The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-22

the Coke REGIONS.
A Unioutown special to the Philadelphia
Times gives the following detail OF the
West-Leisenring mine horror, brief ac-
count OF which appeared in our tele5rahhlc
columns yesterday morning:
The little mining village OF West Leis-
euring, four miles west OF here, was this
morning the scene OF the most disastrous
explosion ever known in the coke region.
The Connelsville Coal and Iron Com
panv. OF which Judge Leisenring, OF Mauch
Chunk, is president, have two hundred
coke-ovens here. which have been in opera
ton about a year. The works give en-
ployment to about one hundred men, and
quite little town, has sprung up, named
after the president Of the company. The
coal is obtained by means OF SHAFT. when
reaches the NINE ut q distance OF four hun
dred feet from the surface. This morning
part OF the force, who had worked all
night, left the mines at a little after .
O'Clock. and seventy Others took their
places, making the usual morning SHIFT.
At about half-past O'Clock, while the
men were digging. suddenly. without
warning. there occurred an explosion that
conylllsed the mine in every apartment.
The scene OF the explosion was fully 800
feet distant from the bottom OF the shait,
and therefore about 200 feet from the sur
face-opening. Yet the report was heard
ON the outside for 4 considerable distance,
and caused such jar that the top der
rick. 100 feet high, was knocked OFF. Two
mules were standing at the bottom o! the
shaft. and the rush Of air blew one OF them
through the wooden cage, SCATTERING 1t to
pieces.
CHOKED WITH AFTER-DAMP.
The other mule died from suitocation.
The awful scene that ensued among The
terror-strickcn miners cannot be described.
All their lamps were blown out, and they
were left i'm total darkness. They had not
time TO recover from the shock until they
found themselves unable TO breathe. The
EXPLOSION OF the 1re-damp left the mine
filled with after-damp, which contains no
oxygen, and renders it impossible for life
10 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 bottom; but even there
they did not long find relief.
OF all the men who were IN the heading
when the explosion occurred, Dick Baisley
alone escaped to tell the awful story.
When the explosion came and all the lights
were blown out, Balsley was Just changing
his clothes. He at once wound part OF ms
clothes tightly around his face and mouth
TO keep the foul air from choking him and
gave the rest OF his garments to his COM
panion. with instructions to take the same
precautions. He then started for the main
entrance, bidding his companion follow
They ran over the bodies OF men and over
shattered wagons. They could see no.
thing. but could hear the grOans OF dying
men. Presently Balsley's companion pro
tested that they were not going in the righ'
direction, and turned back and persisted.
TAKING OUT THE DEAD.
Balsl?y pushed on until he finally saw
the LIGHT and was taken out. His escape
| is regarded by experienced miners as ont
I az the most marvellous on record. lie say
some OF the men kept their heads under
wafer "a long as they could, and woul'
have to change from the water to the after
damp, until finally they gave up the un
equal struggle.
When the news OF the explosion wa
flashed around the families or the mel
| gathered about tue snaiL IN III agony
suspense. Balsley's story gave them It'll
ground to hope that any OF the men woul'
be got out alive. So dangerous was tn
aiter-damp that Il was fully two hours be
fore any volunteers could enter the mines
Many were on hand ready TO make tn
search. but were unable TO do so until hop
OF rescuing the unfortunates alive hat
quite fed.
Il was about o'clock when the Mrs
body was brought out. II was that 9
| Michael Ripko, Hungarian, whose VIII
and two little children were waiting an
weeping at the shaft. His face bore n
marks OF violence, aud he had evidentl
died from sutiocatfon. The work OF res
cuing the men now went on rapidly D
willing volunteers, and Mt noon nineteel
bodies had been carried out. The compa
mics were then examined, the roll called
and II was announced that all the men wer
accounted for. The work proceeded VII
quiet and order amid the sohs and subdue
weeping Of the stricken families. To
| bodies were taken TO the homes near .