Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-02-28
SUFFoCATED.
PARTICULARS OF THE TERRIBLE
NINE HORROR IN PENNSYL-
VANIA.
seventy-five men at Work at the time
Nineteen Bodies Taken From the Pit
of Death.


Nineteen Bodies Taken From the Pit
of Death.
UNIoNTowN, Pa, Feb. 20.-Tne lit.
tie mining village of West Leisering,
four miles north of here, was this
morning the scene of the most terrific
explosion ever known in the coke re-
rion. The Connellsvile Coal g. Iron
Company, of ~hice Judge Leisenring,
OF Mauch Chunk, is President, have
200 coke ovens here which have been
in operation about year. The works
GIVE EMPLOYMENT TO ABOUT zoe MEN,
and quite q little town has sprung up
named after the president of the COM
pany. The coal is obtained by means
of shaft, which reaches the mine at
a distance of 400 feet from the surface
This morning part of the force who
had worked all night left the mine .
little after o'clock, and seventy 9TH
ers took their places, making the usual
morning shaft. About hal:-past 6
o'clock, while the men were digging,
suddenly, without warning, there oc-
Cured an explosion that
CoNvULsED THE NINE IN EVERY APART
MENT,
and threw the men into the utmost
co lsternatio'. The scene of the ex-
ploslon was in one of the apartments
fully 500 feet from the bottom of the
shaft, and therefore about 1000 feet
from the surface opening, yet the re.
port was heard ON the outside for a
considerable distance, and caused such
a jar that the top of a derrick 100 feet
high was nocked of. Two mules
were standing at the bottom of the
shaft 500 feet from the explosion. and
the rush of air blew one of them
through wooden cage, shattering it
to pieces. The other mule died from
suffocation.
THE AWFUL SCENE
that ensued among the terror stricken
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
until they found themselves unable to
breathe. An explosion of fire damp,
term which miners apply to light
carbonated hydrogen, or coal gas, that
issues from crevlces In the roof of
mines, left the mine filled with after
damp, which contains no oxygen, and
renders it impossible for life to be sus-
tanned for any length of time This
after-damp is the densest in the upper
part of the mine. and hence the men
hovered near the bottom, but even
here they uld not find relief. OF all
the men who we're IN the heading
where the explosion occurred
DICK BALsLEY ALONE ESCAPED .a.....
to tell the awful story. When the ex-
plosion came and all the lights were
blown out, Balsley was just changing
his clothes. He at once wound part of
his clothes tightly around his face and
mouth to keep the foul air from chok.
ing him, and gave the rest of his gar
ments to companion with instruc-
tlons to take the same precautions.
He then started for the main entrance,
bidding his onp.nion 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 COM
panlon protested that they were not
going In the right direction and
turned back. Like Lots wife he per-
ished. Balsley pushed on until he
saw light and was taken out. His es-
cape is regarded by experienced min
ers as
ONE OF THE MOST MARVELLOUS ON RECORD.
He says most Of the men kept their
heads under water as long as they
could, and would have to change from
water to after damp, until finally they
gave up the unequal struggle.
GATHERING OF MoURNERs.
When news OF the explosion flashed
around, the families of the men gath
cred about the shaft and were crazy
with suspense. Balsley's story gave
them little ground for hope that any
could be 60. out alive. So dangerous
was the after-damp that it was fully
two hours before any volunteers could
enter the mines. Many we're on hand
ready to make the search, but unable
to do so until hope Of reaching the un-
,fortunates alive quite fed.
RECOVERY OF BODIES.
1t was about o'clock when the first
body was brought out 1t was that Of
Michael Ripks. q Hungarian, whose