William James, indicates that a workman, beginning his shift after an evening at the tavern, failed to set the brake mechanism on the hoisting machinery, contributing to this accident.
Accidents
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1870 Page 8 Line 10
James Rundle, age 25 a miner of England died 1 Nov 1870 of an accident in the tunnel
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 39 Line 180
Andrew Treat, age 23, a miner from Ireland, died of an accident 7 November 1870.
Workman Injured
John Burt, A workman at the West End, Hoosac Tunnel, was seriously hurt on Wednesday of last week. (9 November 1870) A large stone fell on his back and injured his spine.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 3 No. 44 –-Wednesday 16 November 1870
Fatal Accident At The West Shaft
On Tuesday (29 November 1870) Mr. John Hocking Jr., son of Contractor Hocking, was instantly killed at the West End, by a huge stone falling from the roof of the Tunnel, upon his head. Young Hocking was on a ladder fastening a hook in the roof of the Tunnel, upon which to hang a pulley block, used for hoisting stone on to the cars, when this large block of stone, weighing several tons, broke and fell upon him, horribly crushing his head, and causing his death. Mr. Hocking was a very important and useful man, an overseer of some twenty men, and highly regarded for his intelligence and character. He was 22 years of age. This is terrible blow to Mr. Hocking, and he has the deep sympathy of the community, in his affliction.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 31 No. 1 –- Thursday 1 December 1870
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 39 Line 165
John Hocking Jr., age 22, a miner from England, died of an accident 29 November 1870.
FEARFUL EXPLOSION AT THE TUNNEL
The nitroglycerine magazine of Prof. Mowbray at the West end of the Tunnel exploded about 2 o’clock on Friday afternoon of last week, killing John V. Velsor, the superintendent, and blowing his remains into a thousand fragments. The magazine was situated in a ravine about two hundred feet from the works, and was surrounded by a board fence ten feet high. The trees in the vicinity were stripped and the fence destroyed, leaving some of the standards of the fence, while only one timber stuck upright in the ground remained of the magazine. A cavity of five feet in diameter and about three feet deep marks the spot where the explosion commenced.
There were about 800 pounds of nitroglycerine in and about the magazine at the time, of which 350 pounds were congealed and inside of the magazine, while about the same quantity had been placed there about two hours before –-the result of the morning’s work. Mr. Velsor the superintendent, had left the boarding house, some 200 feet from the magazine, ten minutes previously, with a pail of hot water, intending to have a bath, as was his habit after getting through his work. He had also removed from the house, placing it in his overcoat pocket, a small vial of nitroglycerine, a sample used for showing visitors. A stove fed with anthracite coal is kept perpetually burning during the fall, winter and spring, to maintain an equable temperature. One theory is that he hung his coat near this stove, and thereby caused the explosion, as but he was thoroughly acquainted with the properties of the explosive as any other man in the country, it is inferred that he had forgotten the vial was in his coat, slipped on a few seconds previous.
The instant before the explosion, one of the hands discovered smoke rising from the magazine. The shock was so great that the windows of the house and factory were blown out and the boards on the front of the factory were loosened from the plates. Several cans of congealed nitroglycerine were found unexploded. The explosion was plainly heard and felt as far South as Cheshire. The saddest thing about the sudden taking-off of Mr. Velsor, is the fact of his sending for his two children to come on from the West, 16 days previous. The friend to whom his letter was addressed was absent and their departure was therefore delayed. They left Corry, Pa. last Tuesday, and were snowed in at Dunkirk, and did not arrive till Friday, two hours after their father’s sad death. They had been in charge of a relative, their father being a widower. It was some years since he had seen them, and he counted much on their arrival, intending to have made a home and have been married again, the day succeeding the accident.
Mr. Velsor was greatly respected by those who knew him. He had been engaged with Mr. Mowbray, the proprietor of the works, almost interruptedly for ten years, and was in every respect a competent, faithful superintendent, and one whom it will be difficult to replace. None of the hands are anxious to leave on account of the accident, and Mr. Mowbray will at once resume operations, giving his personal attention, as formerly to the manufacture. The funeral of Mr. Velsor took place at the Methodist church in this village, Sunday afternoon.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 3 No. 50 –- Wednesday 28 December 1870
A Second Account of This Accident
Explosion Of The Nitroglycerine Magazine
The magazine of the nitroglycerine works, at the West Shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel, exploded on Friday afternoon, (23 December 1870) with a tremendous report, shattering the magazine and blowing to atoms the foreman in charge–John V. Velsor. Mr. Velsor was literally blown to pieces and scattered in all directions. Not a fragment of the body as large as the hand was found, but only small pieces of flesh and bone, picked up here and there on the ground and in the branches of trees, where they had been blown.
Velsor had left the boarding house for the magazine only ten minutes before the explosion, with a pail of hot water for washing and also a vial of nitroglycerine, a sample used for showing visitors, placing it in his overcoat. This was the last seen of him before the explosion, the cause of which must forever remain a mystery. He was thoroughly acquainted with the properties of the explosive and would be likely to avoid the ordinary dangers, and hence the conjecture of some unexpected and accidental circumstance or casualty, as the immediate cause of the explosion.
There were about 800 pounds of nitroglycerine in and about the magazine, at the time, of which 350 pounds were congealed and inside of the magazine, while about the same quantity had been placed there about two hours before–the result of the morning’s work. The houses of this village were shaken by the concussion, whose cause was suspected at once and great anxiety felt to learn the extent of the disaster. Mr. Velsor was a very valuable and excellent man, who had been in the employ of Prof. Mowbray for some ten years and fully conversant with the business and the nature of the explosive.
He was a widower with three children, a son in the regular Army, and a son and daughter in Pennsylvania. The last two, age ten and sixteen, he had not seen for over six years and had sent for them to spend Christmas with him. They arrived on the four o’clock train, Friday, only to learn of the dreadful facts of his death. Mr. Velsor was also to have been married on Saturday and the preparations for this event were all made. A new home for his children, a new life of love and happiness, arrangements for permanent residence and business–all these and more were blasted in an instant, by this terrible catastrophe.
Prof. Mowbray was greatly shocked and grieved by this disaster: Velsor was an efficient foreman and warm friend. Their relations for ten years had been the most cordial and pleasant character. The Professor has taken the two children into his family and will give them permanent home and support. While he has the means, those children will be provided for.
from The Adams Transcript V 31 No. 5 –- Thursday 29 December 1870
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 39 Line 175
John Velsor, age 42, Superintendent from Scotland, died of an explosion 23 Dec 1870.
Destructive Fire
The large boarding house at the east end of the Tunnel was discovered to be on fire about two o’clock, on Monday (26 December) morning, and all efforts to extinguish the flames were unavailing. The building and contents were entirely consumed, with the exception of a few articles of furniture belonging to C. H. Mann, who occupied a new part recently attached to the main building. A boarder named Brown, was burned to death, and another named McGowan, was so severely burned as to cause his death on Tuesday morning. A brother of McGowan leaped from the upper window, and was seriously injured. The boarding house was kept by W. Chandler, who lost everything he had, including all the clothing of his family, who barely escaped with their lives. Mr. Mann also lost a fine private library, valued at $1,000. The building was owned by the State and leased by F. Shanley & Co.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 3 No. 50 –- Wednesday 28 December 1870
A Second Account of This Accident
Fire At The East End Of The Tunnel
The large boarding house at the East end of the Tunnel, took fire on Monday (26 December 1870) morning about 2 o’clock, and was totally destroyed, together with most of the furniture. A man by the name of Brown, a boarder, sleeping in the second story, perished in the flames, despite all efforts to rescue him. When the second floor gave way, this man was seen falling with the burning ruins. McGowan, another man who was badly burned, lingered till Tuesday, when he died. His brother jumped from a window and was dangerously injured.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 31 No. 5 –- Thursday 29 December 1870
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1870 Page 9 Line 19
Robert Brown, age 50, a miner from Scotland, died 26 Dec 1870 in a fire.
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1870 Page 9 Line 20
John McGowan, age 30, single, a miner from Ireland, died 26 Dec 1870 in a fire.
Accidents
An accident inflicting severe, but not fatal injuries upon two of Holbrook and Hocking’s men, occurred last Tuesday (3 January 1871) at the west end of the Tunnel, in the section where the brick arching is being built. Some earth and rock fell upon them in the heading, and nearly buried them. They were soon removed, however, from their perilous situation, with numerous severe bruises and some broken bones. Another accident occurred on the same job on Monday, (9 January 1871) by the falling of rock, from which six men were much frightened and received slight bodily injuries, not sufficient to prevent them from resuming work on Tuesday.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 3 No. 52 –- Wednesday 11 January 1871
Falling Rocks at the West End
Pat Lawless and Wm. Mulcay were badly hurt by some rock falling from the roof of the Tunnel at the West End. The former was dangerously hurt. Pat Lawless died two weeks afterward. Wm. Mulcay recovered.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 3 January 1871
Died At the Tunnel, January 12, Patrick Lawless, aged 35 years.
from The Adams Transcript V 31 No. 8 –- Thursday 19 January 1871
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 42 Line 47
Patrick Lawless, age 35, laborer from Ireland, died of an accident 12 Jan 1871
Accident
An accident fatal to life occurred at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel on Thursday last, (5 January 1871) from the use of one of the delicate and powerful explosives now employed in blasting on the work. Joseph T. Budlon, (sic) a Frenchman, was loading a blast with a cartridge of dualin, when from some unknown cause, the charge exploded with terrific force, killing Budlon instantly, tearing his head and one arm from his body. A boy employed nearby in gathering drills, was dangerously wounded but escaped with his life.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 3 No. 52 –- Wednesday 11 January 1871
A Second Account of This Accident
Dualin Explosion At The East End of the Hoosac Tunnel
On Friday, (6 January 1871) a dualin explosion occurred at the East End, causing the death of a man and painfully injuring a boy attendant. The details of the sad affair are these: The rock around the Tunnel was being “trimmed” to a depth of two feet and, the use of nitroglycerine for this purpose being a waste of force, it was decided to employ the dualin, on hand, which had failed to realize the expectations that led to its purchase. Joseph T. Butloe, (sic) the deceased, in attempting to introduce a dualin cartridge into a drill-hole, found the cartridge too large and, to effect its entrance, removed its outer covering of pasteboard and, thus reduced in size, was able to insert it in the hole. As it did not yet reach the bottom of the hole, he endeavored to drive it in further with a “tamping stick” a method which the inventor of dualin advocated and regarded as perfectly safe. Unfortunately, however, in the present case it was not so, the explosion, following the first “tamp”, instantly killing the operator, blowing off one hand and the front part of his head. Patrick Mack, a boy who was picking up drills nearby, had his clothes completely stripped from his body and his side filled with sand and although he came out of the Tunnel apparently uninjured, he is now quite ill from the reaction of such an experience.
from The Adams Transcript V 31 No. 7 –- Thursday 12 January 1871
A Third Account of This Accident
Joseph Thibadeau (sic) was killed by tamping a dualin cartridge. The holes drilled had proved too small and he had stripped off parts of the paper covering in order to insert the cartridge.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 6 January 1871
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 9 Line 3
Joseph Thibadeau, (sic) age 26, single, a miner from Canada, died 6 January 1871 of an accident in the Hoosac Tunnel.
From the confusion of dates in the preceding articles, death record, and Benjamin Frost’s notes, all suggest this was the same man. His name, Thibadeau, is used in the official death record and Frost’s notes, which seems to authenticate this spelling of his name.
Workman Falls from the Bucket
Thursday, (12 January 1871) a man named James Oliver fell from the rim of an ascending bucket at the Central Shaft, to the bottom of the shaft, about ten feet, painfully cutting his face.
from The Adams Transcript V 31 No. 8 –- Thursday 19 January 1871
12 January 1871 James Oliver fell back from the shaft bucket, 10 feet to bottom. He had his head cut very badly. He completely recovered afterward.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 14 January 1871
Explosion at the West Shaft
An accident occurred at half past 9 PM, caused by an explosion of nitroglycerine spilled by the blasters on the top bench. The working of a machine drill exploded it. John Flynn was badly cut about the eyes. James Wolf was cut and bruised on the shoulder. Pat Kerns had his eyes badly cut, will probably lose both. Flynn and Wolf recovered entirely. Kerns lost one eye.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 14 January 1871
A Second Account of This Accident
An accident at the West Shaft in the bench works, occurred on Saturday morning (14 January 1871) injuring three men, viz., Patsy Kerns, James Wolf and John Flynn, the first named it is feared will lose one eye. It arose from the blasters having spilled some nitroglycerine on the grade, and omitting to report same, or if reported the warning did not reach the men who were injured, for they proceded to set the drilling machine over the precise site of their comrades’ negligence. Immediately on starting the drill there was an explosion, scattering the broken debris of rock lying round, and the men who were surrounding the drill received the explosion at short range, causing very painful wounds in the face, breast and shoulders, but fortunately not fatal. Rumors are current that the injured man Kerns. Had requested to be employed at another point, because he was impressed there had been some nitroglycerine spilled on the bench, also that the engineers had marked the spot. These rumors, if well founded, would seem to indicate that there had been a failure to notify the foreman miner, who would undoubtedly have directed an under blast, had he received due warning of the circumstances of the case. The results of this accident will be availed of to enforce the rules laid down for the avoidance of such casualties in the future and the men themselves will now, it is believed, see that these rules are essential to their safety and cannot be violated with impunity.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 31 No. 8 –- Thursday 19 January 1871
Worker Falls Down Central Shaft
While Griffin Jones was stepping into the bucket at the top, he lost his hold and fell to the bottom of the shaft, smashing himself all up. He was killed instantly. He was 22 years old, a native of Virginia. He had been to work but a few days.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 23 January 1871
On Monday, (23 January 1871) as the morning “shift” were about to descend the central shaft, one of them named Jones, in attempt to jump into the bucket, missed his footing on the icy edge of the scaffolding and fell the entire length of the shaft, 1028 feet, striking the bottom with a noise closely resembling the explosion of a blast. Portions of his clothing were found upon some of the different scaffoldings that line the shaft, showing that his fall was interrupted at many points. The body was horribly mangled. Jones was a Welshman and came to the shaft from Virginia but a few days since. He has no connections in this vicinity. A man at the bottom of the shaft barely escaped severe injury, if not death, from the falling body, it just grazing his leg before striking.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 31 No. 9 –- Thursday 26 January 1871
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 9 Line 2
Griffith Jones, age 25, single, a miner from Whales, died 23 January 1871 in the tunnel.
Accidents
In 1863 the central shaft was started and not completed until August of 1870, at a depth of 1028 Feet. Terrible happenings visited this place, and it was not strange that the tunnel work should be thought haunted by many.
A Mr. Jones, once fell the entire depth of the shaft. Another miner was transfixed by a drill which fell down the shaft and hit him. Once the works over the shaft burned, letting a shower of drills and tools fall upon thirteen defenseless miners, who were all killed and whose bodies were not recovered until a year later.
from The North Adams Transcript –- 25 Feb 1938 by William Bradford Browne
Falling Rocks at the West End
An accident happened this evening (9 February 1871) at 10 o’clock at well no. 4. They had blasted a few minutes before. Pat Sennett went under the place blasted in the roof to break some rocks and a large quantity fell on him, crushing him very badly. He was taken out immediately and Dr. Babbitt sent for.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 9 February 1871
Patrick Sennett, whose injuries at well No. 4, of the west end of the Tunnel, were chronicled last week, was removed on Saturday to the Albany city hospital for treatment. There is strong hope entertained of his ultimate recovery.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 31 No. 13 –- Thursday 23 February 1871
On 19th of February Messrs. Holbrook and Hocking sent Patrick Sennett to the Albany City Hospital. News was received a few weeks after, that in six weeks he would be a well man. He was 25 years old. James Clark who was slightly hurt at the same time, will recover. On the 28th of April Messrs. H and H received a telegram from Albany City Hospital, stating that Pat Sennett had died.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 28 April 1871
Accident at the East End
Last Wednesday (22 March) John Condell (sic) was severely injured by rock falling from the roof of the Tunnel, crushing his leg. Condell is in critical condition and his recovery is uncertain.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 31 No. 18 –- Thursday 30 March 1871
Pocket of Water Struck
The miners at the central shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel on Monday (2 April 1871) struck a pocket of water of such magnitude that thus far the water has gained on the pumps. Similar pockets have been found, and this will probably run dry. – A miner, John Condis (sic) was recently injured at the “east end” by a piece of rock falling from the roof and crushing one of his legs.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 4 No. 12 –- Wednesday 5 April 1871
John Condell (sic), miner at East End, who was injured in the Tunnel about the 18th of March, died of his injuries on 3rd instant.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 14 April 1871
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 9 Line 10
John Condis (sic), age 23, single, a miner of Ireland, d. 3 Apr 1871 of a tunnel accident
Workman Injured
5 April 1871 — James Ray had his forefinger smashed by being caught between the bucket and a piece of timber at the bottom of the shaft.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 14 April 1871
Worker Injured at West End
Pat Goff was standing under the roof at the West Division, West End arch, immediately after a blast. A piece of rock fell striking him on the back, injuring him badly. This occurred about half past two PM. From last accounts he was doing well. He recovered in about three weeks.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 12 April 1871
Premature Blast at the East End
As a blast in the enlargement was about to take place, 9 holes were loaded with nitro, each having an electric exploder. The blaster, Fred Roberts, being ready to connect the main wire to the battery, at that moment an explosion was affected by a current of electricity, conducted from the mouth of the Tunnel by the iron rails, a distance of 2800 feet. It is known that during the thunder shower which occurred at that time, lightning struck the track outside and followed in to the place where the accident happened causing the death of Fred Roberts, John S. Mason, William Dunn and Thomas Raycroft. John Churchill had his leg broken. He recovered entirely.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 21 April 1871
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 9 Line 11
Thomas W. Raycroft, age 43, married, a miner of Ireland, died 21 Apr 1871 in the tunnel
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 9 Line 12
John S. Mason, age 45, single, a miner from Canada, died 21 April 1871 in the tunnel
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 9 Line 13
Alfrent Roberts, age 24, single, a miner from Canada, died 21 April 1871 in the tunnel
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 9 Line 14
William Dunn, age 32, married, a miner from Canada, died 21 April 1871 in the tunnel
Possibly this is the event referred to in the article about the 8 August 1871 explosion, also caused by an electrical discharge.
Falling Rocks at the East End
An accident occurred on June 24th to Paul Mc Dermot and Anthony Lamote, from rocks falling on them from the roof of the Tunnel. Mc Dermot died on June 25th. Lamote would recover.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 10 July 1871
Trains Collide at the West End
An accident occurred at 9 o’clock this morning at the West End, as the locomotive was going in the Tunnel drawing two empty cars. Frank Rice acting as “Coupler” was sitting on the forward part of the engine. They ran into a car loaded with rock, standing on the track. They not having any head light on the locomotive, or themselves any lamps, did not see the car. His left leg was badly smashed below the knee. The accident happened about where well no. 4 existed. He was taken to James Lond’s house and attended by Dr. Babbitt. He recovered in three months and now has use of his leg.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 4 August 1871
Another Dreadful Explosion
Last Tuesday afternoon, (8 August 1871) about four o’clock, another electric explosion occurred, similar to that which took place at the East End, some months since. As in the former instance it was fearfully fatal. It seems that the men at the enlargements had come out and the relief shift was going in with directions from the superintendent to delay charging the holes until he sent them word, because of the thunder shower then in progress. Foreman Ed. Kelly and his shift were in the (east) heading, 9,050 feet from the Tunnel (entrance). About half the shift had gone back from the face and the remainder, of about 15 men, was on the North side of the heading, some tamping holes, some fixing track, etc. Kelly was kneeling to connect the wires of the bottom holes, and Patrick Shea was standing by his side when the blast occurred. Patrick Shea and John Ferns were instantly killed. John Kennedy and John Callahan were wounded, the former so seriously that he died. Kelly escaped by a miracle, his watch in his side vest pocket being torn from him and destroyed by flying rocks. Ferns leaves a wife and seven children. Shea and Kennedy are unmarried. Callahan has a family. The cause of the explosion, as in the former one, was atmospheric electricity following the track in and connecting with the battery wire attached to the holes. That so few were killed where so many were endangered is strangely fortunate. A similar explosion from the same cause and on the same day occurred at the West Shaft. No one there was hurt.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 4 No. 31 –- Wednesday 16 August 1871
At 3:45 PM in the (east) heading about 9,200 feet from the portal, Pat Shea and John Ferns, miners, they had just got through tamping their holes. A current of electricity conducted by the iron rails exploded them. Shea and Ferns were instantly killed. John Kennedy, trackman, had his left leg smashed below the knee and injured about the breast. Dr. Babbitt amputated his leg on the 11th inst., and he died on the 16th. John Callahan was hurt as well as many others, but they all recovered.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 8 August 1871
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 10 Line 21
John Ferns, age 34, married, a miner from Ireland, died 8 August 1871 in the tunnel.
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 10 Line 22
Patrick Shay, age 25, single, a miner from Ireland, died 8 August 1871 in the tunnel.
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1871 Page 10 Line 24
John Kennedy, age 22, single, a miner from Florida, MA, died 16 August 1871 from injuries due to an accident in the tunnel, on 8 August.
Explosion Injures Two Workmen
August 10, 1871 An accident happened here today at 3:00 PM. While Thomas Cash and John McNamara, miners, were engaged in trimming the sides near the bench, an explosion took place. While McNamara was boring, his tool encountered a fissure in which some nitroglycerine remained unexploded at some previous charge. Thomas Cash was slightly hurt about the head and hands, John McNamara about the head, hands and eyes. Both recovered.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 10 August 1871
Worker Falls From Train
As the locomotive was coming out of the Tunnel at West End drawing six loaded cars full of rock, at about 2:00 PM, when she was passing the blacksmith shop, Pat Rainey, age 17, who was “Coupler” on the other shaft, attempted to jump on to ride down to the dump. He missed his footing, fell and the two last Wheels on the right hand side of the last car, went over his left shoulder, smashing many bones and injuring him internally.
He was taken to his father’s house and attended by Dr. Lawrence. He recovered in about two months – has but little strength in his left arm.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 16 August 1871
Falling Rock
On Friday last, (1 September 1871), some men were drilling from a carriage, into the roof, beyond the brick arch, at the West end of the Hoosac Tunnel. Several men were at work beneath them filling a car with rock. Their foreman approaching the drillers, to learn their progress, discovered the rock above them, for a considerable space to be moving. He shouted to the workmen, who had barely time to escape before a mass of rock weighing 20 or 30 tons fell, covering the place where they had been working. Several men were slightly injured and one, John Howard quite seriously so.
from The Adams Transcript V 31 No. 41 –- Thursday 7 September 1871
Explosion at the East End
On the night of the 7th, (September) two men were severely burned by the explosion of a keg of powder, caused by some rocks falling on it from the roof. Their names are John Donocliff, foreman and David Donnie, tool boy. They both recovered.
from Benjamin Frost’s Notes of 8 September 1871
Accident at the West Shaft Bench
An accident occurred at the bench at the West Shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel at about 6:30 A.M., of the 14th inst., by which Terry Columbus, a miner, was instantly killed, and Reuben Bottrell was severely injured; Richard Stafford who was also injured about the face, but not dangerously. Columbus was assisting in “picking out,” that is, drawing the charge, from a powder hole which had not exploded, and while his companion, who was in charge of the operation, had stepped a few paces away to fetch a keg of water, the deceased recommenced work in the hole, which instantly exploded. Bottrell’s right arm was amputated at the elbow by Dr. H. J. Millard, assisted by G. L. Rice. The arm is also fractured above the elbow. Bottrell’s eyes were destroyed. Twenty two miners in the shaft escaped injury.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 31 No. 47 –- Thursday 19 October 1871
from The Adams, MA Vital Records Book IV P 42 Line 145
Terrance Columbus, age 21, a miner from England, died of an accident 12 October 1871.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 5 No. 15 –-Wednesday 24 April 1872
Reuben Bottrell has just deceased in this village from the effects of wounds received in a Hoosac Tunnel accident that occurred 14 October 1871.
from The Adams, MA Vital Records Book IV P 47 Line 135
Reuben Bottrell, age 23, a miner from England, died of injuries on 22 April 1872
Accidents at the West Portal
The works at the Western part of the Tunnel were filled with second class misfortunes on Friday and Saturday of last week. (15 & 16 December 1871) On Friday, at the Hocking job, John Quinn fell a distance of 26 feet, striking his breast across a carpenter’s bench; yet singularly enough instead of being instantly killed, he was not badly hurt. On the same day, Patrick Fitzgerald had his left foot badly smashed. On Saturday a Frenchman name not learned, had his right leg broken in two places, sustaining besides severe injuries upon the head, shoulder and left leg. A man named Murphy was also run over by the cars used in drawing out debris, and had his leg badly bruised.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 4 No. 49 –- Wednesday 20 December 1871
Accident at the Tunnel
After a blast had been fired at the central shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel on Thursday, (29 February 1872) the men returned, to find a huge rock, some ten feet square, thrown out in one piece, and before this could be removed, it became necessary to blast it. The work of drilling had proceeded nearly far enough to receive the charge, when the drill struck an unexploded can of nitroglycerine, which instantly exploded. Three men were injured. One named John McCann, was badly injured, his right arm being shattered, a portion of the left hand torn to shreds, serious injuries sustained upon the side and thigh as also internally. The right arm and a portion of the left hand were amputated by Dr. A. M. Smith. The internal injuries, however, proved fatal, and the man died on Saturday morning.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 5 No. 8 –- Wednesday 6 March 1872
A Second Account of This Accident
Accident At The Central Shaft –- One Man Killed and Three Wounded
At the Central Shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel, about three o’clock Thursday afternoon last, (29 February 1872) an accidental discharge of a nitroglycerine cartridge occurred, resulting in the death of one man and injuries more or less severe to three others. The details of the sad affair are these: Three men – John McCann, Joseph Donovan and Patrick Fitzgerald, were working on the “bottom” of the shaft, upon a large rock, that had been thrown out by a previous blast. These men were drilling to break it into removable fragments by blasting. McCann was holding the drill, the two others were striking. There was in the rock unknown to the men, a hole loaded with a nitroglycerine cartridge that, for some cause failed of being discharged. The drill struck this cartridge and an explosion followed. McCann had his right arm blown off from above the elbow, the little finger of his left hand removed, his thigh frightfully torn, fragments of rock passing through it and receiving a severe contusion in the abdomen that occasioned his death. Fitzgerald’s injuries were mostly about the eyes one if not both of which it is feared he will lose. Donovan and Samuel San Souci, a Frenchman, standing near, were slightly injured. All fled from the scene of the accident save McCann and he struggled to his feet twice in attempt to do so. Help was soon obtained and McCann was removed to the office at the mouth of the shaft when the bleeding from his arm was stopped. About two hours afterward his arm was amputated by Drs. Millard and Smith from this village. But he had already lost a great deal of blood and the bruise in the abdomen was too deep for recovery. The muscles of the thigh, where the fragments of the rock passed through, were so affected by the force of the blow that they felt to the touch like a mass of jelly.
McCann died Saturday morning. He was about 18 years old. Had the explosion been delayed five minutes, McCann’s fate would have fallen to another, for the time of his working was nearly finished and the relieving “shift” was descending the shaft when the explosion took place.
from The Adams Transcript V 32 No. 15 –- Thursday 7 March 1872
Explosion
from The Adams, MA Vital Records Book IV P 48 Line 149
Isaac Blanchard Jr., age 33, married, from England, died of an explosion 20 June 1872.
Accident
Two Men, John Patterson and Eugene Reno, were injured at the west shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel last week, (Wednesday 17 July 1872) the former by getting his hand caught in one of the drilling machines, while the latter received internal bruises by one of the machines falling upon him.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 32 No. 35 –- Thursday 25 July 1872
Accident at The West Shaft –- Two Men Killed and Two Boys Injured
A terrible accident happened at the heading of the West Shaft about half past eight this morning. (Wednesday 11 September 1872) The particulars, so far as we have been able to learn them, are these: Two men, David Witto and Michael Harrington, were killed, and two boys were hurt, one of them John Scolley, a lad of about fourteen, who carried drills, having his left arm shattered so that he will probably lose it, and receiving severe injuries about the face and head. The other boy, whose name we do not learn, was injured but slightly. Witto was one of the most experienced blasters on the works. He had evidently finished charging the holes when the explosion occurred, but had not completed his connection with the discharging battery, for but two of the holes were discharged, the other two, though loaded with nitroglycerine, remaining unexploded notwithstanding the concussion.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 32 No. 42 –- Thursday 12 September 1872
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 49 Line 202
David Witto, age 38, a miner from Clarksburg MA, died of an explosion 11 Sept 1872.
Accident at The West Shaft Hoosac Tunnel
On Saturday afternoon (21 September 1872) at 4:30 P. M. a premature explosion occurred in the heading of the West Shaft. John Smith, who was being assisted by Mr. Stone, from the Central Shaft, had loaded eight holes and inserted the cartridge in the ninth hole, and whilst withdrawing the tamping stick, an explosion ensued, hurling out a mass of rock, part of which struck Stone, tearing out the stomach, arms and head from the body, which struck the arm and inflicted a painful wound on William Kane, who was approaching with two 18 inch cartridges in his hand to insert in the next (tenth) drill hole. The flying debris struck a copper can containing twelve pounds of nitroglycerine, perforating it, but it did not explode it. Neither were the two cartridges blown from the grasp of Kane exploded. The filling stand containing the other cartridges was overthrown, but careful examination showed that whilst several of the charged cartridges were battered and broken, none were discharged, except the one in the drilled hole from which the tamping stick was being withdrawn. Smith received the flash of the explosion in his face, which is severely bruised, but is able to see; four fingers of the left hand were smashed, and have been amputated. He seems to have recovered from the shock, and to-day (Thursday 26 September) is cheerful and doing well. He had been engaged in similar work for about four years and was regarded as one of the most careful, reliable men on the works. The remains of Stone were interred on Monday. The lads, William Kane and Rice are both doing well.
A careful examination of all the facts, circumstances and materials used is being had, for it would seem from this accident happening so similar to that on the 11th instant, and in both cases to the best blasters on the works, that the exciting cause of these premature explosions can be discovered, and hereafter prevented.
from The Adams Transcript V 32 No. 44 –- Thursday 26 September 1872
FATAL EXPLOSION AT THE HOOSAC TUNNEL
Springfield, Mass., September 22, 1872 — A premature explosion at the west end of the Hoosac Tunnel yesterday killed an old man named Peter Stone, a Canadian, seriously injured John Smith, and slightly injured two other workmen.
from The New York Times—Monday 23 September 1872
Another Accident at The Hoosac Tunnel
About five o’clock on the morning of Thursday last, (3 October 1872) an explosion occurred at the heading of the East End of the Hoosac Tunnel, killing one man and severely injuring three others. The accident happened through a mistake in judgement on the part of the driller. It seems one hole charged in a previous blast had failed to go off. It was thought less dangerous to drill by it on an angle than to pick it out. The driller, however, failed to estimate the distance correctly and his drill entered the hole near the bottom, firing the powder with which it was charged. Michael Cunningham, the driller, was killed by the explosion. Stephen McArthy will probably lose his eyes; his left hand is also badly injured. Michael Pender was hurt badly in the eyes. Thomas Phillips, also had his eyes injured and his shoulder hurt. Cunningham was a young man and leaves a wife and two children.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 32 No. 46 –- Thursday 10 October 1872
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1872 Page 12 Line 29
Michael Cunningham, age 34, married, a miner of Ireland, died 3 Oct 1872 in the tunnel
Thursday 12 December 1872 — East Headings Pierced Through !
An Explosion
An explosion of nitroglycerine occurred at the West Shaft of the Tunnel on Monday. About two gallons of nitroglycerine was spilled September 11th 1872, when David Witto and Michael Harrrington were killed. The point where it was thought to be was marked on either side with drill holes, and was about twenty feet in advance of the holes fired on Monday, the concussion of which exploded the hidden compound. About thirty feet of rail track was torn up, the rails being twisted and doubled in a singular manner. Fortunately no one was hurt.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 6 –- Wednesday 19 February 1873
A Second Account of This Event
Explosion at the West Shaft
September 11, 1872, at the time when David Witto and Michael Harrington were killed, some two gallons of nitroglycerine were spilled upon the rocks in the West Shaft. The place was marked with drill holes on either side and on Monday when the blasters had got within about twenty feet of the spot, the concussion of one of their blasts exploded this spilled nitroglycerine, tearing up about thirty feet of track and twisting and doubling the rails.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 33 No. 13 –- Thursday 20 February 1873
Hoosac Tunnel
The number of men working at the east end has been reduced from 300 to about 190, since the headings met.
As part of the machinery at the machine shop at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel, has been removed to the Central shaft, five of the machinists have been discharged.
A heavy stone fell on Jeramiah O’Leary, a workman in the enlargement at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel, Monday night week (10 February), breaking his skull and leg. He was taken to his boarding place, and lingered until 10 O’clock, Tuesday, when he died.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 33 No. 13 — Thursday 20 February 1873
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1873 Page 12 Line 2
Jeramiah O’Leary, age 38, married, from Ireland, d, 11 Feb 1873 from a tunnel accident
On Monday morning a frightful accident occurred at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel. The train which carries the workmen had just started with a load of workmen for the heading, when a spark from the engine ignited a quantity of exploders which were in a box on the wood car. The box also contained about forty pounds of giant powder, which exploded, killing Dennis McFayden, Timothy Lynch, Stephen Brown, Henry Ferns and Michael Campbell.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 25 –- Wednesday 2 July 1873
A Second Account of This Accident
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AT EAST END
Five Men Killed and One Probably Fatally Wounded
A shocking and terribly fatal accident occurred at the Hoosac Tunnel, East End, Sunday night. (29 June 1873) As the 12 o’clock shift was going on, a train was started for the heading, on the first car of which, next to the engine, was placed almost 40 pounds of giant powder. In the same box with the powder was placed, contrary to orders previously issued, about one dozen exploders. When the train had made about one third of the distance from the portal to the heading, a terrific explosion occurred, instantly killing Stephen Brown, a miner, whose body was found under the engine, Henry Ferns, a tool boy, whose head was blown off, and Michael Campbell, upon whose body only slight wounds were found. Dennis McFayden, a miner, and Timothy Lynch, a tool boy, were terribly bruised and lived but a short time. Francis Kingsley, the engineer, lost one eye, and having previously lost the other, was rendered totally blind. One ear was blown off and his face shockingly bruised. At last accounts there seemed no probability of his living.
The train was fortunately stopped almost instantly; had it been otherwise, the additional loss of life which must necessarily have attended this fearful scene, cannot be estimated.
The explosion is supposed to have been occasioned by a spark from the engine, falling into the powder and setting fire to it; the fire from the burning powder heating the exploders and causing the explosion. Giant powder “No. 2” which is used in blasting, is a composition which may burn and not explode, being exploded only by concussion. The exploders are charged with giant powder “No. 1” a finer quality, the priming used in the exploders being still another preparation, which, in blasting, is ignited by means of an electric fuse. So an explanation is found of the fact that the powder was known to be on fire before the discharge was heard; someone having been distinctly heard to cry, “The powder is on fire.”
The almost lifeless body of engineer Kingsley was found thrown forward upon the lever of the engine, as though all the force of the strong man had been used in the desperate effort of stopping his engine, and doing all that he could to lessen the horror of the calamity. His hand grasped the reversing lever so firmly that, when he was removed in an unconscious state, force had to be used to tear him from his post of stern duty. Kingsley was a most faithful man, and this last proof of his presence of mind and fidelity, should live long after his poor mangled body shall have found rest.
Shanley & Co. seem to have taken every precaution for preventing accidents of this kind, having issued express orders a short time previous, forbidding the carrying of powder and exploders into the Tunnel together, but the blaster having charge of this matter heedlessly disobeyed orders and the accident was the result. It was the duty of the blaster to place the powder on the rear car and to ride with the same, but instead of so doing he placed the powder on the first car where sparks were continually falling from the engine, while he remained three or four cars distant, and was uninjured, Great indignation was expressed among the laborers toward the man guilty of such carelessness, and we hear that he had been threatened with personal violence. He has undoubtedly been discharged from the work ere this.
On Tuesday, the sad sight of three hearses, in one procession, was witnessed on our streets, as three of the unfortunate victims were carried to our village cemetery; the bodies of the two others were forwarded to the friends of the deceased.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 33 No. 32 –- Thursday 3 July 1873
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1873 Page 12 Line 9
Henry Ferns, age 13y, 3m, a tool boy from Ireland, died 30 June 1873 in the tunnel
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1873 Page 12 Line 10
Michael Campbell, age 14y, 3m, a tool boy, died 30 June 1873 in the tunnel.
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1873 Page 12 Line 11
Timothy Lynch, age 18, a tool boy, died 30 June 1873 in the tunnel.
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1873 Page 12 Line 12
Stephen Brown, age 21, a miner, , died 30 June 1873 in the tunnel
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1873 Page 12 Line 13
Dennis McFadden, age 26, a miner, died 30 June 1873 in the tunnel
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 26 –- Wednesday 9 July 1873
Correction
In the account of the accident at the Hoosac Tunnel last week, it was stated that “a spark from the engine ignited a quantity of exploders” and that they exploded the powder. The statement that the spark set fire to the exploders was incorrect. They cannot be set off by a spark. The exploders were in a box with the giant powder. The powder can only be exploded by concussion, but will burn like wet powder if fire is applied to it. The spark fell into the powder, which commenced to burn slowly, producing a heat which penetrated the caps of the exploders and set them off. This of course exploded the powder. We make this statement to correct any erroneous impression in relation to Browne Bros’ exploders.
Recovering
Engineer Kingsley, who was so badly injured at the recent accident at the Hoosac Tunnel, east end, is recovering. There was but little hope of his recovery immediately after the accident and it was supposed that he would be rendered totally blind, but the sight of one eye proves not to be wholly lost, though the other eye is entirely destroyed.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 33 No. 34 –- Thursday 17 July 1873
Nitroglycerine Explosion at the Central Shaft Magazine
At a few minutes past 11 o’clock, on Thursday night (11 September 1873), the local magazine, near the Central Shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel, exploded with great violence, killing instantly a young Canadian Frenchman, whose real name was David Bourdon, though he was known about the work as Joe Richards. The magazine contained at the time about 600 lbs. of nitroglycerine. The immediate effect of the explosion was to blow away every object, except one, in the immediate vicinity; snapping off trees of eight inches in diameter as if they were pipe stems and sinking a hole in the ground where the magazine stood, six feet deep and about 40 feet in circumference. The magazine stood about 50 rods from the Shaft building, which contained the hoisting and pumping engines, the air compressors, the machine shop, Etc. This building was saved from imminent destruction, (which would have resulted in great loss and delay to the contractors) only by the fortunate intervention of what is called the dump which stood between the building and the magazine. The dump is composed of rock of all sizes as hoisted from the Tunnel 1,000 feet beneath. It extends from the mouth of the Shaft several hundred feet South Easterly and is about forty feet high, and of much greater extent of base. This immense mass of rock proved immovable even to nitroglycerine, and saved the valuable buildings. Nearly all the glass and plastering in the offices and houses nearby was destroyed. Mr. Peet, the clerk of the works, was thrown from the bed in which he was sleeping, over the office, but fortunately escaped injury. The cause of the explosion is conjectural only. It is supposed that Bourdon (who was a blaster’s assistant, and was sent for a small supply of the cartridges) accidently ignited something flammable in the magazine and fled from the spot. If he had remained no vestige of him would have been found. It is supposed he must have reached a distance of about 40 feet before the explosion took place, because, though found dead, there was only a slight wound or bruise on his back. He was probably killed by the shock of the concussion or by some object hurled with lightning speed past him, or by the powerful force of the wind caused by the explosion. He was a blaster working out his time and his was the fourth death from nitroglycerine by parties working out their time. The noise and shock of this explosion was distinctly heard and felt for twenty miles around, and was attributed at Pittsfield to be an earthquake.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 36 –- Wednesday 17 September 1873
A Second Account of This Accident
A Terrific And Fatal Explosion
About 11 o’clock Thursday night, (11 September 1873) a terrific explosion of nitroglycerine occurred near the Central Shaft, resulting in the death of David Bourdon. Bourdon, the assistant blaster, had gone to the magazine, which contained about 650 pounds of nitroglycerine and it is supposed that while there the building took fire from the lamp which he carried. He evidently had time to see the danger, and tried to make his escape, for when his body was found, about 50 feet from the foundation of the magazine, it bore no marks of the explosion save as were caused by the fall. A deep hole was cut in the back of the body, by a stump upon which it was thrown. Had the man been in the building, his body would have been blown to atoms. Bourdon was a Frenchman and, on Friday morning, his body was taken to Canada, his former home.
The explosion was distinctly heard in this village, and coming as it did in the stillness of the night, this distant rumble carried a peculiar terror with it which seemed to foretell the dreadful nature of the work. In Pittsfield, the shock was even more plainly felt than in this village, Pittsfield being situated upon the same strata of rock as that which forms the Hoosac Mountain. It was currently reported in Pittsfield on Friday morning, that the town had been visited by an earthquake, and we are told that in one house in that town, a door, which had been previously locked, was forced open by the concussion. In Savoy, in a house about seven miles from the Central Shaft, a small hand lamp was thrown from a table. In the immediate vicinity of the scene of the explosion, a building was moved from its foundation, and many windows were broken. Great quantities of earth and stone were thrown out from under the magazine, and a deep hole in the ground is left where the magazine once stood. The nitroglycerine which never explodes in a frozen state, had just been thawed and was ready for use, when the fatal accident occurred. Whether the accident was the result of carelessness can never be known, as the only one who knew its origin, was its unfortunate victim.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 33 No. 43 –- Thursday 18 September 1873
A Man Killed at the East End of The Hoosac Tunnel
William Hickey was killed at the East end of the Tunnel about nine o’clock Tuesday morning (16 Sept 1873). A blast was being set off in the Tunnel about a half mile from the portal, and to protect himself from the explosion, Hickey placed himself behind a box on the same side of the Tunnel as the blast. A stone thrown by the blast against the opposite side of the Tunnel, bounced back, hitting his head and killing him almost instantly. Hickey was 20 years old.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 33 No. 43 –- Thursday 18 September 1873
A Second Account of This Accident
Man Killed by a Blast
William Hickey, a miner, was accidentally killed by an explosion of a blast at the East End of the Hoosac Tunnel on Tuesday of last week.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 37 –- Wednesday 24 September 1873
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1873 Page 12 Line 19
William Hickey, age 20, a miner, died 16 September 1873 of an accident in the tunnel
A Narrow Escape
- A. Bond of the Hoosac Tunnel engineer corps, narrowly escaped a serious accident at the Tunnel, Friday. (3 October 1873) While engaged in his engineering duties at the Central Shaft, a piece of rock weighing four pounds, fell from the roof of the Tunnel, a distance of twenty feet, and, striking his head, knocked him senseless. On the miner’s hat which he wore was a tin shield, on which was hung his miner’s lamp, also made of tin. His face was turned toward the roof when the rock fell, and his hat was slightly tipped back, so that the lamp and the shield were placed just above the forehead. The protection thus afforded probably saved his life, for the falling rock struck the lamp, jamming it all out of shape, and cut through the tin shield inflicting a wound from which the blood flowed profusely. Mr. Bond’s many friends will be glad to learn that the wound has not proved to be serious, the lamp and the shield having prevented a fracture of the skull and in a very short space after the accident he was quite himself again and receiving hearty congratulations for his fortunate escape.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 33 No. 46 –- Thursday 9 October 1873
A Second Account of This Accident
- A. Bond narrowly escaped a serious accident in the Tunnel, a few days since. (3 October 1873) While in the Central Shaft, a piece of rock weighing about four pounds fell from the roof, striking him on the head and knocking him senseless. But he was saved by his heavy miner’s hat, which had a tin shield on the front, upon which was suspended the miner’s lamp; The rock struck the shield knocking it out of shape and cutting through the tin, made a wound on his forehead.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 40 –- Wednesday 15 October 1873
Thursday 27 November 1873 — Hoosac Mountain Pierced Through !
The Dead Of The Tunnel
One hundred and thirty-six lives have been lost at the tunnel and in the vicinity since the work began. On Sunday away up on the mountain and near to the central shaft, I rode by the spot where they have buried the thirteen victims of the holocaust at the central shaft. There is also the grave of a man who fell from the top to the bottom of the shaft –- one thousand and twenty eight feet. It is said that when the body of this man reached the bottom, while the skin was perfectly whole, every bone was broken; the corpse was so limber that it could be rolled up like a side of leather. Thank God that the work is so nearly finished. One hundred and thirty-six lives are a dear price to pay for the tunnel.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 46 –- Wednesday 26 November 1873
The number of lives lost during the whole time add up to a total of one hundred and thirty six, which when one considers the magnitude of the work, the time occupied in its construction and the number of men to whom it gave employment, was comparatively small, as, during the construction of the Mt. Cenis Tunnel in Europe, nearly one thousand lives were sacrificed.
from “THE HOOSAC” by Orson Dalrymple of North Adams
Researcher’s Note – The two preceding accounts were given just after 27 November 1873 when the opening through the Hoosac Mountain was completed. More work was needed to trim the inside and lay track. The first train came through fifteen months after this date. Work continued until the facades were erected and two tracks were laid in the spring of 1880. 23 more lives were lost during this period of construction bringing the toll to 159. To date I have identified 92 of the 136.
Accident At The Tunnel
At 10 A. M. on Monday, (15 December 1873) a large piece of rock weighing about half a ton fell from the roof in the West End of the Tunnel near west bench where some men were engaged in laying the track. Unfortunately it fell upon them crushing them fearfully. Miles O’Grady was instantly killed, Michael Flaherty badly injured in the face and head, one leg had to be amputated and the other foot and knee was badly crushed; will probably be saved. Two others, Barrett and Mulcahy were injured in scalps and shoulders. The first two were married and have families living here. Mr. O’Grady is one of the oldest and most respected men on the Tunnel, and has a grown up family of children, by whom his loss is deeply mourned.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 6 No. 49 –- Wednesday 17 December 1873
A Second Account of This Accident
Fatal Accident at the West Shaft of The Tunnel
About ten o’clock Monday morning, (15 December 1873) as the track was being replaced by the trackmen in the bottom of the enlargement, at the West Shaft after a blast, a large piece of rock fell from the roof of the Tunnel, a distance of twenty feet, and striking Miles O’Grady killing him instantly. Michael Flaherty was badly, and at first it was feared, fatally wounded. His leg was so badly crushed as to necessitate amputation, which was successfully performed by Dr. Babbitt, and prospects of saving his life seem more favorable. James Barrett and Patrick Mulcahy were bruised and cut by the falling rock, though none of their injuries are serious.
The unfortunate victims of this disaster have been employed for several years as trackmen, and have borne the reputation of being industrious and faithful men.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 34 No. 4 –- Thursday 18 December 1873
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 57 Line 274
Miles O’Grady, age 47, a miner from Ireland, died of an accident 15 December 1873.
Fatal Accident At The Tunnel
Michael Casey, a trackman was killed, Tuesday morning, (20 January 1874) in the Tunnel near the West Shaft. A large piece of rock fell upon him from the roof of the tunnel, crushing his body in a terrible manner and killing him almost instantly. Casey was a young man, nineteen years old, and leaves no family.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 34 No. 9 –- Thursday 22 January 1874
A Second Account of This Accident
Tunnel Accident
On Tuesday, at 9:00 AM near the bench at the west shaft, a large piece of rock fell out of the roof of the tunnel, upon a laborer named Michael Casey, crushing him to death almost instantly. He was a single man, had worked in the tunnel many years and had been the support of his aged mother to whom he was always very kind until her death a short time since.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 7 No. 2 –- Thursday 22 January 1874
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 58 Line 21
Michael Casey, age 18, a laborer from Ireland, died of an accident 20 January 1874.
Terrible Explosion At The West Shaft
The Sad Death Of James Mulaney
About a quarter of twelve Friday morning, (6 March 1874) many people in our village felt that terrible tremble, and heard that deep rumble which has from time to time startled us and brought us to the fearful news of “Another Tunnel Accident.” It seems that while Patrick Donnelly, a blaster at the West Shaft, was engaged in the time keeper’s office, emptying some cartridges of No. 1 giant powder, and refilling others with an explosive to be used in exploding what is called No. 2 giant powder, one of the exploders, on which he was at work, exploded spontaneously, setting fire to the giant powder in the cartridge. There were about 200 pounds of powder in the office at the time, of which a small quantity was in an open box near Donnelly. He saw this burning and endeavored to extinguish the fire and avert the explosion which he knew was threatened. He failed, and a slight explosion occurred, which did not injure him, and only served as a warning to those in the immediate vicinity that a greater danger was close at hand.
Donnelly shouted to those outside, telling them of the danger, and then stuck to his post, endeavoring to put out the fire, until the second explosion, terrific and fearful in its force and destruction, occurred. Donnelly was thrown from the window, terribly cut and bruised; and with his clothes in flames, he rushed down towards his home, tearing off his clothes as he ran. His injuries were so severe from the splinters driven into his body, and from his burns, that it seemed as though he could not live. He is doing well now, however, and hopes are entertained of his recovery.
The saddest part of the accident was that which resulted in the death of James K. Mulaney. He was the foreman of the blacksmith shop, and at the time of the first explosion was near the hoisting cage, while near him stood John Green, a blaster with a can of nitroglycerine, about fifty pounds, in his hand. Mulaney, after telling Green to look out for the nitroglycerine, started to help J. J. McGannon, the time keeper, who, as he supposed, was in the time keeper’s office, and probably wounded and unable to escape. While running to the rescue, the second explosion occurred and Mulaney received a frightful wound in the neck from a flying splintered rafter, which cut the cords of his neck, and severed the jugular vein. The unfortunate man died from loss of blood about twenty minutes after the accident. McGannon, the time keeper, to whose rescue Mulaney had run, succeeded in escaping with slight injuries from the explosion by jumping from the office window.
John Green, the blaster, displayed a presence of mind worthy of high praise, in acting so promptly for the protection of those around him, by running from the scene of the accident with a quantity of nitroglycerine in his hand sufficient to have blown every building in the vicinity to atoms. He knew that if he forsook his awful charge, the terror of the scene would be immeasurably increased; for if he had left the nitroglycerine for his own safety, it must have exploded from concussion, and the terrible loss of life and property that would have followed, cannot be estimated. But by passing behind the hoisting machine, which, with the nitroglycerine in his hand, he waited in safety for the explosion.
There were a dozen or more men standing near the building and splinters and debris were thrown among them, but none of them were seriously injured. The time keeper’s office and buildings standing near were badly damaged, while windows at quite a distance were broken out. A special building, about five hundred feet distant, was provided by the contractors for the storage of exploders, but during the severe winter weather, the blasters had been in the habit of going to the time keeper’s office to prepare the exploders, and hence the accident.
Mr. Mulaney, the unfortunate victim of this terrible accident, was an intelligent man, of good character and habits, and exerted a great and beneficial influence over his fellow workmen. He was of a generous, genial disposition and had made for himself many friends. Of his bravery, and presence of mind, and self-sacrificing disposition a sufficient proof was furnished in the noble act with which his life was closed.
He had been employed at the Tunnel about nine years, and was considered by the Messrs Shanley as a most faithful and skilled workman. He had saved from his earnings a nice little property, so that though he leaves a wife and a large family of children, he leaves them comfortably provided for.
He was a soldier in the late war, (Civil War) and in that career also having a worthy record, and he was buried with Military Honors, the funeral took place Sunday afternoon, the C. D. Sanford Post, G. A. R. and Emmet Association attending in uniform with music. Very impressive services were held at the Catholic Church, (St. Francis) after which the long funeral procession passed down Main Street and over the hill to the cemetery. (Hill Side)
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 34 No. 16 –- Thursday 12 March 1874
Alas, hope for the recovery of Patrick Donnelly did not come to fruition. The Vital Records of Adams, MA Book IV 58 Line 37, shows that Patrick Donnelly, age 28, a laborer from Ireland, died of an accident Thursday 12 March 1874.
Died
BERRY.—In this village. March 26. Thomas Berry, aged 44 years, 11 months, and 1 day.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 7 No. 12 –- Thursday 2 April 1874
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 58 Line 38
Thomas Berry, age 44y, 11m, 1d, married, a laborer, died of an accident 26 March 1874.
Falling and Flying Rocks
John Chean was badly injured at the West end of the Tunnel on Thursday of last week (19 June) by a falling rock. On the same day, Michael Tullman was also injured in a similar manner and Jerry Marr was struck by a rock from a blast in Dwyer’s job. Daniel Southwick was badly hurt by pieces of flying rock in the afternoon of the same day. Dr. Stafford attended the injured men.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 7 No. 24 –- Thursday 25 June 1874
Home Matters
A young Frenchman injured last week by a blast at the Tunnel, had his arm amputated at the shoulder and died soon after the operation.
Died
LABELLE—In this village, July 11, August Labelle, aged 20 years, 11 months and 11 days.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 7 No. 27 –- Thursday 16 July 1874
Falling Rock
James Gallagher, a foreman at the west end of the Tunnel, was killed Friday, by being struck with a piece of rock which fell from the roof after a blast. His more cautious workmen objected to approaching the scene of the blast until it was known that the rock usually loosened by a blast, had been removed from the roof. He leaves no family.
The continual discovery of loose and demoralized rock necessitates extra and dangerous work on the part of the engineers, who have to make frequent and careful examinations of the tunnel roof, for the prevention of accidents. A large amount of arching will have to be done.
from The Adams Transcript V 34 No. 35 –- Thursday 23 July 1874
A Second Account of This Accident
Fatal Accident At West Shaft
On Thursday night of last week, (16 July 1874) James Gallagher, while working on the enlargement for arch bricking west of West Shaft, was injured by a large piece of rock falling upon him from the roof of the Tunnel, from the effects of which he died on Friday night. His funeral took place on Sunday, when he was followed to the grave by a large number of friends. He has been foreman of gangs for many years, and was much respected by all the men employed on that part of the work.
from The Hoosac Valley News V 7 No. 28 –- Thursday 23 July 1874
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 61 Line 156
James Gallagher, age 32, a miner from Ireland, died of an accident 18 July 1874.
Killed at the Hoosac Tunnel
James Hanlon, (sic) a laborer in the tunnel, was killed near the west shaft Tuesday afternoon. (4 August 1874) His head was caught between the side of a car and a rock, and terribly mangled. He was a young man and leaves no family.
from The Adams Transcript Vol. 34 No. 37–- Thursday 6 August 1874
Accident in the Tunnel
Tuesday afternoon last (4 August 1874) James Handlon, (sic) a laborer, aged 22, was killed by a part of a drill carriage falling over against him and crushing his head between it and the rocky side of the Tunnel, killing him instantly. The accident occurred a short distance east of the West Shaft. Handlon was a single man and much esteemed by his fellow workmen among whom he had labored about three years.
Died
HANLEY. (sic)—in this village, August 4, James Hanley, aged 25 years.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 7 No. 30 –- Thursday 6 August 1874
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 59 Line 73
James Hanlon, age 25, a laborer from Canada, died of an accident 4 August 1874.
Accident
A workman at the Tunnel named Doherty had his leg broken in three places by a falling rock on Wednesday (19 August 1874) of last week. He was taken to St. Peter’s hospital in Albany.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 7 No. 33 –- Thursday 27 August 1874
Accident
James Mack, an employee at the Tunnel was severely injured on Monday (31 August 1874) by the falling of a rock from the roof, east of the West Shaft. He will recover.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 7 No. 34 –- Thursday 3 September 1874
Accident
On Friday morning (4 Sept) about 5 o’clock while James Gladding was at work at the Central Shaft, a piece of rock fell from the roof, breaking one arm and leg and injuring his spine, causing death in about three hours. Mr. Gladding was a single man and had been at work on the Tunnel but a short time. The day before, three miners were severely injured by the falling of a staging at the same place.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 7 No. 35 –- Thursday 10 September 1874
A Boy Killed In The Hoosac Tunnel
Orrin Wilson, son of E. J. Wilson, was killed at the bottom of the West Shaft, Sunday (20 September 1874). He was seen to go into the Tunnel with another person Sunday morning, and as this companion has not been found the full particulars of the death are not known. Two strangers, who were coming through the Tunnel about noon, found the body on the track, the head being terribly mangled. It is supposed that he stood at the bottom of the shaft and was struck by the cage, which descends very quietly, and was instantly killed. No one seems to know who the person was who went into the Tunnel with Wilson, though it was probably some young friend who was so frightened at the terrible scene that he has concealed his knowledge of it. Young Wilson was fourteen years old; his funeral took place Tuesday afternoon.
from The Adams Transcript V 34 No. 45 –- Thursday 24 September 1874
A sad accident occurred at the West end of the Tunnel on Sunday last, which resulted in the death of Orren A. Wilson, fifteen years old, son of E. J. Wilson, who was found under the cage at the West shaft with his head crushed to a jelly. We have been unable to get the particulars, but learn that when last seen alive he was going into the Tunnel with another boy, who has not been seen or heard from since. The funeral services of young Wilson were held at the Universalist church on Tuesday.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 7 No. 38 –- Thursday 1 October 1874
from the North Adams Vital Records –- Deaths –- Book 4 Page 60 Line #99:
Orren A. Wilson –- Died 20 Sept 1874
Cause –- Accident
Age –- 14 Years 1 Month 8 Days
Born –- Adams MA
Resided –- Adams MA
Son of E. J. Wilson –- Born New Hampshire & Mother –- Born Acton MA
Burial –- Adams MA
Accident
Edward Regney, who was recently run over by a gravel train at the Dwyer cut, died from his injuries on Tuesday.
REGNEY – Died in this village, Dec 8, Edward Regney, aged 21 years.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 7 No. 48 –- Thursday 10 December 1874
Died
In this village, Dec 8, Edward Rigney, aged 21 years.
from The Adams Transcript V 35 No. 3 –- Thursday 10 December 1874
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 62 Line 191
Edward Rigney, age 21, a laborer from Ireland, died of an accident 8 December 1874.
Accident
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 62 Line 222
Edward C. McNamara, age 26y, 2m, 8d, a laborer of Ireland, d. of an accident 16 Apr 1875
Accident
Thomas Kennedy, while working in the little tunnel, last Thursday, (1 July 1875) was struck by the derrick as it swung around and his right leg was broken.
from The Adams Transcript V 35 No. 33 –- Thursday 8 July 1875
Accident
from The Town of Florida MA Vital Records 1875 Page 62 Line 19
Michael Murray, age 38, a miner, died 2 July 1875 of an accident in the tunnel.
Death In The Hoosac Tunnel
Springfield, Mass., July 30, 1875 — By the premature explosion of a blast this morning, at Little Tunnel, North Adams, a Frenchman named Michel was fatally, and another named Papen slightly, injured.
from The New York Times—31 July 1875
Accident
Timothy Sullivan, a laborer in the Hoosac Tunnel, was killed on Wednesday evening of last week (8 September 1875) in the cut near the west end. He was on a the train which brings the work men to this village, and upon leaving the tunnel he jumped from a car while the train was in motion, thinking that he could get home quicker than by riding to the regular stopping place, a few rods below. He jumped against a steep embankment and was thrown back and under the train and almost instantly killed. He was forty seven years old, and leaves a widow and six children.
from The Adams Transcript V 35 No. 43 –- Thursday 16 September 1875
A Second Account of This Accident
Timothy Sullivan, a laborer in the Hoosac Tunnel, was killed at the west end Wednesday evening. The train was bringing out the miners and laborers, and as they came out of the tunnel, into the cut, Sullivan jumped from the train, (as has been the custom of all the men), and in starting to ascend the bank, fell back upon the track, the cars severing his head from his body.
from The Hoosac Valley News Vol. 8 No. 36 –- Thursday 16 September 1875
from The Adams MA Vital Records Book IV P 65 Line 21
Timothy Sullivan, age 47, a miner from Ireland, died of an accident 8 September 1875.
Magazine Explosion
Benjamin Cook and John Cullen were killed and John Wallace, Superintendent, was injured in an explosion of Prof. Mowbray’s magazine, 26 January 1876.
from The New York Times — July 1, 1879
Magazine Explosion
John N. Nelson was killed in an explosion of Prof. Mowbray’s magazine, 23 December 1876
from The North Adams (Mass) Telegram, 30 June 1879
FATAL EXPLOSION
Prof. Mowbray’s Nitro-Glycerine Works
The Scene of a Catastrophe with loss of life, But Trifling Damage to Property.
At nine o’clock Tuesday morning (29 Jan 1878) an explosion of nitroglycerine occurred at the works of Prof. Mowbray which are situated near the West end of the Tunnel. About sixty pounds of nitro-glycerin was exploded killing Mr. E J. Wilson and blowing up a portion of the building known as the “factory”, wherein the nitro-glycerine is manufactured previous to being run through a sunken pipe to the magazine situated twenty five rods to the South. The situation preceding the accident may be stated as follows: In the South end of the “factory” stands the large circular tank which receives the nitro-glycerine as it is manufactured. At the Southwest corner of this building is a covered excavation containing barrels into which the glycerine is transferred for the purpose of cleansing it. These barrels are located beneath the tank but twenty feet Southwest. About three pounds per month collects in these barrels and is run off through faucets in the bottoms. Glycerine freezes at 45 degrees and Tuesday morning these workmen were engaged in thawing the frozen glycerine. This is accomplished by running warm water into the barrels. It is considered perfectly safe to apply to nitroglycerine, water heated to 90 degrees. The water flowing at the time of the explosion was but 70 degrees. There were on the grounds at the time of the accident, four men—Messrs. Penniman, the foreman, Wilson, Gardner and Lunn. Just previous to the explosion, Mr. Penniman was in the factory while Wilson and Lunn were in the above mentioned small, half underground room, melting the frozen glycerine. Mr. Gardner was in the engine house which is situated on the opposite side, diagonally, from the factory, to the room where the explosion occurred and about 70 feet from the barrels containing the fatal compound. Mr. Lunn left that little room about three minutes before the catastrophe and was in the engine house together with Superintendent Penniman, who narrowly escaped by repairing to the same place for the purpose of warming himself. The last seen of Mr. Wilson he was walking about the room trying to keep warm. He had not been left alone three minutes when he was blown into atoms. What happened in that terribly eventful interval cannot even be surmised. The nitro-glycerine must have become partially thawed and it is probable that in his efforts to keep warm, he stumbled or accidentally caused a concussion sufficient to effect the lamentable result. Mr. Wilson has been employed at the works for seven years, and has been esteemed a careful and competent hand. The Supt. declares that no blame is attached to anyone. Not even a whole bone of the unfortunate man could be found. Small pieces of bone and tufts of hair with shreds of his clothing were all that appeared to the eye. Pieces of his body were found scattered over a radius of fifty rods, though his being so walled in by earth must have prevented any great lateral scattering of fragments of his body. The immediate locality of the explosion is now a crater eight feet deep and twenty feet across.
One thing is striking in the construction of these works—the skill and safety of the arrangement. The point of the explosion is probably the most dangerous locality of the entire works, yet it was so constructed and placed in relation to the other parts of the works, that in case of accident the minimum damage is assured, as was exemplified on Tuesday. It is surprising that the explosion of such a quantity of nitro-glycerine should result in so little damage to the works. They will be immediately repaired and the manufacture will proceed. There have been three explosions at these works, the last, two years ago when three men were killed. Mr. Wilson has remarked that probably it would be his turn next. He has lost a son by accident—killed in the tunnel, and leaves a wife, son and daughter to mourn his loss. He was a man esteemed by all who knew him. Mr. Wilson was 59 years old. The remnants of his body were gathered in a small box and amounted to about five quarts in all. A peculiar circumstance is the fact that more in bulk of his clothes was found than of his body. The machinery of the works was entirely uninjured and the total loss will not exceed $5000.
from A Newspaper Article—January 1878
ANNIHLATION
Explosion of Nitro-Glycerin Works at North Adams, Mass.
Two Men Killed In The Destruction
Prof. Mowbray’s nitro-glycerine works, at the west shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel, were destroyed by an explosion of giant powder for the fourth time this afternoon, and two men, Wm. Long and John Pierce, were blown to atoms.
Five men were employed at the works and the other three, S. S. Simmons, Pell Gardner and George Marshall, had just finished their dinners and were about to begin work, Marshall being within sixty feet of where the explosion occurred and escaped miraculously. The cause of the explosion is, of course, unknown. Both men were careful workers. They had been employed in the works a considerable time and at the time of the accident were packing the new kind of “79” Giant Powder in the powder house, which was blown to splinters. The mica house, the glycerin factory and the warehouse were badly damaged and the loss of the building will be in the neighborhood of $1,000. Long was a young unmarried man, a native of Vermont and Pierce was a resident of North Adams and leaves a large family.
The previous explosions were on Jan. 29, 1878 when E. J. Wilson was killed; Dec. 23, 1876 when John N. Nelson was killed and Jan. 26, 1876 when Ben Cook and John Cullen were killed.
from The North Adams (Mass) Telegram, 30 June 1879
A Second Account of This Accident
NORTH ADAMS STATES FIFTH EXPLOSION
THE DANGER OF HANDLING A “PERFECTLY SAFE” COMPOUND –
FORMER EXPLOSIONS OF NITROGLYCERINE AT THE SAME PLACE
North Adams, Mass., June 30, 1879 — For the fifth time in nine years North Adams is thrown into a fever of excitement by the blowing up of Professor George M. Mowbray’s nitroglycerine works. A few minutes before 1:00 in the afternoon the town was startled by a dull report and the appearance of smoke in the vicinity of the west portal of the Hoosac Tunnel. It was known at once an accident had occurred. Everybody that could procure a conveyance hurried to the scene of the disaster, and hundreds of people went on foot. Upon arrival at the spot it was found that the packing house had blown up, and two men, William Long and James Pierce, had been torn to atoms by the explosion. Fragments of their bodies had been scattered over an area of several acres. The largest piece of either man that was found would weigh about 30 pounds, and that was the trunk of Long’s body. The force of the explosion was terrific, and there was no part of the building left in its place. The timbers were torn into toothpicks or scattered over and through the trees, tearing their way through the limbs and trunks of the trees, cutting down the second growth that abounds in that vicinity with the apparent ease that a reaper cuts its way through meadow grass.
The men were engaged in packing the explosive labeled “Mowbray’s 1879 compound.” The main building was shattered, and the whole establishment, comprising seven buildings, was badly shaken up. The cause of the accident will always remain a mystery, but there’s no doubt that the men were packaging exploders with the dynamite powder. It is not known how much of the explosive was in the building, but is safe to say that there were several hundred pounds. Long was a man about 30 years of age, and unmarried. His parents reside in Vermont. He was employed for several years in the Hoosac Tunnel as a miner and expert in the use of nitroglycerine. From there he went to Manitoba, and was employed by a railroad company for the same purpose, but he left that situation to become the Superintendent of Professor Mowbray’s nitroglycerine works, and began his services in September last. He was a Mason, and Odd-fellow, and much respected. Pierce had been in the employee of Professor Mowbray since 1869, and was his blaster during all of the time that nitroglycerine was used in the Hoosac Tunnel. He was 45 years of age, and leaves a wife and four small children. He was a man of sober and industrious habits, and was held in high esteem by Professor Mowbray and his fellow workman. Thirteen men were employed in the works, but only Long and Pierce were killed.
Professor Mowbray came to Adams in 1868, and in the Winter of that year erected the glycerine works. The first explosion took place on Dec. 23, 1870, when the magazine blew up, killing the Superintendent, Mr. Velser. On March 12, 1871, the magazine blew up a second time, but without doing damage, save to the factory. (sic) The third explosion occurred on January 26, 1876, killing two men, Benjamin Cook, John Cullen and wounding Superintendent John Wallace. The fourth explosion occurred in January, 1878, at which time Mr. Wilson, the watchmen, was killed and the factory demolished. All explosions, except the one of to-day, have been of glycerine, but this, the “1879 Compound,” has always been regarded as being perfectly safe. A singular fact connected with these accidents is that the explosions of glycerine have always occurred in cold weather, at a time it is supposed to be perfectly safe. Another singular fact is that Professor Mowbray has never been at home when the accidents have happened. This time he is absent in Canada.
from The New York Times — July 1, 1879
Accident In The Hoosac Tunnel
North Adams, Mass., March 14, 1880 — While Albert Marcoux, who was employed on the improvements in the Hoosac Tunnel, was examining a defective blast, early this morning, on a rocky ledge 20 feet from the track, the charge unexpectedly exploded, throwing the unfortunate man to the track, breaking both his legs and cutting his body so badly that his bowels protruded. He died at 6 o’clock this morning, after being carried home. He leaves a wife and five children.
from The New York Times—15 March 1880
A Second Account of This Accident
Troy, N. Y., March 15, 1880 — Albert Marcoux, a Canadian, working at an excavation near the central shaft in the Hoosac Tunnel, was killed by an explosion at 1 o’clock this morning. After a round of holes had been fired, it was found that one charge did not go off. Jerry Broderick, a blaster, and Marcoux tried to “pick” the blast, and, while doing so, the explosion occurred, frightfully mangling Marcus’s face and head, and breaking one leg in two places. He was immediately carried to his home, and, upon examination, it was found that his head, neck, and breast were full of pieces of stone. He died in about two hours after he arrived home. Marcoux had been working only two days in the tunnel. He leaves a wife and five children. A very singular thing about the explosion was that Broderick, who accompanied Marcoux to the blast, escaped with a slight cut on the left shoulder. This is the one hundred ninety-ninth casualty which has occurred in the tunnel since work in it was commenced.
from The New York Times—16 March 1880
Researcher’s Note – The preceding account gives the total of 199 CASUALTIES. This term means a loss of personnel due to death or serious injury. I believe that over the years this has been interpreted as the number killed, thus inflating that statistic, and this is the reason for the 195 usually given as the number of those who were killed. From my research to date, accepting the 136 claimed at the completion of the bore in November of 1873 plus the known 23 documented here after that date, would have the number killed at 159. Adding the 93 injured from the whole list brings the total to 252 casualties. My research to identify the other 44 will continue.