Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-09
Ere DAMP HORROR AGAIN
Causes the Death of Two and Hor-
ribly Burns Twelve.
SCENES OF MOST TERRIBLE AGONY
Witnessed by the Rescuing Part---Buried
Under Burning Debris Several
More Deaths Expected.

CoSNELLsvILIE, Pa, March 5.-Shortl
after noon to-day series of explosion
took place in the Uniondale mine at Dan
bar, four miles from here, by which twC
men were killed and twelve others received
injuries which will prove fatal in at leas
four cases. The cause of the explosion
was fire damp. There were twenty -thre,
men in the pit, nine OF whom managed t
escape unipjured, The fst explosion oc
Cured about 1890 o'clock this afternoon
It was terrific shock and was followed By
two others in quick succss,ioa q
few minutes later. The first explosion
caused the death OF the two mea and in
jured three. The rest ran toward the
mouth of the pit, but before they reached
it the other explosions occurred. There
was an upheaval Of earth, coal dust and
other debris. The lights were blown out
the dust blinded the men and the passage
ways were blocked up and cut off ali escape
The pit was on fire and
HORRIBLE DEATH
awaited the imprisoned miners. Nine Of
them who had been working in another
entry managed to make their way before
the mouth of the pit was choked up. The
force OF the shock caused by the explosion
can be imagined, as it caused the men in
the Morrell, ColVin and Wheeler, the ad.
joining mines, to drop their tools and rush
panic stricken to the tops, imagining that
the mines were being lifted heavenward.
Tbeground rolled and qusked 80 that many
fell down and three or four in the Morrell
mine which connects with the Upiondale
were violently thrown against tie walls
and seriously injured. Everybody rushed
toward the Uniondale mine. Columbus
Shay, of the MahoniDg works and James
Henderson, Of the Colvin mine, headed o
rescueiug party and went TO work with
picks and shovels to force an entrance to
their llI-fsted companions.
A TERRIBLE SCENE.
10 few minutes an opening was made
and several rushed forward TO enter the
mine, but were repelled by a volume of
flames. 1t took several minutes fer the
smoke and fire to clear away and the res
cuers were compelled 10 wait. The cries
of pain and the means Of the injured were
pitiable indeed. They were ly.
ing in every direction buried
under masses of debris. Several
of them were horribly burned Their suf.
feriDgs were terrible. Twelve Of them
were found in dying condition and two
others we're dead, mangled almost into an
unregognizable mass.
KILLED AND INJURED.
Their names are: Killed
JoHN WILLIAMS, trackmsn, aged 45; wife
and four children.
JosEPh Core, miner, aged so; wife and
nine children.
Iojured-JACoB Core, Jr., aged l5, burn
ed internally and externally. Cannot live.
CALM MARTIN, aged l9, burned about
head and internally. Cannot recover.
WILLIAM STARLISG, colored, burned and
internally injured. Will probably die.
SMALLEY MARTIN, leg broken.
WN. SHAW, aged 10, dangerously
burned.
Isaac Frey.
PETER BLUNT. colored.
HIRAM RIGBEE.
WV Ross.
THos. Owens pit boss.
PETER kEARNs.
All these are more or less injured and
several Of them will be maimed for life IL
was the frs, day Cope and his son bad work
ed in the mine. Cope's body was found
under q wagon, torn and msngled, Viii
hams next 10 dead mule, which had evi-
denly crushed mis- head in.
THE DAMAGE.
Mine Inspector j J. Davis and Charles
Conner, q member of the Board Of Mine
Examiners, lstt for the mine this evening
to inquire into the cause Of the explosion.
They made q superficial examination.
Nothing will be disturbed inside Of the mine
until the coroner impsnels jury in
tbs morDing. hence it WAS impossible 10 es-
innate the extent Of damage done to the
mine. Mr.. James NJ Reed, one Of the
owners OF the mine, attributes the explo-
sion TO fire damp which came from the
Morrell mine, belong to the Cambria Iron
Company. The Uniondsle mine, he said
was always free from gas. ut
WAS RECENTLY INSPECTED
and found in excellent condition. The
reason we did not employs FIRE boss was
because his services would have been un'
necessary as our mine never generated gss
although it hss been worked for several
years. In the lower portion Of the pit the
air is as pure as on the ouside. So pure
in fact that ice has formed on the ground
and that certainly indicsts the abssnce Of
gas. Our men were working to-day in the
lower portipn OF the mine near the Morrell.
suppose one Of them struck bis pick
through wall Of one Of the abandoned
chambers in the Morrell mine, which was
filled with gas. 1t formed on the outlet
into our pit and ignited from q miners
lamp.
FhR SECOND EXPLOSION
was caused by young Cope, who, in his az
ouy and suffering, did not forget his father
He lit q match 10 look Tor him and TIE gas
again ignited and exploded. I csnpot &C
count for the shrieks which followed" i Is
the opinion here tha. if Gre boss had
been employed the explosion would not
have occurred. Experts say that gas
will generate in mines where il il least ex-
pected. The coroner and mine ips2setor
will make q thorough investigation and
endeavo. to Gx the blame. The last mine
disaster CT this kind in this region o:.
Cured at the Youngstown mine near
Uniontosn, in October, 1884, when four.
teen people we're killed. In February OF
the same year ninstsen men we're killed by
q fire damp explosion in Lsismring mine
near here.
"HE jests st scars who never felt q
wound" and o man may stand with his
bsnds in his pockets and laugh at poor