The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-29
TIE C0AL-MINE DISASTER.
The Worst Fears Realized-FOurteen Addi-
tiOnal Bodies Brought to the Surface.

UNIoNTowN, Pa, Oct 28-The worst fears
oned in the coal mine at Youngstown, four miles
from this place, by an explosion of fredamp,
which took place there at o'clock last evening,
have been fully confirmed. Six of the miners
were taken out last evening, after the dis
aster Two of them were dead and two of the
other four are so seriously injured that there is
no hope of their recovery. This left from four
teen to eighteen men supposed to be still i'm
prisoned in the mine but the exact number was
not certainly known. The work of reaching
these men was continued industriousy through
out the whole night, and by this morning the
dead bodies of ten of them had been brought out
and delivered to their friends and relatives, at
the mouth of the pit. This makes fourteen dead
in all, and, together with the four injured, &C
counts for eighteen of the whole number sup
posed to be in the mine. Whether there are any
more remains yet to be discovered, but it is be-
lieved that all have been found.
At this writing complete and accurate list of
the dead cannot be gi ven. The scenes at the
mouth of the pit, as the disfgured bodies of the
dead we're brought the surface and given into
the hands of wives and relatives were distress
ing in the extreme, and wildly called to mind
the piteous walls Of the bereaved families who
waited at the opening of the Leisenring mine,
last February, for the bodies which they knew
were coming lifeless to them from the uncom
passionate bowels of the earth. 1t was sad
spectacle, indeed and moved to tears many of
the hundreds who had been drawn to the place
by the news of the disaster.
1t cannot be stated now whether the explosion
was due to the carelessness of the company or
not. The miners allege that it was, but on the
heels of a calamity like this the first impulse
usually is to attribute the fault to the company.
1t is well known, however, that the Youngstown
Company has always been very careful, and the
knowledge that their mine was dangerous one
and predsposed to the generation of fire damp
made them more careful than ever. The mine
was inspected every morning, and whenever the
presence of fre-damp was detected it was in
variably ordered to deny the men admission to
it until the gas had been expelled This was the
rule, and the officials say it was rgidly enforced;
but it is claimed by the miners that the com
pany discharged a competent fire boss about two
months ago, and have since employed in that
capacity one who was not competent to deter
mine whether the mine was safe not
Following is list of the dead: Jos. Zebey,
pump tender, married; Solomon Vansecall,
miner married; Jesse Miller, miner, married.
James Price, father and James Price, son,
miners Thomas Cole, miner, married; Jesse
Miller, father and Jesse, son, miners; H. j
Sape, married; Albert Taylor miner; Abe Will
son, miner married; Frank Mellow father and
Willie, son, married; and George Cunningham
IA in all
Mine inspector STEINER was in the mines and
he, together with Others worked all night to get
out the dead men. Taylor and Cunningham
were found with locked arms and their Eases
buried in water. The dead men were found in
every conceivable position. The greater part of
them were suffocated by the after gas; some
were burned to a crisp; many were badly bruised
by being knocked against the sides of the mine.
Those who were not killed instantly showed
signs of great trials to escape.
The following were saved alive. but were
more or less burned and bruised: Welsh Keffer,
Frank Miller Jacob Cole, David Cole, James
Darby Jerry Ringer, Chauncey Wilson. The
two latter may yet die Wilson's right arm is
broken, and his face burned to crisp. If he
lives he can never again. The explosion
shook the earth for more than mile away.
Coroner Battin has empaneled jury, and on
Thursday morning Will begin thorough and
searching investigation, Notwithstanding the
talk of some of the miners, that the explo-
sion was unavoidable. Daniel Remig, the fire
boss has been in the service of the company for
several years. but the pit boss has been in serv
ice for only few months. He is accounted
competent man; indeed any careful and intelli-
gent man, with safety lamp, can perform the
functions of fire boss, the lamp itself dis
closes, by the swelling of its flame, the presence
of gas along the roof. If the gas is heavy, the
lamp will go out
Fourteen bodies have been recovered and sew
en- men were injured, making twenty-one in all,
which is believed to be all that were in the mine
at the time of the explosion. Most of the
miners were natives, and nearly all of those
killed were married men, and had families.
There is great excitement here. great many
people from this place and Connellsville are at
the little village which has grown up around the
mine, and the scene is one of animation, but
deeply pervaded by a general feeling of profound
sadness. Fourteen collins arrived from Pitts
burg this afternoon. The dead bodies were
brought out and to morrow will be inferred
A Coal Strike Practically Ended.