Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-02-28
cHoKEp BY ElRE.DAmp.
"A Terrible Explosion In a Colliery at
west Leisenring, PennsylvaniR.

a Terrible Explosion In a Colliery at
West Leisenring, Pennsy1vaniR.
UN1oNTowN, Pa, February 20. The
little mining village Of West Lelsenring,
four miles north of here, was this morn
ine the ecene of the most terrific explo-
sion ever known in the coke region.
The Connellsville Coke and Iron Com.
papy. of which Judge Leisenring, OF
Mauch Chunk, is president, have 200
coke ovens here which have been in
operation about q year. The works give
employment to about 100 men, and quite
little town has sprung up, named after
the president of the company. The
coal is obtained by means of shaft
which reaches the mine at distance OF
400 feet from the surface. This morn
ing q part of the force, who had worked
ali night, left the mines little after 3
O'Clock and seventy others took their
places, making the usual morning shit.
About 6 clock, while the men were dig
ging, suddenly, without warning, there
occurred an explosion that convulsed the
mine in every department and threw the
men into the utmost CONSERVATION. The
scene of the explosion was in one of the
apartments fully 800 feet distant from
the bottom of the shaft and, therefore,
about ], 200 feet from the surface OPEN
ing; yet the report was heard on the
outside for considerable distance and
caused such jar that the top of the
derrick, 100 feet high, was knocked off.
When the news Of the explosion was
flashed around the families of all the men
gathered about the shaft and were crazy
with suspense. So dangerous was the
after-damp that it was fully two hours
before any volunteers could enter the
mines. Many were on hand ready to
make the search, but unable to do 80,
until the hope of rescuing the unfortu.
nate men alive had quite fed. It was 8
o'clock when the first body was brought
up, and from that time the work of re-
covery went on rapidly. At noon Line
teen dead bodies had been recovered.
Richard Balsley and Henry Wilson are
the only survivors of the terrible calam.
ity. Wilson WAS almost dead when
brought to the surface. The company's
books were then examined, the roll
called, and it was at once ascertained
that all the men were accounted for.
Following are the names of the dead:
Michael Hefrern, freshman, aged 80; leaves
wife and six children.
John Buckley, Tishman, aged 80; unmarried.
Patrick Kennedy, Irishman, aged 90; un-
married; the only child Of widow.
James Tracy, 1rishman, aged IS; single.
James Baker, Irishman, aged 81; q wife and
two children.
David Lloyd, Welshman, aged 20; unmar
ried.
William Davis, Welshman; single; aged 25.
Thomas McGarry, Irishman; aged So; wife
and three children in Cumberland County,
England.
John Hart, an American; aged 25 years; sin
gle.
Michael Ripko, Hungarian, sged 35; wife
and two children.
George Calls, Hungarian, aged 25; wife in
the old country. a ~
Daniel Buckner, colored: a wife aud two
children.
John Murray, Irishman, aged "a; has been
in Anne rca since May last; his wife came in
August; one child.
Peter Waters, Irishman, aged 81; single.
William Soaring, native, aged about As;
wife and four children.
Joe Bakes, Hungarian, aged %; n wife.
Andy Warruni, German, aged 80; single and
sent his wages TO bis mother in Germany every
month.
Allen N. Hackney, this country, aged So;
wife and one child.
Garry Z. MAR, nothing known about him,
except that he was from Maryland.