The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-03-20
FURTHER PARTICULARS
Of the Disastrous Firedamp ExpIo-
sion at Dunbar.

Inc I niOntoNn anu IllJsbufH pa
pers give complete accounts of the
explosion of fisedamp which occur
red at Dunbar, Pa, on Monday of
last week.
There were three explosions fol-
lowing each other in quick success
sion. Two men were killed by the
first explosion and three injured.
The others that were in the mine
ran toward the entrance of the mine
but the other. explosion occurred be-
fore they had. reached it. This
caused an upheaval of earth, coal
dust, etc. All the lights were extin
guished and the eyes of the men SO
blinded with dust that it was impos-
sible for them to make an es-
cape.
A horrible death awaited the i'm
prisoned miners, says the Standard.
Nine of them, who had been working
in another entry, managed to make
their way out before the mouth of
the pit was choked up. a rescuing
party was soon formed by James
Henderson, superintendent of the
Colvin, and Columbus Shay, a miner,
of the Mahoning mines. A score
volunteered to follow them into the
pit, and with safety lamps they en-
tered. BY this time large crowd
had assembled at the pit mouth, in
which were wives and children of
those who were supposed to be dead.
Their grief was great, and they pre-
sented hcart-rcuding sight. With
in two hours all the unfortunate men
were brought to the surface who
were unable to come alone, except
John Williams. A further search
of an hour and his body was found
horribly mangled under pit wagon
greater distance from the entrance
than any of the rest. The dead
body of Jacob Cope was also found
wedged between a pit wagon and a
rib. 1t was the first day Cope and
son worked in the mine.
The names of the killed and in
jured are as follows:
John Williams, trackman, aged
forty five, killed; Jacob Cope, Jr.,
miner, aged sixteen, killed; Calvin
Martin, miner, aged nineteen, killed;
Jacob Cope, miner, aged fifty, killed /;
VIM. Starting, miner, (colored) dan
gerously burned about the face and
body; Smaller Martin, miner, leg
broken and badly burned; Thomas
Owen, pit boss, severely burned
about the face and hands. Isaac
Fry, William Shaw, Hiram Huey,
Peter Blunt and Peter Kerns, are
severely burned about the body,
face and hands but not seriously.
The cause of the explosion is a mys-
terry, but the general supposition is
that the dangerous gas generated in
the Morrell mine adjoining and
when an opening was made into an
abandoned entry it filled with it and
an explosion followed. The second
explosion is reported to have been
caused by the thoughtless action of
young Cope in lighting a match to
look for his father The extent of
the damage to the pit cannot be as
eertained, but it has been such that
no work work will be done for few
days. All the miners in the Morrell,
Colvin and Anchor pits have been
ordered to cease work by the mine
inspector for the present, as they adj
join the pit where the explosion oc-
Cured. J. M. Reid, one of the mine
owners, was untiring in his efforts to
have the men rescued and to allevi-
ate the suffering of those injured.
Coroner Baton was telegraphed
for Immediately. On Tuesday morn
ing he arrived and empanneled his
jury and this morning the inquest
will be held at the office of DR.. Clark
in Dunbar
Mine Inspector Davis, and Chas.
Connors, of the board of examiners,
arrived at the mine few hours after
the explosion and when the bodies
had all been recoved they began
a thorough investigation of the mine
and they say that the men dug
through the wall into an abandoned
room in the Morrell mine. They
neglected to plug the holes and in a
short time the mine of Reid Bros.
was filled with the gas. No fire boss
was employed at this mine neither
were safety lamps used. 1t is re-
ported that several of the injured
cannot live through the week. Their
suffering is said to be terrible and
some Of them are in destitute cir
cumStanceS