Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-02-21
NINETEEN LIVES LOST.
D,ath by Huruiag nud sunoosticu iu q CON
uolIwillo Mins-rhc "Details OF tho
Appaiiipg Disaster.

Da,h by nurning aud sunoos,icu ~ a Uou-
noliNillo Mins-rhe Details OF tho
appaiiing disaster.
A terrible explosion Of lire damp occur
rod at half past q O'Clock wednesday morn
ing In the mine of the Cunuellsvillo Cork
aud Iron company, located at West Loscu
ring, four miles distant from Uniontown,
Pa, which killed nineteen miners.
There are constructed and in operation
at West Loisenring coke works just 300
ovens. lt require, about seventy five
miners to keep these ovens supplied with
coal. They work in two shifts-day and
night. The night shift only comprises
about dozen men, who drive headings,
while tho day shit comprises tho remain
der OF the miners. Tho night shift goes to
work early in the evening and goes oil at
. o'clock in tho morning. Ga Wednesday
when the night shift went of they saw no
signs Of any titcdamp, and tue men on day
turn had been at work throo hours when
tho spout Of tredamp was struck. This
mine Is worked by means of shaft 495
feet deep, and the sixty miners were at
work IN Nil parts of the mines many of
them half mile apart.
That portion OF tho mine whore tho OK
plosion occurred was about 800 foct from
the bottom Of the shaft, in butt heading.
The explosion was heard Mt a considerable
distance, both underground and on top
The rush of air through the mno was
terrific, aud blow everything in the mine
to atoms. Tho cars were blown to pieces,
rocks torn up and mules killed. Great
confusion reigned among tho mon who
were working ~ a considerable distanoo
from where the explosion took place, and
many rushed hurredly To death simply
because they did not heed tho advice Of
experienced miners, who escaped un.
harmed.
There wero in the mine in all-mincrs,
drivers aud Others-about seventy men
or those nineteen lost their lives. Some
were burned to death and others sudoca-
ted.
When taken out of tho mtne aud ex-
posed to the air tho flesh in many cases
dropped off that part Of tho body which
was burned. Those who were suifocated
looked quite natural and simply as II
sleeping.
IL was not until about half past or 8
O'Clock that tho dead aud living could be
taken out, ON account OF the danger Of
foul air.
The men who were temporarily out of
the mine and those employed on the
outside acted in the most becoming man
ner, aud stood ready with bravo aud
stout hearts to assist in searching the
mines.
To describe tho scene Ia tho mine, the
condition the men were in and the way
they were lying is impossible. The men
working a. distance from the place OF
the explosion were moro or less affected
with the foul air, which was driven with
great force throughout the mine, aud the
only way for them TO avoid death was To
get to the main entrance, whore the air
was pure, owing To the direct connection
with the air shaft.
Richard Balsey, an experienced miner,
who was working in the mine In the morn.
ing, tolls the following in regard to his
escape lie and bis partner were at work
only few rooms from where the explo
sion occurred, and the moment Of the
report he knew what it was. He tore up his
clothes, giring his partner portion and
telling him To stuff it in his mouth. He
did the same with the other which was
part Of u trouser leg. H5 told his partner
70 DO sure and follow him. They were in
total darkness, as all the lamps wore
blown out. After going short distance
the other man told Balsey he did not think
they were on the right road, aud left him.
Balsey ESCAPED, and the other man, whose
nams was Hackney, rushed frantioally
into the heading where the explosion had
taken place, aud is among tho dead.
Patrick Murphy, another, who barely
escaped, says he crswled on his hands aud
knees from tho heading.
1t was not until about noon that the
living and dead were gotten out OF the
mine. The last man taken out was Henry
Wilson. lie was thought TO be in a
dying condition, but was restored and Will
get well
Men, women and children stood at the
top OF the shaft waiting in terrible sus.
pense for their friends to be brought out.
The managers did everything they posi-
bly, could for tho sorrow stricken people.
The dead bodies were taken to their re-
pective dwellings In wagons, and the
families of tho slain were properly looked
after. DR.. Diehl, the oompany's physician,
was on the ground and did all that medi-
| cal skill could do for the sufferers. There
is no telegraph communication betwee n
West Le!senring and Uniontown, and it
was not until nearly noon that anything
was known Of the accident. Mr.. Taggert
general manager of the company, aud Mr..
Howell, the store manager, arrived there
after the coroner.
At $3.50 p. M, jury was selected and
| the dead bodies viewed and identi.
hed. The company will bear the funeral
expenses Of all aud aid all tho families. No
gas has heretofore existed in this mine,
and the crevice containing 1t was only
reached Wednesday morning.
Two Killed IN = Lussrns Coiiiery.
| An explosion Of fire damp occurred on
Wednesday in No. 10 colliery of the Phila.
delphia aud Rea1ing coal company at
Sugar Notch, near Wilkesbarre. Two
men were working near the scene OF tho
explosion at the time, John Thorn as, a
Polander and John Croswight. Thomas
was frightiully burned about the head,
neck and shoulders, and has since died, a
mass of top coal which was shaken loose by
the violence of the explosion, fell on him aud
crushed out of all semblanos of humanity.
Both the men lived in Ashley. Thomas
was single man but Croswight, who Ia
Al years old, leaves a widow and six
children. The cause Of the explosion Ia
unknown, but it is suppose that the gas
| HraI hta a ,nht In ln, h.k