The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-05-12
Terrible Mining Explosion.
Nine Men Killed and HOmded at the
WddesuiHe Mines Several others EntoRlb-
d-HedrfreHding Scenes.

ST. CLAIR, Pa, May ga terrible explo.
sion of gas occurred in the Vaudeville Mines
near st. Clair, at about 10 o'clock this morn.
! ing, killing and wounding nine men and i'm.
prisoning five others. The Vaudeville shaft,
which is eight hundred feet deep, is situated
between Pottsyille and ST. Clair, and is ope.
rated by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal
Company. The first warning Of an accident
was the sudden alarm sent up TO the bosses
for aid. Descending Immediately, they re-
covered the bodies Of John Durkn and VIM.
Kirk, who were killed outright, and hoisted
them TO the surface. Seven more men were
then reached, all seriously burned, and il is
thought three Of them cannot possibly recoy-
err. The FIVE men still buried are behind two
hundred tons Of coal, which was displaced by
the force Of the explosion A large force OF
men are removing this mass of coal as rapidly
as possible, and some Of them think the en-
tombed men can be reached by night, whila
others, connected with the mines state that
it will be impossible to lberate them before
morning, as the gangway in which they are
imprisoned runs under the surface for over a
mile, making il a slow and laborious task to
go that distance. The scene at the mouth of
the shaft is heartrending. A large number
Of men, women and children are gathered
around, anxiously awaiting the rescue Of their
friends and relatives at the mines.
Ldter.-Belore the men can be rescued, it
is feared, it will be too late to save their lives,
as they have been in since 10 o clock, and at
this time, z. NJ, their chances of escape
seem gloomy.
PHILADELPHIA, May 0.-The body Of Jos
Milward, one Of the entombed men, has been
brought to the surface. A few minutes later
the bodies of Herbert Moore and Thomas
Connors were reached There are now only
two men in the mines.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Thomas Connors, among the last Of the
men brought ont, had his head and both legs
blown off Herbert Moore, another of the
victims, presented frightful appearance, his
face and body being dreadiully burned and
disiigured. John Durkin was thrown with
great violence against the props and walls and
instantly killed. Edward Weaklin, one of
the miners who escaped, describes the gas
after gnitiug as flying through the mine with
lightning-like rapidity, destroying everything
in its path. Weaklin, hearing the first re.
port, quietly laid down and the gas passed
oyei him. Three of the men who were killed
had been working only twenty yards from HIM
IL soon became necessary to fan fresh air into
the mine, so foul had the gas become that
those sent to rescue the men could only work
at short intervals, James Leady was badly
burned. Ii is doubtful if he eau recover.
He was wounded about FIVE weeks ago, and
had only returned to work few days ago.
Two miners have Just come up and report that
a large quantity Of coal has fallen on Benz.
Moselcy, aud it will be impossible to get at
him for some time. No hopes are entertain.
ed for his recovery alive. The latest infor.
nation obtained indicates that seven men
have been killed and six seriously injured by
the accident
Up to O'Clock to night Benz. Mosely had
not been found, though large force of men
continue at work removing the coal and
searching in every quarter.
The last Of the victims of the Vaudeville
pa. coal mine disaster, Benjamin Mosely,
was found Thursday morning one hundred
yards away from where the miners had been
searching for him. His body was neither
burned nor SCARED, aud it Is supposed that
he was smothered TO death by the fatal choke
damp, which follows an explosion OF gas, and
is as much dreaded as the explosion itself
James Leddy, one of the men before reported
dead, is still alive, bat his recovery is doubt.
ful. All the rest of the wounded will proba.
bly, recover.