New-York tribune., 1885-10-22
PRICE THREE CENTS
FATAL MINE EXPLOSIONS.
A woRKMANs RECKLESS CARELEssNEss
DEATH OF FOUR vIcTIMs-THIRTEEN OTHERS tx.
pPcTFn To DIp

DEATH OF FOUR vICTIMs-THIRTEEN OTHERS Ex-
PECTED TO DIE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.
WILKEsBARRE Penn, Oct. 21.-An explosion OF
gas took place in slope No. 2 of the Delaware and
Hudson Coal Company at Plymouth this morning
Inc colliery 10 situated at Plymouth Junction.
about 200 yards from tho main track
OF the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Yesterday morning ut the usual time foryour men ana
boys descended to their work Among were gangs
Of track layers machniss and carpenters employees Of
the company engaged In repair work. Tho sixteen
victims Of the disaster went work in the middle vein
About 600 feet from the foot OF the plane con-
Meeting with the upper lift The men were employed
some at the foot Of the shaft at the foot Of tho
plane aud others along tho gangway
between these points Near the foot
OF the plane the opening OF
an old and abandoned tunnel which driven some
for the purpose of connecting with the work.
ings Of Colery No s. Lavell, Polsnder attempted
to enter this tunnel, although it is
boarded up and marked dangerous" Tho
gas which had accumulated in old tunne gh fire
from the naked light and slight explosion followed.
The instantly began to run toward
the shaft but second explosion of tremendous violence
shook the mine. Tho conclusion terrible Everything
in second lift reduced wreck and debris The
violence of the explosion forced the air and passed up
th shaft with force that carried everything before it.
The braces destroyed and carried away tic false
carriage blown OFF tho windows OF the head
house and n breaker shattered. The whole
shook and trcmbled to the foundation. Tho
gateway guarding tho mouth Of fhe shaft blown of.
A mule, used for shifting the at the head,
dOnbled- up and thrown sons distance from tho
mouth Of the shalt The explosion was heard for long
distance and the CONSERVATION created great
The people vino lived in the neighbOrhOod Ocked 10 the
mouth OF the shalt In dread Of hearing details or some
great calamity Women who had husbands and Sons om
poyed IN the mine rushed half frantic to
difficulty that they could DO kept buck to allow tho
carrying out of measures to get at the injured be-
through the opening OF No. l air shaft
The only men IN the lower VEIN at the time were
OF five men who were with him they
the shaft few minutes after the explosion and
got of at the middle vein and began tho
work OF getting ont the injured. Tho task was
difficult ana dangerous. In addition 70 the wreck c con-
dtiOn OF the workings which greatly retarded all
vance, the dreaded black damp the inevitable follower
OF an explosion, made It's presence felt But the work
was done as qocy az possible and se men were taken
ouc 10y one to the surface.
The who caused the accident. wasnot killed bnt
removed from the slope with only bis boots and
no hair on his head. but otherwise uuinjured.
The victims of the disaste! lay every direction.
Dennis Titus instantly killed and when found lay
200 feet away from his kit OF tools which he eX
amining at the time of tho explosion When II gas
was ignitcd all the men in the slope were violently
thrown TO the ground or against cars or RIBS OF tho
gangways. Tie lights their heads were extin-
guishcd Is the shock OF the second explosion and all
were seeking in the darkness place OF safety. The
following j. list of the injured who all horribly
burned and breathed flames to such an extent that
their injuries considered fatal Frank Spinette,
| Thomas McDermott, Alexander Love, John Colby,
John kirst. David Grimes, John Woods, Joseph
Thomas. David Bryant Frank LamoreauX 1houas
| II ward and Edward JCncs. Thomas Collins miner
and Anthony SVinete and John Levitskey, Polish
ab0rers who injured have since died. Ii il feared
h evening that nearly all the others injured will die.