Morning journal and courier., 1886-11-27
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. 1 FIRE DAMP'S AWFUL WORK, A FrightfuI Scene In A
 Mine.
 NEWS FROM TRADE CENTERS. Coercion To Be Tried In
 Ireland. "A NEW RAILROAD TO BOSTON. Building To Begin Within
 A Month.
IA NEW RAILROAD TO BOSTON,
A CARELESS MINERS LAMP

I
 Comes i'm Contact With Mining Gas l and a Terrific Explosion Ensues in Which Forty.TvvO Men Are Terribly Burned.
 l WILKEsBARRE, Nov. 26.-At ten minutes
 past o'clock this morning 8 terrible explo-
 sion of fredamp occurred at the Conyngham
 shaft, owned and operated by the Delaware 1 & Hudson Canal company and located in the | Second ward of this city. The block breaker 1 rises in the center of field off main road | which was to-day covered with six inches of | snow. About fifty men had gone down into the mine and were sitting in groups about the bottom of the shaft, which is nearly eight hundred feet below the surface, wait ing for orders to go to work. No work had been done yesterday on account of Thanks giving. While the miners were engaged in genial chats about the happy. holiday the laundering report of an explosion rang through the dark corridors and in a second the frantic men hurried 70 the foot of the shaft, all anxiously peering upwards. In less time than it takes to tell it the deadly gas flame circled around their heads and agonizing screams rent the air. Many fell at once in heap, while others less injured dropped their knees and stuck their blistered heads into the stream of water that ran along the gangway. The fact that the men were in such close proximity to the bot tom of the shaft rendered their removal to the surface an expeditions matter. In two hours all were safely taken up. As they came to the surface, two or three at time, the horror-stricken crowd at the mouth of the shaft peered anxiously of the faces of the men. It was impossible to recognize any of them at that time. In some cases the skin had been ripped off in masses, leaving the purple flesh exposed, which in turn was be grimed with coal dirt to an extent that made the facial disagreement horrible to look at. As each man was lifted from the cage thick blanket was thrown completely over him and he was hurried away to one of the neighboring offices. Subsequently all were placed in vehicles and taken to their respective homes. It was a cruel sight to see. Many of the sufferers were passed into common coal carts and jolted over rick ety roads and pavements. Your reporter talked with Mike Clinton, one of the men who escaped. He said: s'We were all at the foot of the shaft waiting for orders to go to work. It was about ten minutes past T. The inside boss had not arrived. Most of the men were seated in groups. Subsequently terrific explosion was heard and in an in Stant we were all thrown down on the bot tom of the gangway. Some of them drew their faces into the running water The water was up to the rail and we did not know whether we could work until it was re- moved"
 A laborer named Cornelius Boyle walked to chamber across which board was stuck with the word "gas' it. He either did not this or careless. Anyway he went in with his open lamp and this set fire to the gas and caused the explosion. Fire Bosses William Evans and William Williams were terribly burned. Inside Foreman Me Donald went down after the explosion and was overcome by fire damp; he will recover. The names of the men severely burned are: James Boyle, Cornelius Boyle, James Elliott, Thomas O'Rrien, Mike O'Brien, Patrick Me Cabe, Peter Kline, Jim Duffy, Chris Duffy, Hugh Mcconnell, John Cannon, Ali Mier, Bill Grifiths, Jack Phillips, Pat Sweeny, Jim Davis, George Marley, two brothers named Friel, Jack Williams, Dick Coulter, Mike Clinton. Some forty five persons were burned in all many of whom will die. Dozens of others will be maimed or scared for life.
 From the indications this evening twelve of the injured will die, namely, Hugh Sweeney. Dennis McCabe, John Dougherty, Edward Kerns, Richard Coulter, Daniel Fer ", Christopher Brundage, Condy Sannon, Thomas O'Brien, Michael Brien, John Can non, Cornelius Boyle. The number of per sons badly injured is now learned to be for ty- two and there were several others slightly hurt