Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-23
DEADLY FIRE-DAMP.
gERR1BLE MINE EXPLOSION.

n
occurred this morning at Colliery no.
of The Delaware and Hudson Coal Com
pany, at Plymouth junction, which Will
cause the death Of ten or twelve men,
The colliery is situated about mile
outside of Plymouth borough. IL mas
been idle since January, owing to the
depression in the coal trade. The com
psny have lately been putting It IN
working condition again, and this morn
ing at the usual time forty-four men
and boys descended the shaft. A lew
went into the upper vein, where work
had been resumed. and the otherS--the
sixteen men who fell victims to the ex-
plosion-proceeded to TIE middle VEN,
where preparations were in progress Tor
resuming work. Among them were
gang of machinists and carpenters, who
were engaged in repair-work.
DANGEROUS SPOT.
About six hundred feet from the
foot of the shaft is a plane which runs
up to the upper vein, and near the foot
Of this plane is an old, abandoned tun-
mel which formerly connected with
another colliery. The mouth of this
tunnel is partly walled up, and the
usual danger signals are placed at the
opening to warn men from entering.
At the time Of the accident there were
seventeen men in this vein working at
different spots between the foot of the
shaft and the foot of the plane. The
only man who escaped unhurt or who
can now tell anything about what had
happened is James Crogan, a laborer
employed by Dennis Titus.
A SURVIVORS, STORY.
lie saws that about half-past 7
slight explosion of gas took place Just
| inside the old tunnel. John Lavelll,
the Polander. came running back with
his hands and face burned, and said
something about going into the tunnel
and firing the gas. Crogan was sent to
the lower vein to find the inside fore
mar-Robert c. Myers-and just as he
reached the lower vein a tremendous
explosion shook the whole colliery. The
men who were at work in the other
vein instantly fed and made their es-
cape through the second opening. The
explosion was terrible in its violence.
The flames and gas shot up the shaft
with tremendous force, broke the win
dows Of the heat-hOus and breaker,
blew out the gates ard the head Of the
shaft, destroyed the covering of the
head-house, and carried wreckage and
ruins high in the air.
| THE SCENE AT THE SHAFT.
The CONSERVATION caused on the sur
face was extreme. People from all
around rushed to the head Of the shaft
| Women whose husbands and sons were
below. wild with alarm and terror,
gathered round, and excitement and
dread seemed to paralyze every one.
X. G. Myers. the inside foreman, reach
ed the surface from the lower vein in a
few minutes and took charge Of mea-
suIes for relief. lie organized gang
Of explorers and went down to tho
middle vein. On every side were evil
dences of the force Of the explosion.
Cars were smashed to pieces, the wood
work blown down, and the iron rails
torn up and twisted. The PROSTATE
forms of several men lay near the foot
Of the shaft, and their terrible means of
anguish showed how they were hurt.
RFsCUING TIE VICTIMS.
As rapidly as possible they were sent
to the surface, and the exploring party
pushed further in toward the foot of the
plane. But they encountered great
/ difficulty. and not only was the gang
way encumbered with wreckage, but
the dreaded black damp, which invari-
ably follows an explosion, made itself
felt and they could hardly proceed.
Scattered along the road to the foot of
the plane were the bodies of the sixteen
victims. and one by one they were
reached and sent UP the shaft. All
were living when recovered except
Dennis Titus. who was found the last Of
all. His body lay one hundred feet
from where he had been at work. Not
only was it horribly burned, but it
bad been blown against the sides and
badly mangled. The scene at the sur
face while the victims were being re-
covered iurpassed all description for
horror. The moaning victims as they
were sent TO the surface in the carriage
were bono through thrOngs Of agonized
women and men 70 the engine-house.
So terribly we're they burned that their
best friends could not at first recognize
thcm The clolhiug was reduced 70
a,hes, the skin and flesh hanging in
strips aud ribbons from every exposed
place, end tbe whole body blackened
ana charrcd 10 81 oxtent that lief. little
sernblance to humanity. Inside the
englre.house they were stretched on
the stone floor.
ATTENDING THE WOUNDED.
Dr. Lockhsrd. Of Plymouth. who
happened to he in the vicinity Of the
mine. took charge for the time Of the
measures for their help Large quan.i-
ties OF oil we're poured on the eharred
and quiyering hesh. bandages were
REQUIRED. and the women outside. who
we're only kept by mann force from
rushing into the eugine-h5use ~ body,
tore og their dIe.s,s and skirts anil
banded them 20 those attending ,hc SUI
fercrs. The smell of banned i!o. b and
lothing which filled tie room. and The
distressing gfosns AMI shr.eks Of the
unfortunate men. hose sailermgs were
awful. made the interior Of the engine
house . terrible place. ono of the
hclpers, man named Reese, was 50
overcome with horror that he was seized
with ia Of insanity, and j, required
four men 90 remove him. struggling and
shricking to his home. Many Of the
men had received internal burns by in
halng the blazing gas. These are the
worst Of all burns, ami their inevitable
result is death.
sIhIEKING FOR WATEH.
These men in the midst Of their
sgony cried aloud for water. but none
could BE gwen them. Instead they
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