Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-03-14
A MINE HORROR.
ono Hundred and Firy-riye Mon Killed In
anime Explosion-None Lett to
Tell tho story

ono Hundred aud Firy-riyo Men Killed In
anime Expiosion-None Lett to
Tell tho story.
"A terrible gas explosion occurred at one
O'Clock Thursday morning In the Laurel
Creek mine, operated by tho Southwest
Improvement company, at Pochhoutas,
Va The Laurel Creek mine is the only
one in that section aud has been operated
Tor about two years. IL consists OF o
tunnel, running three quarters Of mile
into the mountain side, and railroad runs
the entire length of the mine. There are
latent galleries at intervals. The mine Is
situated above the water !syel. and for
This reason 1t has until now been worked
with littlc trouble and singularly free from
accidents, not single fatal casualty
having been reported since operations
were begun. w. A. Lathrop, the superin.
tendent, is an expert mining engineer, and
has had many years experience in working
coal. The mines have been worked by re-
lief every six hours.
One hundred and tlfty.tiye men were at
work there at the time, aud such was the
force Of the explosion that every one was
killed and the tanning machine and en-.
kine we're blown three hundred feet from
small engine was near the entrance, NOV =
ing in the mine at the time. Four cars
aud the engine were blown out, and a car
axle was propelled by the force of the ex-
plosiOn into the side of small frame
house, several hundred fect distant, occu.
pied by two miners, William Maloney aud
Jackson Sexton. Both were asleep, having
left the mine at Q o'clock. The flying
plank aToke them. Their escape was
wonderful, tie iron wheels OF tho car fall.
ing by the side OF their buuks. They struck
light and, SO far as can be learned, were
the first TO realize the situation and to
give the alarm.
not one Lett Alive.
The fannipg machine was insufficient FOR
the mines aud before its deficiency was
discovered and remedied by those in the
mines the gas accumulated to the explo-
slve point. This place is made up entirely
Of the houses of the miners and was built
by the Southwestern improvement com
pany. A good many Of the miuers are
Northerpers and Pennsylvanians. Tho
engineer at work near tho mouth of the
mine, as well as his assistants and COL
ored boy, were blown hundred feet away
ard their mangled bodies found scattered
in every direction. The engineers head
was found in q ravine and his legs and
arms were found near the mine. or those
at work in or about the mine not one was
left TO tell the story. Tho people of the
little hamlet, whose population numbers
about tive hundred, were asleep when the
explosion took place. But the whole
place was quickly reused aud the scene
which followed beggars description.
The few living beings who saw q puff of
nlyn he iva "a ; IA
upheaval Of the engine and cars rushed into
the town with loud cries for help. Mep,
women and children were reused and as
they took in the intelligence there was a
| wild rush for the scene of tho disaster
Despite the cold night, women as we'll as
men rushed of scantily clad. Experienced
miners upon reaching the scene were salts
| fed that no man in the mines was alive
| The horror Of the situation has been in.
teusified by the discovery that tho min n
are on fire.
Everything possible is icing done t,
reach tho victims i party of experienced
miners, Ghuer charge of Colonel Georgt
! DOdds, from the coal field mines of Ches
| tertield county, passed through Lynch
burg and arrived at Pocahontas at twelv,
o'clock Thursday night. The men em.
ployed in the mines vera mostly Huuga
Tians without families. A number o
negroes from Lynohburg and surrounding
sections were also employed there and tn
excitement is consequently very great
What effect the disaster will havo on the
operations of the mines can only be con
jectured until tho full extent of the
damage transpires. The mines have not
been long opened, but the company had
gotten we'll under way aud was supplying
large section of the country with coal
and the prospect was most encouraging, a
large coaling station for the supply OF
ocean steamers being in course OF cons
struction az Norfolk. While the accident
will have the effect of retarding work a,
the mines it Is not believed it will cause 6
permanent discontinuance, as great dea
of money has been expended there by
Northern capitalists, composing the South
west Improvement company.