Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-21

| lower part Of Clarendon county two were
killed, At Darlington two whites ami two
negroes were killed. Six are known to be
killed and fifteen wounded in the county. a
serious loss of life and property is reported in
the vicinity Of Williamsburg.
FrIshtfuI CoIiiery Explosion.
COSNELLsvILLE pal February 2Osh.-At
| 3 o'clock this morning one Of the most terri
| bic explosions ever known in this vicinity &C.
CURED st the West Leisenring shaft, a few
miles from here, resulting in frightful loss
OF life. The particulars are so msager that
nothing definite Is known IS to what caused
| the disaster. The latest report, received here
st noon, was to the effect that some seventy
| hive persons were at work in the mine az the
time OF the explosion, and that out of that
number twenty-nine persons are known to
| have met their death that many dead bodies
had been already taken out. Twelve were
! rescued alive, several of whom were so bsdly
| injured that they will die. Every effort is
| being made to get st those who sre yet in the
mine, and learn the extent of the frighttul &C.
! cldent. It is thought that st least fifty per-
! sons out Of the seveuty-tive in the mine were
killed or so badly injured that they will die,
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT or THE DISASTER.
| UN1oNTOwN PAL February Goth. The
little mining village of West T.eisenring. four
miles north Of here, was this morning the
| scene Of the most terrific explosion ever
| known in the coke region. The Collinsvills
| Coal and Irou Company here give employ
ment to about 100 men The coal is obtained
! by means of a shaft, which reaches the mines
| at q distance Of 400 feet from the surface
! This morning part of the forc2, who had
| worked ell night, left the mine q little after
| o'clock, and seventy others took their places,
| making the usual merhing shift About half
| past q, while the men were digging, with
| oug warning, occurred an explosion that
convuised the mine in every apartment, and
threw the men into the utmost cousterua-
tion, The scene of the explosion was Ia an
apartment fully 500 feet distant from the bot
tom Of the shaft and !, POO feet from the sur.
face opening, yet the report was heard on the
outside for a considerable distance, and
caused such jar that the top Of q derrick
100 feet high was knocked off. Two mules
were standing at the bottom Cf the shaft, 500
feet from the explosion, and the rush Of air
blew one Of them through a wooden cage,
shattering it to pieces An awful scene en-
sued among the terTo stricken miners. All
three lamps were blown Gu, and they were
left in darkness ard confusion. They had
not time to recover from the shock until they
fouBd themselves unable to breathe. The
explosion Of tire-damp left no oxygen. The
men hoyared near the bottom, but even mere
thsy did not long find relief.
a SURVIVORS, STORY.
o; su the men who were at the heading
Whsre the explosion occurred, Dick Balsley
alone escaped to tell the awful story. When
the explosion came, and sll the lights were
blown out, Bslsey was Just changing his
clothes. he 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 companions, with instruc-
tons to take the same precsutiOn. 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 nothing. but could hear the groans |
of dying men. Presently Balsley's compan- |
ion protested that he was not going in the |
right direction, and turned back. Balsley |
pushed or, until he finally saw the light, and |
was taken out. His escape is regarded by |
experienced miners as the most marvellous |
on record. He says some men kept their |
heads under water as long as they could, and |
would have TO change fro n the wster to the |
afterdamp, until finally forced to give up the |
unequal struggle.
SCENE AT THE SHAFT.
When the news of the explosion flashed |
around, the families of the men gathered |
about the shaft, and were crazy with sus-
pense. Bslsley's story gave them little |
ground for hope that any could be got out |
alive. SO dangerous was the afterdamp that |
it was fully two hours before any volunteers
could enter tie NINE It was about o'clock |
when the first body was brought out. The |
face bore no marks of violence, and he evil |
IDENTIFY died from suif0cation. The work Of |
recovering the men now went on rapidly By
willing volunteers, and soon nineteen bodies |
we're carried out. The compauy's book was
then examined snd the roll called, and it was
announced that sQ the men were accounted |
for The work proceeded quietly and in or
der, amid the soSs, subdued weeping aud |
shrisks of the families. The bodies were |
taken 20 homes near by and laid out. The |
Coroner Of this place went from here, and On
Inquest began st $50. No testimony wss
taken except that which identified the dead, |
FOrty-eighth Congress.
WASHINGTON, February 2Osh.- Sewalps |
bill, approp.isting 5000, 600 per aunum for
the militia, passed.
Tae Senate took up the bill to provide for |
the circuation of national banks.
An amendment was proposed by Pugh to
the amendments of Plumb, and accepted by |
ths latter, which would permit the issue of |
the treasury notes provided for in Plumbs |
amendment. in case the banks deposited legal |
tender notes for the redemption Of their cir
culation.
Another amendment of Pugh's was accept
ed by Plumb TO take the place Of the clause |
yesterday Withdrawn by the latter
The clause yesterday withdrawn defined |
the true intent and meaning of the section TO |
be that the volume of papsr money outstaud- !
ing, exclusive Of gold and silver certificates, |
should remain az nov existing.
Pugn's Amendments, offered and accepted |
By Plumb, declared the intent and meaning |
70 be that such volume should not be dinin- |
ished, and also excepted the principal and in
terest on the public debt from obligations Of |
the United States, which might be paid by |
such treasury nO.es,
The debate wss participated IN by Pugh, |
Plumb, McPhersoa and Morgan.
Plumb's and MorrilPs amendments were
rejected.
Morrill, moved separately an amendment |
relating to what he termed the gold banks" |
and which had just been disagreed to.
The amendment in a separate form was |
agreed to.
Morgan then Introduced tie amendment
suggested by him some days ago.
An executive session was held, and the
Senate adjourned.
The report was agreed to-13S to 106-call- |
ing upon the Postmsster-General for reports
having reference to the star route iuvestiga-
tious not heretofore made public.
Reports were submitted as follows:
Public Lends Committee-The bill declar-
ing forfeited the land grant Of the Oregon
Central.
Foreign Affairs Committee-A resolution
that the President be requested to prevent
the delivery of Senior Carlos Augero, now in
Key West, Florida, held for extraction
upon the demand of the Government Of
Spain, until it is ascertained if the charges
against him are true, and that he is not held
for political purposes.
a joint resolution was introduced that an
appropriation of $50 900 be expended among
the Indians for educational purposes, and
passed.
The Military Academy appropriation bill
was taken up, and after discussion the House
adjournsd.
The Democratic members held a joint eau
Gus this evening.
HiSh-handed Action OF Territorial Sec
retary.
WASHINGTON, February 2Oth.-Senators
Vest and Cockrell, Speaker Carlisle and Rep
resentstives Springer and Morrison, received
telegram from Santa Fe, n. M, to-day,
saying that the Secretary Of New Mexico re.
fuses go administer the oath of Office to legal
ly-elected members of the Territorial Lsgisla-