Huntsville gazette., 1886-09-04
DEATH IN THE PIT.

Fatal Explosion of Fire-Damp in Penn
sylvania Colliery-Five Men Killed and
Two Others Seriously Injured-The Re-
mains of the Victims Recovered-A Sur
vivors Story of the Catastrophe.
SCRANTON, Pa, Aug. 3l.-A terrible
explosion occurred in the Fair Lawn COL
liery yesterday morning which resulted
in the death Of five men. Two others
were seriously injured. John H. Hosie
and J. Gallagher were standing at the
head of the slope at the time of the ac-
cident, and felt the force of the explosion
as the rush of air came out of the mouth
of the mine; they started to go in and
ascertain the extent of the damage. The
August quota of coal had been mined last
week, and no men were employed in the
mines. Word came, however, that a
party of five or six men had gone into
the mines to clear up their chambers.
Mine Inspector Blewitt happened to come
along about this time, and he and Gal
lagher, with party, entered the mines,
going down to the third or lower vein and
then followed the air course, stopping to
repair damages to the brattice, ETC., as
they went along. Their progress was
necessarily slow, and the course they
followed took them to the right-hand side
of the mines. They came at last to
point where they found repairs neces-
sary, and returned to the foot of the
mines for more material, when they
learned that groans had been heard in the
east gangway. They worked over that
way, and found the party who had gone
in the mines before the accident near or
about the entrance of one of the cham
bers, a short distance from the foot of
the inside plane, about one hundred and
fifty feet from where the heading branches
off. Three of them were alive and three
dead
THE KILLED WERE:
Hugh Corners, of Bellevue.
Edward Caughan.
Michael PryIe.
The first man brought to the surface
was John Nafin, who is badly burned
about the face and arms.
John Kerrigan was alive when found,
md talked the strongest of all, but he
died before being brought to the surface.
The next was John Connor. He has
Two large scalp wounds, bad cut on the
knee and another on the :"''' His face
and hands are badly br' He was
taken to the hospital.
The body of Edward ll.Ice, the fire
BOSS, was found about one hundred and
fifty feet from the others.
Patrick Connor saws that he and the
others waited for some time at the mouth
Of the mine for the fire boss. At last he
came from another vein. He said he had
not been in the lower vein yet, but told
them to come on and he would see If
everything was all right. They went to
the foot of the new road, when Pierce
went ahead to where he had box with
some lamps and oil init. He carried
safety-lamp and they had naked lamps.
They stood there waiting for him, when
suddenly there was fash and the explo-
sion followed quickly. He fell fiat on his
face. He felt that he was in too exposed
position, and leaped to the side of the
pillar. TO this action he probably owes
his life. When the explosion was over
he called out to the men in total dark
ness. Kerrigan, Nahn and Pyre answer
ed him, but no words came from eau
CHAN and Connors. Kerriean wanted to
try to go with him to the foot and he rose
on his feet to do so, but he felt so sick
that he could not 90, and had to lie
down again. They waited there in the
0IacKneSS OF nlSnt, SICK, WOullueu .anG
helpless, with their dead comrades lY-
ing near them. At last they heard
voices, and Connor called. Presently
the voices came nearer, then they saw
lights approaching and soon the rescuin9
party were with them. The position IN
which the bodies were found bears out
This statement. He could not tell whether
Pearce ignited the gas or whether it was
gnited by their lamps. The explosion
came like fash, too quickly for anyone
to tell anything about it. They had no
reason to expect to expect to find any gas
there. How the fire originated is
mystery.