The Red Cloud chief., 1884-02-29
DEADLY FIRE DAMP.
Nineteen Miners In n Pennsylvania Colliery
Killed by an Explosion of Fire Damp
The Bodies all Recovered-A Large Num-
her of Widows and Orphans Left TO
Mourn.

NIucfeSh tIiC "a q
Killed by an Explosion of Fire Damp
The Bodies all RecOvered-A Large Mum
her of Widows and Orphans Left &c
Mourn.
C~SIONTOwN. Pa, Feb. 20.
The little mining village of West Lessen
ring, four miles north of here, was this
morning the scene OF the most tcrritic ex
plosion ever known in the coke regions
The Connellsville Coal and Iron Company
have 1900 coke ovens here which have beer
in operation about Il rear. Tie works give
employment to about 100 men and quite L
little town has sprung up. The coal is OBJ
tanned by means of a shaft which reaches
Ire mine at a distance of 400 feet from the
surface.
This morning a part of the force, who had
worked all night, left the mines a a it'll,
after TWO O'Clock, II seventy others took
heir places, making the usual morning
shift.
At about half past six o'clock. while the
men were digging, suddenly, without warn,
ing, there occurred an explosion that con.
vulSed the mine in every apartment and
threw the men into the utmost consterna.
ton. The scene of the explosion wa in one
of the apait ments, fully so feet distant
from the bottom of the shaft, and therefore
about 100 feet rom the surface opening,
yet the report was heard on the outside for
a considerable distance, and caused such a
jar that the top of the derrick a hundred
ieet high was Knocked off. Two mules
were sanding at the bottom Of the shaft,
500 feet from the explosion, and the rush OF
air blew one of them through the wooden
cage, SCATTERING it to pieces. The other
mule died from suffocation.
The awful scene that ensued among the
terror-stricken miners can not be de.
scrlbed. All their lamps were blown out
and they were left IN darkness and confu-
sion. They had not time TO recover from
their shock until they found themselves
unable tn breathe. The explosion of the
fire damp LETT the mine filed with after
DAMP, which contains no oxygen, and rem
ders lJ impossible for lite to be sustained
for any time. This after damp is densest
IN the upper part of the mine and hence the
men lowered near the bottom, but even
tere they did not long find relief.
VI all those who were i'm the eadin
where the explosion occurred Dick Baisley
alone escaped to tell the awful story.
W hen the explosion came and all the lights
were blown out Baisley was Just changing
bis clothes He at once wound part OF his
clothes tightly around his face and mouth
70 keep the ioul air from choking him and
gave the rest of his garments TO mis- COM
panlon. with instructions to take the same
precautions. He then started for the main
entrance, bidding his companion 10 follow.
lhey ran over the bodies of men and over
wagons. They could see nothing,
:ut could hear the groans of dying men.
presently BaiSiey's ~compaalan protested
that they were not going in the right direc-
ton and turned back. Lke Lots wife. he
persisted. Balsiey pushed on until he fin
aliv saw the light and was taken oat.
When the news of the explosion was
around the families OF the men gath
cred about the shaft and were wild with
Balsley's story gave them little
ground to hope that any of the miners
would be got out alive. So dangerous was
the after damp that it wa fully two hours
before anv volunteers could enter the
mines. Many were on hand ready to make
tine search, but were unable to do so until
hope O~f-rescuing tine u1lortuna.es alive had
quite fed.
IT, was about eight O'Clock when the first
body was brought out. 1t was that of
Michael Ripko, a Hungarian. His face
bore no marks Of violence and he had eyi.
died from ~suffocation.
The work of rescuing the men now went
on rapidly by willing volunteers and at
noon nineteen bodies had been carried out.
The company'S books were then examined,
roll called, and it was announced that
all the men were accounted for.
Coroner Baton of this place. with many
went from here and the inquest
began at $3.50 O'Clock. No testimony was
faken except that which identified the
dead, the list Of whom is as follows:
THE DEAD.
Michael HprcrO Irish brl;snd in tho f,oo.
wife and SIX eli dreu.
John Buckley, Irish, unmarried; no visible
n Jury.
Patrick Kennedy. Irish, burned IN face; un-
led and only chi d of IL willow.
james Tracy, irish. badly burned in the face
.rd body: single.
James Baker. Irish. terribly burned in face:
caves wife ani two children.
David Lloyd, Welsh. unmarried; burned in
head and face.
VILLAIN Davis. wel,h. single; no marks.
ThOi "a McGarr. Irish, badly burned: leaves
wife AMI three children in Cumberland Coun-
y. Fl g,.n!.
John Hart. American. single; no marks.
Michaci Ripko, Hungarian; wife and two
.Gcorgr Calls. Hungarian; leaves wife in the
Dill country.
rariel Buckner. colored; leaves wife and
John Murray. Irish. wife and one child.
Peter Walters, Irish, single: brother of Mrs.
I
William Soaring, native: wife and four chill. !
Joe Baker. Hungarian; leaves n wife.
Andy ARM German SINGLE
Il ban y. Ha ,kney of this county; wife and
Dne child.
G.. E. May, nat We of Maryland.
Most of the above bore no visible marks
Df violence. but had died from suffocation. |
Their faces were very black, the smoke and
having been blown inc the skin.
The last man taken out alive was Henry !
Wilson, who had managed to suosist on air |
m the very bottom of the mine until res.
:ued. He was almost gone. Many of those
sho were in other parts of the mine suf-
severely.
After identifying the bodies Coroner Bar.
on adjourned the inquest until Saturday
morning. The. company will bear all tho
expenses of the funerals which will take
'lace tomorrow and next dav.
The accumulation of so much gas in this
nine as to cause such an explosion is a
natter of much surprise. Nc accident ever
'efore occurred here, and it was regarded
IS q very safe mine.
--N 60
An old record shows that on Long
in 1879, May Case was fined Tor
nterrupting Mr.. Leverich during his
She said: "Come down, thou
rhited wall. that feedest thyself and
the pcople."-Brookiym Eaqle.
The cigarette must 90. If it does
Iot. the small boy will. Where cigarette
moking does not kill boys it stunts
hem. and this country has enough
unts.-N. y. Commercial A~drcrsiser.