The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-02-28
THE DEADLY C0AL-PlT.
An Explosion of Gas in a PennsyI
vania Shaft Kills Nineteen Men.
The Awful Scenes Of Sudden pesth
Which Were Revealed Below.
Telegram from Uniontown. Pal

Telegram from Uniontown, Pal
the little mining village of West IeiseuSsng.
four miles north of here, was this morning
the scene of the most terrific explosion ever
known In the coke region. The Connelisviie
Coal and Iron Company, Of which judge
Leisenring of Mauch Chunk, Is Presidenf,
have 200 coke ovens here which have been In
operation about year. The WORKS give eH-
ployment TO about one hundred men, ana
quite a little town has sprung mp nsmed ai yer
the President of the company. me coai ior
the ovens IL obtained by means or sha1t,
which reaches the coal at distance OF 40
feet from the surface. This morning q
part of the force who had worked all
night left the mines little AFTER
O'Clock, and seventy others took their
places making the usual morning shiit-
About $50 o'clock, while the men were 'oig-
ging, suddenly without warning, there 90
Cured an explosion that oonvuised the mine
In every apartment and threw the men into
the utmost CONSERVATION. The scene or the
explosion was in one of the apartments, fuliy
500 feet distant from the bottom OF the
shaft, and therefore about l,2O0 rect from
the surface opening, yet the report was
heard on the outside for n considerable DIS
lance, and caused such a jar that the top or
derrick 100 feet high was knocked on.
Two mules were standing at the bottom OF
the shaft, 800 feet from the explosion, and
the rush of air blew one of them through
wooden cage, SCATTERING 1t to pieces. The
other mule died of suffOcation.
The awful scene that ensued among the
terror-stricken miners cannot be described
All of their lamps were blown out, and they
were left in darkness and confusion. They
had not time 10 recover from the shock before
they found themselves unable TO breathe.
The explosion OF the fredamp-a tenn which
the miners apply TO the light carbonated n.y.
drogen or coal-gas that issues from the crew
ices in the most of the mines-left the mine
filed with after.damp, which contains no OK
ygen and renders IL impossible for life TO be
sustained for any time. This after-damp was
densest IN the upper part or the mine, and the
men lowered near the bottom, but even there
they did not long find relief.
OF all the men who were in the heading
where the explosion occurred, Dick Balsiey
alone escaped TO tell the awful story. When
the explosion came, and all the lights were
blown out, Baisley was just changing his
clothes. He at once wound part of his cOGhes
tightly around his face and mouth to keep the
foul air from choking him, and gave the rest
of his garments TO n companion with instruc-
tons TO take the same precautions He
then started for the main entrance bidding
his companion follow. They ran over
the bodies OF men, and over shattered
wagons. They could see nothing, but
could hear the groans of dying men.
Presently Balsleys companion protested
that they were not going In the
right direction, and turned back. He per-
ished Balsley pushed on until finally he saw
garded by experienced miners as one OF the
most marvellous on record. He says that some
men kept their heads under water as long as
they could, and were forced to change from
water TO after-damp, and at last they gave up
the unequal struggle.
When the news of the explosion flashed
around. the families of the men gathered
about the shaft, and were crazy with sus-
pense. Balsleys story gave them little
ground for hope that any could be got out
nj Un 81 da NEQG Qr>-6Q m "A
it was fully two hours before any volunteers
could enter the mine. Many were on hand
ready to make the search, but were unable
10 do so until the hope of rescuing the unfor-
Inmates alive had quite fed. Ii was about
o'clock when the first body was brought out.
IL was that of Michael Rpko, a Hungarian,
whose wife and two little children were wait
ing and weeping at the shaft. The face bore
no marks Of violence, and the man bad evil
IDENTIFY died of sufiocation. The work OF res
cuing the men went on rapidly by willing
volunteers, and at noon nineteen bodies had
been carried out. The company's books were
then examined, the roll called, and IL was an
nounced that all the men had been accounted.
for.
Work proceeded in quiet and order amid
the sobs and subdued weeping of the stricken
families. The bodies were taken to the
| homes near by and laid out. Coroner Baton,
of this place, with many citizens, went from
| here, and the inquest began at $3.50 O'Clock.
| No testimony was taken except that which.
| identified the dead. nineteen in number.
| Most of the dead bore no visible marks OF
! violence, but had died of suffocation. Their
| faces were generally very black smoke and
dust having been blown into the skin. The
| last man taken out alive was Henry Wilson,
who had managed to subsist on the air in the
very bottom of the mine till rescued. He was
! almost gone. Many of those who were in
| other parts OF the mine suffered severely.
Dick Balsley reports that the men acted
| much like horses in a burning stable. They
| were hewildered, and, not knowing which.
| way to 20, refused to move in any direction.
Some OF them were so burned that the flesh.
| dropped OH them in places when removed.
| The scene at the afflicted homes tonight is
| heartrending beyond description. In Hack
| ney's house lie two corpse, himself and May.
| In the house of the Hungarian, Rlpko, is per-
| haps the saddest sight OF all. This family
seem advanced far beyond their average
| countrymen in civilization, and their home
was cheerful and attractive. The dead hus-
band and father lies upon a bed; his weeping
wife sits Mt his head kissing and caressing
| him, while two little children stand by and
| call him In vain.
After Identifying the bodies Coroner Bat
ton adjourned the inquest until Saturday
morning. The company will bear all the ex-
| pense of the funerals, which will take place
| tomorrow and next day. The accumulation
| of so much gas in this mine rs 10 cause such
| an explosion is a matter of much surprise.
| No accident ever before occurred here, and
| IL was regarded as n very safe mine. The
| fire boss, with lamp, made the usual exam
| ination last night, and pronounced every
| thing all right Men had left other mines
to work because there was no danger felt.
|