The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-12
SMOTHERED IN A COAL MINE.
The Breaking of Fan Causes the Death
of Twelve Miners.
The Miners Charge that They We're Deceived
by the SUPPLEMENTARY YounG
Men Killed by Bull.
A BROKEN FAN
Causes Mine to Fill with Gas-Twelve Men
Sufio~lted.

Causes Mine to Fill with Gas-Twelve Men
Subjected
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Aug. Unreliable infor-
nation has just reached here that a terrible ex-
plosion of gas took place in the West-end Coal
Company mines, this morning, at Monaque.
fifteen miles from here. As far as can be
learned ten miners were instantly killed and
several others dangerously injured.
Further intelligence of the disaster says the
fan engine that supplies fresh air to the West
end niue at Monaque, broke, depriving the
miners Of air. Four men have been brought to
the surface dead, and four or FIVE more are yet
in the mine, and cannot be reached owing to
impure air.
Just before the night-snM came off duty, the
fan broke. The boss knew of this, and so did
the men of the day shift before they entered the
mine, but Notwithstanding this they went into
the mine, taking great risk. There were about
thirty men in all who were supplied with safety
lamps, as it was we'll known that the gas would
accumulate. About seventy five men were in
the mine at the time when work began. The
workmen repairing the fan were the first who
were overcome with gas About an hour later
the same fate happened to many more in the
mine. Before the men fairly realized the
danger, more than twenty were unconscious.
Those who could escape then did so. Superin-
tendent John Teasdale and several of
his men became unconscious, and were
with difficulty rescued. Others went down, and
in the face of immense difficulties, and in spite
of being continually overpoweled with gas, got
out all but ten men. Three Of those brought
out were dead, and the other six are beyond
doubt dead The dead, as far as can be learned,
are James Whalen, VIM. Venoy, Peter Barnitzs-
XII, John Dilday and Hiram Mead Among those
who are seriously overcome with gas and badly
injured are Burt Tromer, Thomas Hutchinson,
John Andrews John Teasdale, jr.. Henry Group,
John Easterby. VIM. Good, Fred Howe and
others, whose namss cannot be learned at pres
emit writing
Dr. Hughes, prominent physician Of Sucks
benny, went down into the mine to assist the
injured men, and was overcome by gas. He was
rescued with difficulty. and was brought to the
surface senseless
2P. M.-Sx hours after the accident, Superin-
tendent Teasdale, who is also part owner of the
mine, is still unconscious.
The boss at the mine says he notified the men
before they entered the mine that the fan had
stopped, and that it was not safe for. them TO
enter as the mine was filing with gas. This is
denied by the miners and laborers who, on the
contrary, say that he told them TO 60 to work;
that the fan was broken but would be repaired
and put in working order in an hour. When
they entered everything appeared to be all right.
they began to smell the fatal sulphur fumes, and
before they could get out many were overcome
and suffocated The disaster is considered
singular in its nature, and stands alone and I'M
precedented in the history OF mining. 1t could
have been easily foreseer and prevented, but
being one of those singular oversights the cause
of the disaster escaped notice The death roll is
twelve, and as now fully ascertained is as
follows:
JAMES WHELAN, aged fifty four years, miner,
widower with six small children.
HIRAM o. MEAD. aged forty years, married,
with two children.
WILLIAM ZIENTY, aged twenty four years, la
borer, single
JOHN BILBY, aged forty years, miner, married,
with five children
| WILLIAM PRICE, laborer, aged twenty two
years
JAMES Fry, aged thirty-two years, miner mar
| NICHOLAS BERTELs, aged thirty-six years,
miner, with Eve children.
WILSON RYMER, aged twenty-eight years, la
borer, married, with two children.
ANTHoNy BoRAsKI, aged twenty-four years,
miner, single.
JOHN BRoFoKosKI, miner married, with three
children.
LAB1N vYURoFsK1, aged twenty-six years, mi
ner, single.
Those who were overcome and brought sense
less from the mine are now doing we'll and out
OF danger.