New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-31

FAULTY SAFETY LAMP.
lBY TELEGRAPH TRIBuYE1
SCRANTON, Penn, Aug. 30.-By an explosion
OF gas In the lower OF the Farawn Coery in this
city at o'clock this morning the following persons
were killed and injured
KILLED.
CoSNoRs. HuoH age thirty eight
PIERcE. EDWARD, age twenty four
PYLE, MICHAEL, age forty five.
INJURED.
CoSSoR, PATRICK seriously burned.
NAFIs, JOHN. seriously burned.
Pierce tho foreman In charge Of the ventilation OF
the and the remainder Of the party composed
OF miners and aDorers Tho latter had gone into the
mine to mako improvements In the chambers In which
they worked Pierce preceded them short distance to
ascertain whether the vein free from gas. AS he
was gong up moline he encountered large volume
of the dreaded explosive, and although he carried
safety lamp the gas ignited. The explosion that
followed was terrific, and Pierce and the
pasty behind him were hurled about like chips
and the gates and bratcs" controlling the ventilation
down. The created by the explosion
then travelled up the SLOPE distance Of 14O0 feet
prostrated the mine foreman. Martin Gallagher and tore
away timbers attached breaker This structure Is
situated In thcky settled portion OF the city. In
few minutes great crowd OF womon and men assem-
bed at the mouth Of the slope Many Of them had rea
tives In tho mine They anticipated the worst and
heartrendng scenes were witnessed, the women wall
ing so that they could be heard throughout the entire
neighborhood.
Mon familiar with the mine Immediately formed
rescuing party. Mine Inspector Blewtt and superin-
tendont Hose accompanied them. They had to crawl
part OF the way their hands and knees Arriving at
the first vein they found dsarranssd and
the atmosphere intensely hot They compehed to
return TO the surface and bales OF nay and straw
These they piled up to turn the air into tho vein
III which tho explosion occurred Over an hour elapsed
before the esrchers able proceed further Then
they pushed their way past the broken doors and
"brattics As they proceeded through the lower vein
they heard one OF the men who ha oeon stricken down
by the explosion calling TO them from behind door,
Although the searchers were almost overcome by heat
and smoke they fastened to the door, short distance
IN the rear OF 1t they upon most appalling sight
Three members OF the mining party-Connors, Gaughan
and Pyle were dead, lying on the track and In the
ditches They burned about their faces and hands
and their backs were laoerated. Nadn and Kerrigan
we're seriously hurt aud Connor had sustained severe
scalp wounds. The Injured carried TO the foot
OF the slope and bandages were applied to their burns
Then the turned back try find Pierce but
they were able to proceed far account OF the
presence OF afterdamp which would have suHocated
them IN short time.
slope and tue task OF carrying out the dead aud Injured
M OSco the Av reaoSsG the surface wS
Nahn tremendous crowd gathered about the iu. ell
with the breaker where physicians dressed his injuries
Then he removed In ambulance TO his home. The
next man wnom the rescues brought to the surface was
Kerrlgan He spoke to the men "a they started from
the foot OF the slope but about half up he died.
Then Conn0r who told tho story OF the disaster, was
brought and taken TO the hospital When the search
er went back they made another attempt to hnd Pierce,
but wsf frultess, because OF the aiterdamp that re-
mained IN the kiln. Then the bodies Of the dead men
who had been found taken out The scenes created
By the widows and other relatives OF tho dead
men, when the bodies borne to the surface, were
about 1890 the body OF Pierce, terribly
burned, was recovered.
Kerrgan, Connors and Gaughan are married. ard
leave large and helpless families. Pyle was married
also, but leaves children. Pierce was unmarried.
who acquainted with the workings OF the COL
ery say that 1t produces great deal OF gas known as
fredamp and that tho fan connected with the lower
not powerful enough 10 carry of the acoumula-
tlOns.