The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-12-03
THE DEADLY DAMP.

Another Penasylvaula Coal Mine H0sVor-
An Explosion l3aries Over fifty Men.
WnKEsBARRE, Pa. Nov. 26-Shortly
after the miners and laborers entered the
COnyngham shaft this morning an explo.
sion Of gas took place. Between twenty
and thirty miners arc said u b killed,
badly burned or seriously injured. This
shaft Is known to contain considerable gas
and ID owned and operated by the
Delaware q Hudson Coal Company.
The explosion occurred in .
occupied by the fire bOsA No work was
done yesterday, consequently there was q
larger quantity OF gas than usual In the
shaft The men are new being removed
from the pit and taken to their homes or to
the hospital in ambulances and wagons
LATER DISPATCH.
The accident in tile COyngilam shaft Oc-
Cured at ten minutes past seven this morn.
Ing, while tie men were getting ready to 20
to work. About fifty moE. miners and
laborers, were sitting at the foot of the
shaft awaiting for the inside boss when a
terrible expulsion took place. Only
three or four, ~ far ~ can be as
certained, escaped without injury. Most
Of the men were sent to their homes at
once and rs they are scattered far and near,
long distances from tie shaft, no account Of
the result of the injuries at this writing can
be obtained. 1t Is known, however, that
several, possibly twelve or fifteen, will die,
others will be SCARED and MANNED
for life. The disaster was caused
BY Cornelius Boyle. . mine
laborer, who stepped into q worked.
out chamber which was filled with gas with
a lighted lamp In his hat. Boyle will die.
Many mules were killed and wounded. The
damage to the inside workings of the shaft
is great. Fire Bosses William Williams and
William Evans are reported fatally burned.
There Ii great excitement in and about the
shaft
TERRIBLE SCENES.
WIIKEsBARRE, Pa. Nov. 27.-The scene
at the COnyngham c0lliery while the injured
men were being taken from the shaft was
terrible. A crowd Of several hundred per-
sOns had gathered at the mouth of the
shaft, among them the wives, mothers and
daughters Of the injured melL As they
were taken out Of the pit they were brought
to the engine house, and the women made
desperate efforts to gain entrance. Their
entreaties and frantic demonstrations Of
grief were terrible, but they were kept out
side the building while the backened,
scOrched aud bleeding victims were
wrapped In blankets soaked In oil The
floor of the engine house was covered with
writhing human forms 80 disfigured by the
fire As to be unacceptable. As fast as
possible they were taken to the hospital or
10 their homes, and 30 rapidly was the work
done that by nine O'clock every one had
been taken out and carried away.
The recovery OF the following Is believed
to be hopeless: Hugh Sweeny, aged "a,
labOrer, unmarried; Edward Kerns, aged
%, labOrer, unmarried; Richard Coulter,
aged %, miner. wife and family; COndy
Shannon, aged 81, miner. wife and large
family; Thomas O'Brien, aged 30, miner,
wife and large family; Cornelius Boyle,
aged So. miner, wife and family, reported
dead; John Cannon, aged 40, miner, wife
and family; Christopher Brundage, aged
35, labOrer, unmarried; Michael UBrien,
aged 80, labOrer, unmarried; Daniel Ferry,
aged 80, miner, wife and large family; John
DOugherty, aged 81, iaborer, unmarried;
Denis McCabe, aged 40. miner, unmarried.
HOW IT OCCURRED.
While the miners were engaged in genial
chats the laundering report of an explosion
rang through the dark corridors and i'm q
second the frantic men hurried to the foot
Of the shaft, oil anxiOusly peering upward
In less time than it takes to tell it the
deadly gas flame circled around their heads
and agOniziDg screams rent the air. Many
fell at once In heap, while others, less in.
jured, dropped on their knees and put their
blistered heads into the stream of water
that ran along the gangway. Tie fact that
the men were In such close proximity to the
shaft rendered their removal to the surface
an expeditions matter. In two hours all
were safely taken w. As they came up to
tile surface, two or three ut time, the
horrOrstrcken crowds at the mouth of the
shaft peered anxiOusly at the faces of the
men. 1t was impossible to recognize any
of them at that time. In some instances
the skin had been ripped off in masses,
leaving the purple flesh exposed, which in
turn was begrmed 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 neighbUring
offices. Some were taken TO their homes.
All sorts of cOnveyances were sent to the
scene. 1t was cruel sight to see many OF
the sufferers passed into common coal carts
and iOltpsi over rick ETY. roads and Davements,