The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-21
Details of the Explosion.

UNIoNTOwN, Feb. 20.-The little mining vii
lage of West Lesenring, four miles north of
here, was, this morning, the scene of the most
terrific explosion ever known in the coke region.
The Connellsville Coal and Iron Company, Of
which 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 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
force who had worked all night, left the mines
little after o'clock, and seventy others took
their places making the usual morning shift.
About $50 o'clock, while the men were digging,
suddenly, without warning there occurred an
explosion that convulsed the mine in every
apartment and threw the men into the utmost
confusion
The scene of the explosion was in one of the
apartments fully 800 feet distant from the bot
tom of the shaft, and therefore about II 900 feet
from the surface opening, yet the report was
heard on the outside for considerable distance,
and caused such a jar that the top of
derrick one hundred feet high was knocked off.
Two mules were standing at the bottom of the
shaft 800 feet from the explosion. One of them
was forced through a wooden cage, SCATTERING it
to pieces; the other mule died of suffocation.
The awful scene that ensued among the
terror-stricken miners cannot be described All
their lamps were blown out, land they were left
in darkness and confusion. They had not time
to recover from the shock until they found
themselves unable to breathe. The explosion
was caused by fire damp" Ia term which
miners apply to light carbonated ny
drogen or coal gas that issues
from crevices in the roofs of mines)
and left the mine filed with after-damp, which
contains no oxygen and renders it impossible for
life to be sustained for any length of time. This
after-damp is densest in the upper part of the
mine, and hence the men lowered near the bot
tom but even here they did not long find relief
Of all the men who were in the heading where the
explosion occurred Dick Balsley alone escaped
to tell the awful story.
When the explosion came and all the lights
were blown out, Balsley was just changing
clothes. 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 remainder of his garments
to companion, with instructions to take the
same precautions, and started for the main en-
trance, bidding his companion follow. They
ran over the bodies of men and the debris of
shattered wagons. They could see nothing but
could hear the groans of dying men. Presently
Balsleys companion protested that they were
not going the right way, and turned back. Like
Lots wife, he persisted Balsley pushed on until
finally he saw the light, and was taken out
His escape is regarded by experienced miners as
the most miraculous on record.
He says some of the men would keep their
heads under water as long as they could and
would have to change from the water to the
after damp, until finally they gave up the I'M
equal struggle.
AT THE MOUTH OF THE SHAFT.
When the news of the explosion flashed
around, the families of the men gathered about
the shaft, and were crazy with suspense. Balls
ley's story gave them little ground to hope that
any could be got out alive. So dangerous was
the after-damp, that it was fully two hours be-
fore any volunteers could enter the NINE Many
were on hand ready to make a search, but they
were unable to do so until hope of rescuing the
unfortunates alive had quite fled
1t was about o'clock when the first body was
brought out. 1t was that of Michael Ripko, a
Hungarian, whose wife and two children were
waiting and weeping at the shaft. The face bore
no marks of violence and he had evidently died
of sufocation.
The work of recovering the bodies went
rapidly by willing hands, and and at noon
nineteen corpses had been carried out The
company's books then examined and the
roll called, and it was announced that all the
men were accounted for. The work proceeded
quietly in order, amid the sobs and subdued