Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-02-21
ONE WOE
Upon Anothsr's Heels Doth Tread
So Fast They Follow On.
FriQhtfuI Explosion in a Fayatte
County Coal Min'.
Seventy Miners at WORK in the
Shaft atths Time,
Nineteen of Whom are Sutfocate1
by the Deadly After Damp.
Sad Scenes About the Mouth OF
tho Pit,
As the B'acksnsd and Mangled
corpsss are Taken Out.


scene of the most terrific explosion evar
known to the coke region. The CoaneIs-
Vile Coal and Iron Company, OF whi,h
Judge Leseuring, of Mauch Chunck, Is
the President, have two hundred coke
ovens which have been in operation about
a year. The works give employment to
about one hundred men and quite little
town has sprung mp, named after the Prss.
ident Of the company. The coal is o.
tanned by means of shaft which reaches
the mine az
A Depth oS Four Hundred Feet.
This morning part Of the force who
had worked I'll nigh, left the mines little
after three o'clock and seventy Others took
their places making the usual morning
shift. About half past six, while the men
were digging, suddenly aid without warn
Ing there occurred an explosion that con-
vulsed the mine in overy apartment and
threw the men into the utmost consterna-
tion.
Ehe Scene OF the Explosion
was in an apartment fully 800 feet from
the bottom OF the shaft, and therefore
about !, 200 feet from the surface opening,
yet the report was heard on the outside
for a considerable distance, and caused such
a lar that the top of the derrick one hun.
dIed feet high was knocked of. Two
mules were standing at the bottom OF the
shaft, 500 feet from the explosion, and the
rush of air blew one of them through the
wooden cage shattering it to pieces. The
other mule died OF suffocation. The awful
scene that ensued among the terror strick-
en miners cannot be described. All their
lam ps were blown out and they were left
in darkness and confusion. They had not
time to recover from the shock until they
/, uud themselves
Unable 10 Breathe.
The explosion OF the tire-damp that
Issues from creyasses in the roof OF
mines leaves the mine flied with after.
dan, p, which contains no oxygen and rem
ricrs it impossible for life TO he sustained
for any length OF time. Tnis aftef.damp
is densed in the upper part OF the mine,
and hence the men hOvereI near the bot
tom, but even here they ID not
long find relief. O. all the men who
were in the heading where the explosion
occurred, Dick Bilsley alone escaped to
tell the awful story. When the explosion
came and the lights we've blown out, Balls.
ley was just changing his clothes. He at
once wound part Of bis clothes tightly
oround his face and mouth to keep the
foul arr from choking him, and gave the
rest OF his garments to a companion, with
IN FOL "a tha m n QNantiNna
He then started for the main entrance,
bidding his comrsde to follow. They
Ran over ihe Bodies Of Men,
and over shattered wagon. They could
see nothing, but could hear the groans Of
dying men. Presently Balsley's compan
ion protested that they were not going in
tie right direction and turned back. Lake
I.uts v, ,fe, he Derished. Basley pushed
on until ne saw light and was taken out.
His escape is regarded by experienced
miners H. one Of the most marvellous on
record. He says some men kept their
heads under water as long as they could,
and would change from the water to the
latter damp" until they finally gave up the
unequal struggle.
When the news Of the eXpIo sion flashed
around the families of the men gathered
about the shaft and were
wild with Suspense.
Balsley's story gave them little ground for
hope that any could be got out alive. So
dangerous was the after damp that it was
fully two hours before any volunteers
could enter the mine. Men were on
hand ready to make u search, but were
unable to 10 So until hope OF rescuing the
uafcrtuuajes sliye had quite lied. It was
about eight o'clock when the first body vas
brought out. l. was that of Michael Rip
mi 70 ttr-pl Il Ia
children were waiting and weeping at the
mouth of the shaft. His face bore no
marks of violence. The work OF rescuing
men now went on rapidly by willing vol.
uuteers and at noon
Nineteen Bodies
had been carried out. The company's
books were then examined, the roll called,
and it was announced that all the men
we're accounted for. The work Of rescue
proceeded quietly and orderly, AMID the
sUbs and subdued weeping OF the stricken
families. The bodies were taken IN Iheir
homes near by and laid out. Coroner
Baton, with mSny citizens, went from
Lere, and an inquest was begun at half.
Tast three. No testimony was taken ex-
cspt that which identified the dead, the
list Of whom ave as folioHs:
MICHAEL HEFFERN, Irishman, -
yesrs old; burned face; leaves a wife and
SIX children.
JOHN BUCKLEY, Irishman, 30 years
Cld unmsrriei; no visible injury.
PATRICK KENNEDY, lrishnsn, %
yesrS old; burned face; unmarried.
JAMES TRACY, lrishman, IS years old;
badly burned in face and on body; single.
JAMES BAKER IrIsaman, 81 years DID,
terribly burned in face; wife and two
bildren,
DAVID LLOYD, We!shman, % years
old; single; burned on head and face
WILLIAM VI DAVIS Welshmsn, % years
old; single; no msrks.
THOMAS MCGAREG, Irishmap, S5 years
old; badly burned; wife and three children.
JOHN HART, American; p years old;
single; no msrks.
MICHAEL RIPK0, Hungarian; IS years
old: wife and two children.
GEORGE CALLS. Hungarian; 25 years
old; wife in the old country.
DANIEL BUCKNER, colored: wife and
two children.
JOHN MURRAY, Irish; "a years old;
wife end one child
PETER wATERH, Irish; 81 years old;
WILLIAM SOARING, native; sgsi
sbout 35; wife aud four children.
JOE BAKER, Hungarian; q years old;
-. ANDY wARMUs, German; 80 years
old: single.
ALFON N. HACKNEY. this country, 35
wears old; wife and one child.
GEORGE MAY; nothing known sb)ut
him.
Most Of the above bore
Ne Visible Marks sofyioAsnce,
but had died from suffoca,ion. Their faces
were generally very black, smoke and dusl
having been blown into the skin. The
last man taken out alive was HeRry Viii
son, who managed to subsist on sir in "
yery bottom of the mine until rescued. He
was almost gone. Many of those who were
! in the other parts of the mine suffered Sc
versly. Dick Bslsley repor,s that the mer