The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-19
DEADLY FIRE DAMP
~ 1uE BENwooD MI11 coA1 MlNE
Two m.n 1mpri.onsd and Left to an A~ful
Fate, While Their Ftssnds are POuerlsss
TO Help rhsm-Anothsrse severely Hart
by the Explosion of the Gas.


o'clock an explosion Of FIRE damp occur
red in the coal mine Of the Benwood Iron
Company, near the works Of the company
in Benwood, a short distance below this
city, that resulted in severely injuring
Joseph Hoey, the bank boss, and the prob
able death Of William Hohnne and Chris.
Weineke, two miners. Their fate, how
ever, is still mystery, as up to a late
hour last night rescuing parties had been
unable TO get far enough into the mine TO
learn anything about them.
ORIGIN OF THE GAS.
The mine has not been in use for sew
eral days. according TO reports, and during
the time it has been idle the mysterious
and awful fire damp or gas that wrought
such frightiul work yesterday collected.
Yesterday Hoey, the boss, started in with
Hohnne and Weineke TO make some
needed repairs. When the explosion oc:
Cured they were about one and hall
miles from the entrance. Just how the
explosion occurred or what caused 1t Is
not at present known. II was one OF great
force. however, and did no uncomfortable
damage to the interior OF the mine.
Hoey was hurled some distance and
was badly burned about the head, should
ers and arms. With great difficulty he
managed to reach the entrance, although
at times the. poisonous gas nearly over
came him.
EXCITEMENT IN THE TOWN.
The newsof the explosion spread rapidly
and It was not long until large crowd oil
excited people had gathered about the
mine. The excitement grew and incsees'
ed as it became more and more generally
known that two men were in the
mine, probably imprisoned behind some
fallen obstruction caused by the explosion,
and il not killed at the time OF the explo-
sion, being suiocated by the deadly and
dreadful damp. The crowd was made up
OF all classes, men, women and children,
including the distracted wife and children
OF Hohnne, one OF the unfortunate men.
REscUISG PARTIEs.
Hoey, who was having his painful in
juries carefully dressed by DR.. Ford, was
asked By other miners as 10 the locality
OF the disaster and as well as he could he
told them. A rescuing party was at once
organized and started in on search alter
the unfortunate men.
Their disappearance was watched with
anxiety by the large crowd collected about
the mouth OF the mine 1t was not long
before the party reappeared. The noxious
gas was SO strong that they were unable
TO proceed. Later on other attempts were
made to get 10 the unfortunate men, but
each time without success.
The last party made desperate effort
to reach the fatal point, but, like the
othera, failed, and several members were
very nearly overcome.
WAITING FoR DAY.
This last effort was made about II
o'clock, and after that it was deemed best
to suspend operations until this morning.
An attempt to enter the mine will be
made at . o'clock.
In the meantime it is hoped that the
mine will become cleared Of the damp so
that the rescuers may work unobstructed.
II is believed that the explosion has closed
some Of the air chambers and veneilsting
avenues.
Joseph Hoey, the boss, who was so badly
burned, is a man about 90 years old and
an experienced miner. He Is married and
has wife.
Hohnne has q wife and three or four
children. He is man about 40 years old.
Weineke ia q young man IL or 20 years
old, single, and recently came to this
country.