The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-11-05
NINE DISASTER.
Fourteen Men Killed by tho Exnlo
sion az Youngstown.

Fourteen Men Killed by tho Exrlo-
sion az youngstown.
UNroNTowN, Pa, The worst fears
touching the fate of the men who
were imprisoned in the coal mine at
Youngstown, four miles fr' N this
place, by an explosion OF III damp,
which took place there at four
o'clock last evening, have been fully
confirmed. Six of the miners were
taken out soon after the disaster; !;
two of them were dead and two of
the other four SO seriously injured
that there is no hope of their recov-
cry. The work OF reaching the men
was continued industriously
throughout the night, and by morn
ing the dead bodies of twelve OF
them had been brought out and de-
livered to their friends and relatives
at the mouth of the pit. This
makes fourteen dead in all, and
with the four who were injured ac-
counts for eighteen OF the whole
number supposed to be in the mine.
The scenes ut the mouth OF the
pit as the disfigured bodies of the
dead were brought to the surface and
given into the hands of wives and
relatives were distressing III the ex-
treme, and vividly recalled 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 uncompassionate bowels OF the
earth. 1t was sad spectacle, and
moved to tears many of the hun
dreds that had been drawn to the
place by the news Of the disaster. 1t
cannot be stated now whether the
explosion was due to the careless
ness of the company or not. The
miners allege that it was, but on the
heels OF calamity like this, the
first impulse usually is to attribute
the blame to the company. 1t is
well known, however, that the
Youngstown company has always
been very careful, and the knowl-
edge that their mine was q danger
Gus one and predisposed to the gen
Grafton of fire damp made them
more careful than ever. The mine
was inspected every morning and
whenever the presence OF fire damp
was detected it was invariably or
dered to deny the men admission to
it until the gas had been expelled.
This was the rule and the officials
say it was rigidly enforced But it
is claimed by the miners that the
company discharged i; competent
fire. boss about two months ago and
have since employed in that capaci-
ty one who was not competent to de-
termine whether the mine was safe
Or not.
The names of the killed are: JOS
eph Seebley, pump tender, married /;
Solomon Vansicale, miner, married /;
William Miner, miner, married ;
James Price. father and James
Price, son, miners Thomas Cole,
miner, married J. Miller, father,
and Jesse Miller, son, miners FL. j.
Sape, roperider, married; Albert
Taylor, miner Abe Wilson. miner,
married Frank Mellow, father, and
Willie Mellow, son, miners; and
George Cunningham-14 in all.
Mine Inspector STEINER was in the
mines, and he together with the men
worked all night TO get out the dead.
Taylor and Cunningham We're
found locked in each others arms
and their faces buried In water. The
dead men were found in every con-
ceivable position. The greater part
of them were suffocated by alter
damp; some were burned to- a crisp
and others were badly bruised by
being knocked against the sides OF
the pile. Those who were not kill
ed instantly showed evidences of
having made great endeavors to es-
cape.
The following persons were saved,
but were more or less burned and
bruised: Welsh Kelfer, Frank Mil
Ter, Jacob Cole, David Cole, James
Darby, Jerry Ringer and Chauncey
Wilson. The two latter may yet
die. Wilson's right arm is broken
and his face burned to a crisp. III
he lives he can never see again.
The explosion shook the earth for
more than a mile away. Coroner
Battin has impanelled Il jury, and
on Thursday morning will begin a
thorough investigation. Notwith-
standing the talk of some of the
miners, it is the general impression
that the explosion was unavoidable
and that the company was at all
times as careful as could be.
The fourteen bodies which have
been recovered and the seven men
injured, making in all twenty-one,
are all that are supposed to have
been 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. The funerals of the victims
will take place tomorrow.