The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-29
THE INQUEST BEGUN
IN TIE NEwBURG MINE HORROR.
The Examination of wItns'ass to Last TIL
sAturdRy-Ths Niue suPsriatsndsnp.
Admission aud subOrdllats'. Dam.
aging statsmsut-At the Mine.
speeial DbpateA 10 ne hiellioaloet.


Special Dbpaieh 10 he htsllgaresr.
NEwHuRG, W. Va, Jan. 2S,-The in
quest into the causes OF tho death OF til,
thirty-nine miners who lost their lives il
the Mountain Brook shalt of the Ore
Coal Company, at this place, u week agt
to-day, was begun this morning by County
Coroner John P, Jones, assisted by Prose
cutting Attorney N. j, Fortney and the
jury empaneled last Friday, consisting o.
AIesSra. Gus, ]. Shaeaer, James MCGe ee
I. D. Howard, ], O. Mayer, James F
Stuck, j, @, Howell, William Shaw, @. A.
Holmes, James Harrington, William Law.
rance, John Mensiew. and Frederick
Richter,
The examination Is conducted in the
large hall over Mayor Ellis's business
house, and this was crowded nearly ali
day with men anxious to hear what the
witnesses had to say. The examination
was conducted by the Prosecuting Attor.
ney, though Coroner Jones and tho Jurors
showed their interest and their appreCia,
lion OF the significance OF the testimony
oy frequent questions directed to bringing
out more clearly the vital points in this
evidence, The evidence is recorded by
II, 9, Hyde, OF Hingwood.
While nothing sensational transplred,
there was not q little in the sworn testi.
nony that was OF almost startling interest
and deep Significance,
SUPERINTENDENT LANToN,
The first witness called was the Superlu-
tendent Of the shaft, Mr.. John Laxton. He
described the workings OF the mine by aid
,la chart, aud told what the duties OF the
,lillerent employees were. He said an air
:an, to be used for increasing the air cur.
'ent through the mine, had been ordered
sometime ago, and was now Ia the poe
'ssslan Of the company at Newburg,
hough 1t had never been used. He
sked State Mine Inspe Ctor Fletcher
sbout the fan, and was told that II worked
successfully in such mines. 1twas the in.
tntion to place the fan In the mine in
he spripg In winter there always is
uch strong current OF air through the
hats that the water which issues from
he sides free Zss and sometimes almost
stops up the shalt. The fan could only
le USED 10 advantage in warm weather.
Che Inspector did not order fan to be
procured; he approved the wltness's sug.
;estion that this should be done.
Mr. Laxton thought enough gas would
accumulate In an hour to make the ex
,losion II the whole bratLis was down al
he abandoned room where DitCher Nc.
Andrews was digging. He did not bs.
ieve this brattis was down there were
men in the mine who would nave detect.
ID 1t at once, as 1t would have caused
tagnAtion In tue parts Of the mine were
Fork was progressing, When he entsred
,ho niue after the accident some Of the
loors were down aud some not. This
particular brattIs had entirely disappeared,
trame and all.
pRECAUrloN TO SHUT oFr TUE AIN.
Tho Importance Of these 'brattises Is
readily seen from description OF the
manner OF working, A constant current
passes down one shalt, through the head.
ngs and rooms, and up another shaft, the
shafts being 500 feet deep. A rough dia.
gram win assist in explaining this: