New-York tribune., 1871-06-01
THE PITTSTON DISASTER.


investigating the OF the disaster at the West Pitts
ton mine Saturday, brought in the following verdict
this morning:
VERDICT JURY.
We, the undersigned jurors OF the Coroners inquest
upon the todies OF John Burroughs, F. r. Davis Bena-
min Jones, David Edwards, and Others, being duly
sworn and obligated 10 duties required by law,
respectfully submit that the of the death OF the
persons above mentioned from the effects of impure
air. caused ny improper ventilation in the West Pittson
mine, operated by Blake Co.. and from the inhalation
OF carD0nc gas, the result OF the cOnnagraon OF tue
breaker over the head Of the shaft of said mne that
when the breaker took fire there means Tor sup
plying the with fresh air, and they subjected
TO breathe foul and poisonous gas The air in the mine
continued its natural from 10 TO 20 minutes when
neither fresh air into the mine nor foul air was ex-
PEELED and smoke and carbonic gas was forced clear
the fire communicated TO the breaker from friction
OF of the journals of the fan in the breaker above
West Pttston mine on or about Jan !, 1o1 and FUR
thermore, there is but one ar ar passage af ioT
| but one passage for the escape Of gas
and obnoxious air and that the said down cast and up
passage Of fresh air and foul air were through
shaft of feet in Depth having its outlet directly under
the breaker, and that no work was IN progress az tae
tunnel slope any other construction, above or below
ground for the supply of fresh air to the mine Further
more, that repeated attempts to improve the quantity
and quality Of the air were made by the sald Bake
emps inadequate for the proper ventilation as re-
quiTed 10y law in an act providing Tor the health ana
safety Of persons employed in coal mines, section 3,
article :, approved March 80, 1871. Furthermore,
there was negligence on the part of the employees OF the
| oiled Furthermore, that Blake Il Co. working IN
the mine at shaft and at one time more than twenty
have in their employ ana engaged IN mining anu th
producing coal upO shaft and at one time III the
mine not less than foity-three men, III Nlolaton VI
| the act OF the Legislature OF said State herein
before referred to- entitled An act to provide Tor
the health ana safety OF persons elpi9Icu u in
| coal mines :" and furthermore that Thomas NJ. VIII
as Mining Inspector for and In the district on when
said shaft of Blake Co. is situated since the LIST day OF
January, ISL visited the mine at least twice. the ast
time being Wednesday, May "a, 1871, and that he has
through the mines and inspected the operations o
said Blake Co. in producing coal III the sad lnne ana
ation OF the mine and furthermore, that NJ. Williams
was aware Of the violation Of the laws OF the state III
cite coaaeds by said Blake & Co., specified by sec
uon OF said law referred to above, aud the said VII
| against the said violation against the SAID law
and frther@Srs The the d@9 sa9 n eSaraiiing Whs due due
diligence in scertaning the number OF men engaged a
one lime upon the work in the said mne and that the
law to order reduction OF force employed at work. or
apply to the for nuncons to the said operators
Blake Co., from employing more men than required ny
law in the production OF COAL set forth in the said
act section s.
JAMES WELSH. NJ. BoLIN,
j. FITZPATRICK, j. W. FREEMAN,
:. 4. BARRETT, MORGAN JONES, JURORS
The mine inspector,E VI. Williams, has decided to
open another investigating the causes and re-
suits Of the cona grafton saturday and this morning
convened jury for that purpose even before he had
known result Of the COroners urys deliberations
The ground on which he assumes this Unprecedented
action that decision rendered by Presiding Judge
Harding Of this county case entirely different from
the present one The evidence thus far elcted it will
be een does not differ materially from that given before
the Coroners Jury McDermot the engineer, was called
but his evidence not nor different from that al
ready published. A.,
Youne Davis testified: did not see the fire until the
alarm given; smelled grease burning before iheu
the alarm have heard that the breaker machinery was
dangerous: know that Of the journals was in the
habit of becoming heated and took fire once or twice.
have not any fire blazing there lately saw niue
fire put it OUT smeed the burning oI on some
ten or fifteen minutes before the alarm OF nre was
Thomas woodhouse feeder of breaker testified when
heard the alarm, took time to pick up my tools ana
went down; they were throwing water on
the fire when | got down; know that the
Journals were liable to heat know OF nothing else
dangerous any journals liable to become heated,
and sometimes the oil was poor; II was about three
weeks before the fire that knew Of the heating OF the
journals generally got what OIL we wanted LOT inc
| machinery from the Company We had pad OH Once
Joseph Crosey testified was working at the west
the fan when saw the fire about the size OF my hand
and called for some water and II could nave got II IT.
would have put lt out; TINS was about eIock III te
afternoon had heard Of the journals becoming heated
Fdward ElweIl testified: Crooks and and boy went
up on the first carriage when got up saw the hre
Mcperwott The engineer Did MT tell you 10 to Is
minutes before the fire broke out smelled oil burning
Frank Keller testified: was ordered by Mr. kenllck
TO mt up an additional fan in the mine for better ven
atiOn he said there must be more air In the mine
| day: the whole number engaged in the mine ON the
three shifts averaged so; first saw the fire near the fan
| Holm Tuhili machnist testihed: The fan made from
90 TO 100 revolutions minute when the engine made
from az TO so thought IL capable OF running 3UO
revolutions with safety; l have been working on I'M
rrovements in the machinery as 1ast as possible anu
| was TO make improvements about the ran, pump
| and the safety tracks OF tie carriage: .,a, o
| W. Wynn Kenrick, Superintendent, testified; ON
Saturday while was about going down the mine saw
a fire running up the upcast; stopped all AR ana
stopped the fam and ordered signal To DC gwen 10 h
| mil
| men; the fan would drown any fire by IT'S suction;
heard the alarm before it; there live men In
one OF the hoised carriages, and am not certain now
MANY were on the others; if the engineer could have
| lowered the carriage a dozen times L 90 @ nO'
| think that anyone would have dared TO come up,
the spread rapidly spark OF lire IRON miner
lamp might have communicated the nre 10 the DIeahct
think the Journals liable TO heat very often IL
was the breaker bOsss business by special Instructions
from me, keep all tine machinery weI 0ed tnc SIZE
OF the ucast is feet six by two feet eght did not
hear until the day of the fire that there nG eyer %
any fire there, excessive heat OF the Journals -
charged about two weeks ago Tor not attehhg 10
his duties in ong the machinery we had Ill the niue,
on the day of the conagraton between i6 and 4o men,
By'Inspectop-Dd Say that approved OF the condl-
Yon expressed an approval of plans and improve
ments You did into all the breasts or headings
of the mine Wednesday we are constantly ailose Gu
by of men seeking employment; nave I Un sr
siructed by the general agent TO 90 al cou ~.
| ire occurred; know there were more men employed
| in the mine than the law sanctioned. . o,ou.,s ~,
Jason Davis testified have heard frequent alarms ol
fire while was there fire boss the breaker mas Deeh
on fire three times TO my knowedge nave sen .o
Insnector i'm the mine; he there III Septeihper,
| When the mine was stopped; he was there IN
| January, when but few men were at WoIhi inc
Insnector took my word for there not being men 10
work i'm some of the headings; asked Mr henrlcK not
10 violate the mining law, and he sald ne woud tko
care Of that himself often talked together about the
bjII Mr. Kenrck thought he could get discretionary
nnWer from the Inspector Mr. Kenrick stated that the
tsnector said that the number OF men employed was all
right that Mr. Williams knows me (kenric and know:
where lKenrick) from; no boy under ~ years OF
W. r.s at work in the mine that l know OF; Martin
cSopbap said he was going IL years OF age some s or
eight months ago; there more than 20 men IN the
mine while was there the superintendent dos Cake)
nut them I'M Thos. Phillips was weighmaster on satur,
| day and Footman Friday; heard Mr. kenrlck hl
T.inr lnstrneOns as 70 NY duty Mhen tOOk