The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-11-22

A dispatch from San Francisco, November
Is, says AN explosion occurred in tunnel
3 on the Narrow Gauge railroad from San
Jose to Santa Cruz, early this morning. II
appears that blast was fet of about 300
feet from the mouth Of the tunnel which
caused an explosion Of gases generated by the
filtering of coal oil through the roof and sides
Of the tunnel. Twenty, one Chiuamen and
two white men were at work in the tunnel at
the time. Immediately about twenty more
Cinnamon rushed into the tunnel with torches
TO aid their comrades, and when they had
penetrated about 1900 feet their torches
caused a SECOND explosion, more violent than
the first, shaking tho mountain to It's centre
The white men, Indie and johnson, were
brought out terribly burned, and about ten
Cinnamon, all seriously injured. As near as
can be learned some thirty Cinnamon we're
killed. The second explosion wrecked the
engines and works. Physicians have been
dispatched 10 the scene from San Jose, and
everything possible is being done for the suf
fereEs
1t appears that three explosions occurred.
The FIRST took place at ii. so p. M, the second
at LOS p. M, and the third at ~. 20 a. m.
The men were changing shifts at the time the
first explosion took place. Seventeen Chi.
burned. Twenty four dead remain in the tun.
mel. A Chinaulap named All Wo was taken
out burned about the chest and injured Inter
nally. He was found dead in his cabin an
hour afterwards, strangled with a silk scarf.
The Chinamen say that he hanged himself,
but the indications are that he was strangled
BY his friends to put him out of his misery.
There IS terrible scene Of suffering in the
camp and ruin all around the mouth Of the
tunnel. The engine for pumping air is disa.
bied, pipes are broken, sheds wrecked, and
broken tlmbeFs scattered oil around. The
gas prevents any ATTEMPT to recover the bodies
az present. Work will be delayed for moLths
No blame is said to be attached TO the con.
tractor. II is believed that the white men
who were taken from the tunnel will live, but
several Of the Cinnamon who were brought
out are fatally injured. The scene Of the dis.
aster Is almost on the top Of the Santa Cruz
mountains, in region where coal oil abounds,
and where boring for wells is actively prose.
euted. There is vein Of oil running right
through the tunnel, and the soil can Be igni.
ted IN places, and will burn freely. Explo.
s'ons Of gas and fires resulting therefrom have
been OF frequent occurrence there, and have
already resulted in the loss Of many lives.
The utmost precaution has been necessary in
working there, and only by the use Of air com
pressors has progress been possible II Is
expected, however, that with n clear tnnnel
the natural current Of air will be sufficient.
A dispatch on Wednesday says .--"rhe
white men injured by the explosion are likely
to recover. One more Chinaman died last
night. No more bodies have been taken out
Of the tunnel The blower was repaired, and
the pumps were started al 10 O'Clock. The
head Chinaman is trying TO get men to 90 into
the tunnel after the dead, but no one is willing
% 60 He will probably get some after the
blower runs about seventeen hours. The air
pumped out is very foul and full of gas"