The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-10
Seven Men Killed and Seven Seriously
Injured in COIliery Explosion.
A Scsas Of Quiet Industry Transformed with a
Flash Into an Underground He'll.
DIGGING FOR THE DEAD.
Willows Walls and Chllrsn's Cries al The Pits Mouth
Ask WHO Is To Blsns ?"
[DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
PorTsvILLE Pa, May Q, 1877.
This whole region startled about to-day BY
the announcement of terrible accident at the AIDES.
vile shaft an extensive coery at Vaudeville, small
mining village ST. Clair and several miles from
Pottsville. At first Information vague, and tho
calamity magnihed into second Avondale horror.
Correct Information reduced the number OF victims
materially but the truth terrible aud TAIL 10
excite the deepest feelings Of sorrow. HERALD rep
reseniatvc visited the cocry aud from dirtbesrmed
miners who mad barely escaped alive CLEANED much
OF the truth be known OF the cause, circnm.
stances and effects Of the accident
SCENE
About nifty miners. OF them men OF family and
residents OF ST. Clair Vaudeville vicinity were
WORK, ut hapsst ten o'clock. that por,ion the
niue known Lundsy's gangwsy, distant from the
mouth OF the slope about two miles. they work.
ing by tho light OF naked lamps, and confidently be.
lieved they wcre In no danger, the ''nre bosses"
had through tho co.cry the morn ng early aud
reported everything 'all right The
cear and the circulation and ventilation
good at any timc Tho men were engaged In
what is called in minc language "robDing the gang
way" The gangway had been run as far a. intended,
and tho working toward the slope taxing
the COAL and abando on ing workings they went.
Some in the breasts blnsting some were send
Ing tho coal down the shoots and were loading
the wagons Suddenly, and without tho slightest
warning, tho changed, and the works. quiet
moment before, were converted into perfect he'll.
Flames of Gre darting here and there. timbers
wagons and mon were hurled this way and that and
the OF tho living and tho groans OF tho dying
mingled with the roar Of tho explosion.
TuE ALARM
Those who could themselves ncd with what
speed they could In the smoke and din OF The mine,
stumbling fallen timbers. and at last reaching the
slope gave the alarm. rhe news spread Ike wiidlre.
and all directions people FASTENED with aud
forebodings to tho mouth OF tho colery. for there
were several hundred beneath the ground, and
the names well the number OF tho dead and
wounded were yet unknown. As the after.
damp would permit force OF men was organized and
the sad OF hunting Tor tho dead and to
cue tho wounded.
PITS MOUTH.
II was not until after twelve O'Clock that the nrst
body brought to tho light OF day No more tcrri
bio solemn sccnc DO imagined than the appear
OF n collicry mouth such nm occasion. Mon,
women and children stand In brcathicss expectation
and In agony OF doubt The signal Is given that the
cage nearing the mouth OF the shaft. The cagc
rises slowly into view, and then disclosed half .
dozen bcgrimcd and saddencd men. standing
erect and between them Is tho body burned and dis.
figured, that few moments before . friend and
companion in the vigor OF manhood. Thcn some fond
learns what she has feared yet hoped against
and the walls OF tho widow and orphans burst forth
unrestrained.
DEAD INJURED.
Five times o-day this scene repeated, and .
sixth body yet lies buried beneath OF coal and
slate Relays OF have been working continu.
ously digging Tor tho dead. Their progress has been
slow. because the after damp Is strong that they
Gully work few minutes ut n time Eight men
brought out alive but injured ~ The terrible Of
fccts OF tho OF those has since died aud
or two are badly injured. Several will escape With
but light burns.
NAMES VICTIMS.
Tho dead John Durkin, miner, Of ST. Clair. who
leaves "a vito and child
William Kirk, miner, ST. Clair, wife aud three chill.
dren.
BENJAMIN Moscly miner, wadcsvillc wife.
Joseph MiIward laborer Mill Creek, single.
Herbert Moore, miner, Vaudeville, wife and foui
children.
Thomas Connors. miner, Summit Hill, young wifA
James Lcddy, miner, ST Clair wife and children
Leddy alive bu, died In u few hours. b.
Ing horribly burned.
The wounded foows:-
Patrick Gibbons. single.
Abe Jones, single.
John Glavey, single.
Dennis Brennan, single
John Rces, married
Patrick Moore, married.
John McAtce. single.
All OF these burned, except Moore, VINO was
struck by pieco OF flying TIMBER Jones Is, perhaps.
mortaily hurt
HEARTRESDiNG SPECTACLE.
Tho bodies OF the dead presented u terrible appear.
ancc aud vcrscd In mine affairs attest
ths horror OF u mino explosion. Connors, who
through door, had his head split opon and both
frctt ou hiram arcd md pou "A 4
to the surface in dinner kettle. Moore killed by
dying shect-iron pan which hurled against him.
Tho rest either burned TO death or
killed by collision with some portion Of
the works on OF the bodies tnerc a spot that
~ not red with bruises or black from the Ore some
them had Their lngcr nails OF by the
plosion. Articles oil clothing rent from the
bodies, and tho boots OF Mosciey whose body Is not
yet found, were picked up In the gangway.
ORIGIN or THE DISASTER
Tho Of the explosion Is not known positively.
though there Is general agreement tho prob
able origin. As there was tho morning no sas in
that portion OF the coiery where the ut
work. and such quantity OF gas could not have
cumulacd in short time, the only reasonable theory
that heavy fall OF top rock aud slate occurred 10
souo abandoned breast and forced tae gas there
cumuluted down upon tho lights OF tho doomed
men.
MISKR's EXPERIENCE.
Edward weakIan. a iaborcr, who was working not
more than twenty yards IRON Moore, siases that he
was loading wagon, and the first thirg he knew tbs
IRE descended upon him from the buggy shute Ho
threw himself Hat aud grasped the iron rail to prevent
himself from beng thrown or hurled In any way by
tho explosion. HIS wagon received the full force Of
the Conclusion. and was thrown across tho gaDgway,
and hc saved. As soon as possible he arose
fed escape fatal effects Of the after damp"
TINS with some variations, is the experience OF many.
Not OF those who we're In tho explosion arc able to
give any description oil It's horrors form any theory
OF the cause OF IT. The Vaudeville shaft 10
h..ll aInLI