Dynamite Used to Blast at Hutchinson School in 1926 Caused Problems
In the mid-to-late 1920s, Pelham schools were bursting at the seams with too many students in facilities that were too small. The Hutchinson School in the Village of North Pelham was among the most over-stretched.
In 1926, the Board of Education was engaged in a major initiative to remodel and expand the Hutchinson School by building a new wing on the east side of the school. Construction of the new wing, however, was badly delayed when work on the foundation revealed that a huge amount of rock would have to be blasted away.
The contractor responsible for the excavation work was Smith Brothers Contracting Company of North Pelham. Smith Brothers selected a blasting expert named Mariano Di Luccia to perform the work.
As one might expect, the work was difficult and required extreme care. Dynamite charges had to be placed with care and covered with tree trunks (known as "covering logs" and steel mats that were chained to protect against stray debris that might do damage in the surrounding residential neighborhood.
The first indications of a problem occurred during a blast early in the week of July 12, 1926. Di Luccia exploded a charge at the site. A rock hurtled through the veranda roof of a house on Fourth Street (today's Lincoln Avenue). Another struck a home on Third Avenue.
Then, on Wednesday, July 14, 1926, Di Luccia exploded another charge. The blast was so violent that it "broke in two" a trolley standard that stood at Fourth Street (today's Lincoln Avenue) and Third Avenue and "sent rocks flying two and three hundred feet in all directions." Members of the Village Board met with Lawrence Smith of Smith Brothers Contracting that day and extracted promises that greater care and more effective covering mats would be used to complete the work.
A further blast on Thursday, July 15 was the last straw. The huge blast "sent rocks, covering logs, steel mats and chains hurling across Third Avenue to the lawn in front of the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Keller. The sidewalk was broken and steps of the veranda damaged." Village of North Pelham Trustees shut down the work pending selection of a different contractor to complete the work.
By the following week, a new dynamite handler had been selected and blasting resumed with no further damage to the surrounding neighborhood. Yet, on Tuesday, July 20 another frightening event occurred.
Little Buddy Wood, five-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Stacy Wood of 69 Sixth Street in North Pelham was playing among rocks in the neighborhood. He noticed a strange round package, picked it up, and carried it home to his Mother. He walked into the family home and proudly presented the horrified woman with a ten-inch-long stick of dynamite. Mrs. Wood took the dynamite and contacted her husband who, upon his return home, carried the dynamite to the Village of North Pelham police for "safe keeping."
A tragedy, it seems, had been averted. According to the local newspaper, it was believed "that the dynamite was some of the stock used by contractors working in the vicinity, and had either been mislaid or carried to the place among the rocks by other children playing in the neighborhood."
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"DYNAMITE CHARGE DAMAGES HOME; CONTRACTOR'S PERMIT REVOKED
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Blasting Work at Hutchinson School Sends Rock, Tree Trunks and Mats Hurtling Against Keller Home on Third Avenue
The permit to blast rock at Hutchinson School on Fourth street, North Pelham, granted to Smith Brothers Contracting Co., has been revoked until such time as some other individual than Mariano Di Luccia conducts the work of blasting.
Yesterday afternoon a huge blast sent rocks, covering logs, steel mats and chains hurling across Third avenue to the lawn in front of the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Keller. The sidewalk was broken and steps of the veranda damaged. Mrs. Keller, who was warned of the impending blast was nevertheless greatly frightened.
Wednesday afternoon a blast broke in two a trolley standard, at Fourth street and Third avenue, and sent rocks flying two and three hundred feet in all directions. A few days ago a rock hurtled through the veranda roof of a house on Fourth street. Another struck a home on Third avenue.
Residents in the vicinity of the school are expressing grave fears for their own personal safety and are urging that something be done to eliminate the danger from the flying rocks which follow the blasts.
Village President Thomas J. James and Trustees Edward Dillon and Edward Harder after hearing complaints on Wednesday interviewed Lawrence Smith, member of the contracting company and demanded that greater care be observed. Smith promised to provide heavier covering and mats.
When these proved ineffectual yesterday the village trustees refused further permission to carry on the work until another contractor is engaged for the blasting."
Source: DYNAMITE CHARGE DAMAGES HOME; CONTRACTOR'S PERMIT REVOKED -- Blasting Work at Hutchinson School Sends Rock, Tree Trunks and Mats Hurtling Against Keller Home on Third Avenue, The Pelham Sun, Jul. 16, 1926, Vol. 17, No. 20, p. 1, cols. 6-7.
"Exercise More Care In Blasting Rock At Hutchinson School
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New Dynamite Handler Directing Blasts. No Complaints of Damage During Week
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With a new dynamite handler on the job, the blasting operations at the Hutchinson School have been conducted with less danger to the surrounding territory during the week. Following the hurling of missiles on the porches and roofs of dwelling houses in the vicinity of the school following the explosions the North Pelham Village Board demanded that the dynamite handler employed by Smith Bros., Contracting Co., who are doing the excavation work, be removed before blasting continued.
Saturday morning Village President Thomas J. James, Trustee Edward J. Dillon, Attorney George Lambert and Engineer John F. Fairchild, in company with Lawrence Smith of the contracting company inspected the scene of the blasting and were informed another licensed blaster would do the work.
They watched the blasting work made ready and approved of the change. There have been no complaints of danger during blasting operations this week.
'We don't want to delay the construction of the school building,' said President James, 'but it is most important that the citizens of the village be protected from injury from flying rock and timber."
Source: Exercise More Care In Blasting Rock At Hutchinson School -- New Dynamite Handler Directing Blasts. No Complaints of Damage During Week, The Pelham Sun, Jul. 23, 1926, Vol. 17, No. 21, p. 1, col. 1.
"Dynamite Found By Youngster While At Play
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Five Year Old Buddy Wood Picks Up Ten Inch Stick of Dynamite on Sixth Street
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Believed to Have Been Explosive Mislaid by Contractors Blasting in Neighborhood
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A ten-inch stick of dynamite found among rocks blasted on Sixth Street fell into the hands of a five year old on Tuesday. Disaster was averted, however, when the youngster brought the explosive into his home to show his mother, who quickly took it away from the child.
While playing opposite his home little Buddy Wood, five year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Stacy Wood of 69 Sixth Street, found a queer looking round package among the rocks. Childlike, the youngster attracted by the strange article, picked it up and carried it away with him. When he went into his house he showed his find to his mother, who recognized the paper wrapped package as dynamite, and she took it away from the child.
Mr. Wood, on returning home that night, took the explosive to North Pelham police headquarters where it was placed in safe keeping. It is believed that the dynamite was some of the stock used by contractors working in the vicinity, and had either been mislaid or carried to the place among the rocks by other children playing in the neighborhood."
Source: Dynamite Found By Youngster While At Play -- Five Year Old Buddy Wood Picks Up Ten Inch Stick of Dynamite on Sixth Street -- Believed to Have Been Explosive Mislaid by Contractors Blasting in Neighborhood, The Pelham Sun, Jul. 23, 1926, Vol. 17, No. 21, p. 1, col. 1.
Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Labels: 1926, Accident, Blasting, Construction, dynamite, Hutchinson Elementary School, schools, Smith Brothers
posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:02 AM
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