The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-01-29

Explesien n . West v1rssals Csal Mao
Thlrty-seven Victims Rspofted-A Csve.lD
IN Rsnnsylvaais.
WHEEI.iNa. ". Va, January 9s.-Ae
2:4s o'clock yesterday afternoon an explo-
sion Of fit, damp occurred In the shaft Of
the Newbury Oriei Coal Company, New
bury. W. Va, which SHOOK the buildings In
the immediate vicinity and caused con-
stemation and alarm among the relatives
and friends Of the miners employed there.
Immediately following the sound Of tho
explosion flame Of fire arose far above
the mouth of the shaft and timber and
debris Of all kinds were strewn around.
Great excitement ensued and crowds Of
people hurried to the spot The shaft In
which the explosion occurred was sunk
about two years ago. and had reached .
depth Of $50 feet From the base of tho
shaft the main heading ran out about half
. mile from where the narrow rooms
diverged from either side. The theory ad.
vanced as to the cause Of the explosion ID
that fire damp had accumulated in one Of
these rooms and was
ACCIDENTALLY IGNIfED
Ey miners lamp, but nothing positive has
yet been learned. The force of the ex-
plosion blocked the air so close that no ono
dared venture in the main heading to as
certain the fate of the imprisoned men un-
til an air passage could be established.
This work Is being pushed vigorously but
up to midnight no bodies had been rec0v-
cred. Thirty-seven men are imprisoned
and the prevailing opinion is that all are
dead, although a few express the hope that
me of them may escape the effects of
Ae explosion and te able to reach .
place free from the fatal black damp which
Always follows an explosion OF this kind.
ne following is believed to be a correct
and full list of the men in the mine:
Daniel Miller, eager, married; j. B. Miller,
aged fifteen, driver; Mike Clark, miner, I'M
married; Mike Kenney. miner. unmarried:
William Saymire and Frank Saymire, twin
brothers. miners, unmarried; John Conway.
miner, unmarried; Will Landsbury, miner.
married; Andrew Vein, miner, married;
John Simmons. miner, married. and his son:
aged twelve, doorkeeper; John Lambert,
miner. married; Clint Seabri9ht, miner,
married; Charles Finley, driver, married:
Richard Barley and son and son-in.law,
John Buyers, and three steps0ns named
Guy. Peter and Hanley, married; two
Weavers. brothers, miners, unmarried:
Newt Moore, miner, married; Frank Moore,
miner, unmarried; J. Spencer, driver, I'M
married; Andrew Scott, miner. married;
Jack Edwards, miner, married; Abner Og.
den, miner, married; Albert Williams,
laborer, married; George Riggens, miner,
unmarried; A. ID. F0rtney, miner, married |;
John Carroll, miner; James MCGOWAN,
miner, unmarried: John COrnby, miner,
unmarried; Morgan Miller. miner.
The scenes at the shaft are heartrendiil9.
Fathers, mothers, wives and children liDger
i'm groups with pallid faces anxiOusiy wait
ing some tidings from their loved ones
which will either bring them hope or end
their suspense. Every effort is being made
to rescue the unfortunate ones but it is
thought there 10 no prospect Of reaching
them. Several attempts were made to de-
scend before q successful entrance could be
made. Finally Riley Metz, accompanied
by two other miners, entered the shaft and
reached the heading in which the explosion
took place, but they were prevented from
going further by the debris. which ch0ked
up the little drift, and they were unable to
discover anything Int the shattered tfmbers
of the MINI, which were strewn in every
direction. Several subsequent attempts
we're fruitless owing to the presence of
black damp. which precluded the posi-
biIity of working in the mine.
MAHONEY CITY. Pa, January 22.-At
the Ellangowar colIiery yesterday cave in
occurred in gangway above the colliery.
1t is of rock, and the coal fell. burying ia
cob Branshire and Nicholas Cannute. min
ers, both of whom were killed. Two labor
ers were partially buried under the debris,
but Uera extricafetl only slightly injured.