The bee., 1884-03-01
DEADLY FIRE DAMP.
Terrible Explosion in Pennsyl.
vania Nine
Nineteen Bodies Brought to the Sur
face-Fearf1f Scenes.

The little village of West Leisenring, four
miles north OF Unioatown, Penn, was tie
other morning the scene of tbs most terrific
expulsion ever known in that region. The
ConnellsviDe Coal and Iron com any, Of
which Judge Leisenring, of Mauch Chunk,
is president. has 200 coke ovens there, which
have been ia operation about a 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 a dietancs Of 500 feet
from the surface.
On the morning of the disaster part OF
the force, who had worked during the night,
left the mine q little after 3 oc:ccs, and
seventy others took their places, making the
usual morning shift. At about 30 O'Clock,
while the men were digging, suddenly and
without warning, there occurred sn explo-
sion that shook the mine III every apart
ment and threw the men into the utmost
CONSERVATION.
The scene of the explosion was in an apart
ment fully 800 feet from the bottom of t
shaft and, therefore, about ,2O feet fro I,
the opening at the surface; yet tie repor
was heard outside for considerable dj>tanc.
and the conclusion wa so great that the =
IF the derrick, 100 feet high, was knocked -
The awful scene that ensued amo>g h
terror-striken miners cannot be described.
All their lamps were blown out, and they
were left in darkness and confusion. They
had not time TO recover from the shock
before they found themselves unable
to breathe. The explosion. which
which miners apply to the light
carboDated hydrogen, or coal gas, that issues
from crevices in roofs of mines, left the
mine filed with afterdamp which contains
no oxygen, and renders il impossible for Life
to be susta ne for aay time. This after
damp is densest in tie upper part of mines,
and the men, therefore, congregated near
the bottom. But en- here tiey did not long
find relief
OF all the men who were in the heading
where the explosion occurred Dick Basley
alone escaped to tell the awfu! story. When
the explosion came and oil the lights were
blown out, Balsley was just changing his
clothing. He at once wound part of his
clothes tightly around his face and mouth
to keep the foul air from choking him, and
gave the rest of his garments to his compau-
ion with instructions to take the SANE pre-
cautions. He then started for the main en-
trance, bidding his comoanion to follow. Tlf,y
ran over the bodies Of men and over shattered
wagons. They could see nothing, but could
hear the groans of dying men. Presently,
Balsley's companion protested that they were
not going in the right direction, and turned
hack and perished Balsley pushed on until
he finally saw light and was taken out. His
escape is regarded by experienced miners
as one Of the most marvellous OH record He
says that some of the men kept their beads
under water as long as they could, and would
change from water to after-damp until
finally they succumbed
When the explosion Became known the
families of the miners gathered about the
shaft and awaited developments in breath
less suspense. Ealsley's sto y gave them
little ground to hope that any of them could
be got out alive. So dangerous was the
afterdamp that it was fully two
hours before any volunteers could enter the
mines. Many were on hand really to make
search, but were unable to do so until all
hope of rescu'ng the unfortunates alive had
fed II was about s o'clock when the first
body was brought ont. 1t was that of
Michal Ripke, a hungarian, whose wife and
two little children were waiiing and weeping
at the shaft. His face bore no marks of
violence and he had evidently died from suf-
location.
The work Of recovering the bodies then
went on rapidly, it being done by willing
volunteers, and at noon nineteen bodies had
been carried out OF the shaft. The companys
books were then examined and the roll called
Il was found that all the men were accounted
for. The work proceeded with quietness and
order, amid tee subdued sobs and wringing
of hands Of the grief stricken families The
bodies were taken to tl cir homes near by and
laid out Nearly every one of the nineteen
victims left wives and children. Most of
the dead bore no visible mark of violence and
died from suffocaton.