Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-02-22
EASTERN NEWS.
ur Miners Are
Clicked to Death.
AN APPALLING CATASTROPHE
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
A Frightful Cyclone Occurs IN
North Carolina.
AN INTERVIEW ON THE HERR
LAsKER RESOLUTION.
The Affair Still Clouded
in Doubt.
SECRETARY rRELINeHuYsER THINKS BIS.
MARCK MEANS WAR.
SECRETARY r%RELINGHUYSEN THINKS BIS
MARcK MEANS WAR.
Disaster.
ESPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL.

ONlONlOhN 4 os GSo
ing village west of Leisenung, four miles
north of here, was this morning the scene
| Of the most terrific explosion ever known
in the coke region. The Connellsville
Coal & Iron Company, coke owners here,
give employment to about a hundred men
The coal is obtained by means OF a shaft,
which reaches the mines at a distance OF
400 feet from the surface. This morning
a part of the force, who worked all night,
left the mines a little after 3 O'Clock, and
rs others took their places, making the
usual morning shift. About half past +,
while the men were digging, without
warning there occurred an explosion that
~conyulsed the mine in every apartment
and threw the men into the utmost con
s~ternation. The scene of the explosion is
in one apartment, fully so or 100 feet dis
tant from the bottom of the shaft, and
1900 feet from the surface opening, yet
the report was heard on the outside Tor a
considerable distance, and caused sucn a
jar that the top derrick, a hundre feet
high, wal knocked off. Two mules were
standing at the bottom of the shaft, o00
feet from the explosion, and the rush OF
air blew one of them through the wooden
cage, SCATTERING it to pieces. An awful
scene ensued among the terror-stricken
miners. All three lamps were blown out.
They were left in darkness and confusion,
and had not time to recover from the
shock until they found themselves unable
a. L---AIo nka avDl0C,on nf tho fra
damp left no oxygen. The men lowered
near the bottom, but even here they
did not long find relief. OF all
who we're in the heading, where the
explosion occurred, Dick Balsley alone es-
capped to tell the awful story. When the
explosion came and all the lights were
blown out, Balsley was just changing
clothes. He wound a part of the clothes
tightly around his face and mouth to keep
the foul air from choking him and gave
the rest of his garments to his compan-
ion, with instructions to take the same
precautions. He then started for the
main entrance, bidding his companion to
follow. They ran over the bodies OF men
and over shattered wagons. They could
see nothing but could hear the groans OF
the dying men. Presently his companion
protested that he was not going in the
right direction and turned back. Balsley
pushed on until he finally saw light and
was taken out. His escape is re
garded by experienced miners as the
most marvellous on record. DE says
some men kept their heads under
water as long as they could
and would have to change from water tt
a~fter-damp, until finally they gave up ths
unequal struggle. When h news OF thu
explosion flashed around the families O.
the men gathered around the shaft ant
were crazy with suspense. Balsley's story
gave them little ground to hope that any
could be got out alive, SO dangerous was
the a~fter-damp. 1t was fully two hour
before any volunteers could enter the mine
About s O'Clock, when the first body Wal
brought out, the face bore no marks o
violence and the miner had evidently dice
of suffocation. The work OF rescuing thu
men then went on rapidly by willing vol
unteers, and at noon 10 bodies had beer
carried out. The company's book was ther
examined and the roll called. 1t was an
nounced that all the men were &C
counted for. The work proceeded quietl.
and orderly amid the sobs and subduet
weeping of the stricken families. Thu
bodies were taken to their homes near By
and laid out. The Coroner went from
here and an inquest began at $3.50 O'Clock
No testimony was taken except that which
| identified the dead.
LATER.-The scene OF yesterdays terri
| BILE disaster was visited by large number
to-day. The majority were simply curious
| but many came with the earnest intention
| of investigation, and, if possible, of ascer
| tanning the cause of the explosion. Here
| kofo~a %hn noo hos mt oQnapd mnal
trouble in the Western Pennsylvania
mines, but it is evident that a vast guam
tity has been generated in q short tim
without being discovered. The majorit.
| of experts who examined the mine thi
| morning incline to the belief that the ex
plosion resulted from the falling in of
portion of the roof Of one Of the chamber
and exposing q crevice filled with fire
damp, etc. They are not, however
willing to stake their reputation on thi
until a more thorough examination j
made. Collins for 10 victims arrived from
Pittsburg this morning. and all will b
buried from Uniontown tomorrow. Two
thirds of the victims are Catholics, and j
has not been decided whether uniol
services will be held or each family bur,
their OWE dead.
The Connellsville Coke & Iron Company
owners of the mine, pay all funeral ex
penses. There are mont here who censur
the company. The opinion is universe
that the explosion cannot be charged t
their neglect, as the shaft was a mode
n and the most approved appliance
were used for safety. and greater precau
tions were taken than are required b,
law. The families OF the dead miner
are not in immediate destitute circum
stances. but the sudden withdrawal o
their support. caused by the taking OF
of their husbands. fathers and brother
will be seriously felt in the near future
Many had their lives insured. Only las
week the insurance agent collector wa
among the mines and miners, and
large number availed themselves OF tn,
opportunity. Among them there wer,
several who were killed.