The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-05-10
ANOTHER NINE HORROR.


Terrific Explosion of Gas in n Coal Mine
Near Ashland, Pa.-Three Men Instantly
KILLED, and Two Others Fatally Injured
"a Horrible Sight.
El ASHLAND, Pa, May 1.
About noon yesterday terrible explosion
of sulphur and gas occurred at tlie Keystone
AsIIiery at Locustdale, one mile west Of this
place; Instantly killing Patrick Reagen, An
drew Jones aid August Welker. John
Foley was employed in citing the pillar
between Nos4 and 5 breasts. He went
down the main-way TO get a drill to put I'm a
hole. As he was coming up he heard the
coal working in very threatening Manner
He sat down in the main-way, thinking the
coal would soon cease working. In a few
minutes he again heard the coal working.
Shortly afterward the pillar gave way, rush
ing large body Of gas into the gangway.
A strong current of air hurriedly conveyed
the dangerous body of gas until Il reached
the end, when a concussiOn took place. This
was an ominous sign, and the men, Reagan
and Jones, employed there took TO their
heels. Before they had gone very far their
safety lamps became red hot
and shortly afterward the sas be-
came ignited, causing the fatal expl0.
sion. When the men rushed from the gang.
way they cried to Charles Tyler and Conrad
Walter, who wete eIlgaged In driving an air
way, to run, as the gas was aecttr8platlpg in
large quantities. Tyler and Walter weFa
just stepping out of the air-way into tIi6
gangway when the sulpheT exploded. The
explosion blOwed down the gangway door,
tore up an air-pipG, feled huge timber
standing in the gangway to siibpOrt the coal,
nj a r q
tiOn. The report was heard in almost every
part of the mine.
The miners and labOreTs were greatly
alarmed. Not few threw themselves on
the gangway, there TO await results As
soon as quiet was restored the braYest
mif1ers started I'm the gangway in quest OF
the MEN who were there employed. The
first body four1d Was Patrick Reagan, who
was so horribly burned that the men who
found him could scarcely recognize him,
His body was also shOckingly mangled by
bei1g hurled against the side of the gangway.
The lifeless body Of Andrew Jones was found
doubled up i'm a nook not fhr from his com
paniOns. His body was burned to 4 crisp.
his clothes having been completely burned
off his body. Tender hands conveyed the
remains to the bottom of the slope and placed
tlfeih By She side of Reagan. The next
body found was that Of August Welker, who
was mangled Beyond description. Charles
IyIer ana Conrad waiter were lOu1Q
mOaTing and groaning. Tyler was horria
bly, burned. His flesh hung in shreds. Wal
ter was found crouched behind a gangNEay
prop, fearing a second expldsiTh He was
crying bitterly and held his hands up, Show
ing their frightfu condition. The miners
who found the two injured men doffed their
shirts, put them on their unfortunate COM
panions, and led them to the bottom Of the
slope. BY this time hundreds had collected
at the spot, fearing that their friends were
among the victims. Women and children
were crying. Soon the dead bodies were
hOisted to the surface, where the men who
accompanied the dead narrated the COLI
diti0n Of affairs beneath. The bodies were
placed in q wagon and driven to their
homes, where q scei1e never before
Witnessed in this vicinity occurred. Walter is
sinking ard can not live. Tyler is expected
to live but short time. Reagan lived at
LOcustdale, and leaves widow and several
children. Jones resided at Ashland, and
was unmarried. August Welker lived at
LOctIstda1e, and leaves a widow and three
children. Tyler and Walter are married
men, and live in the neighbOrhOOd Of Lo-
ctistdale. If the gangway men had extin-
guished their safety-lamps when they saw
the conclusion of air, the explosion would
not have occurred. ..... .s.