The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-05
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AN EXPLOSION In A NINE.
SEVENTEEN LIVES YIELDED UP AS
a CONSEQUENCES.


The Workmen Supposed to Have
Struck Gas Feeder While Naked
Lamp was Near at Hand-The Mine
Officials Probably Not Responsible
for the Disaster.
WILLIAMsPoRT, PA, Nov. 4.-The Off
GERS of tie Kettle Creek Coal Mining Com
pany belonging in this city, are in receipt
of Information that a terrible explosion oc-
CURED at their mines, located in Clinton
county on the line of the Philadelphia and
Erie railroad, last evening.
Supt, George L. Miller. upon hearing
heavy report at the new No. 2 drift, pro-
ceeded to the spot, when he at once saw
that violent explosion had taken place.
The necessary arrangements were quickly
made to carry air to the place of the work,
aud men entered the mine to learn the par
ticulars of what had occurred.
SEVENTEEN KILLED OUTRIGHT.
An appalling state of affairs was found
inside. OF twenty men who had besn
working in the drift. only three or four h ID
escaped oath or injury. At ths end OF an
hours hard work fourteen dead bodies were
recovered from the drift.
Two of those who were injured subse-
quently died.
One man was missing, and his remains
were found out in the woods, where tbey
had been blown by the force of the explo-
sion through the air shaft.
The total number of killed or fatally in
jured was found to be seventeen. All but
four of them were Hungarians and Italians.
A driver named j. Farrell was eateri
the drift when the explosion occurred. He
was thrown toward the mouth and he es-
capped. His mule was killed.
FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The force of the explosion was shown in
the fact that the bodies we're blown clear
out of the mouth of the drift.
Everything possible was done for the in
jured by the mine physicians.
The bodies of the dead were taken charge
of by an undertaken and prepared for inter-
msnt.
The coroner of the county was notified,
and will hold an inquest tomorrow.
The mine inspector OF the district has
also been summoned, but at the latest re-
ports had not arrived.
A dispatch from the superintendent re-
ceived this evening states that there is moth
ing new Interference to the disaster. They
have all the help required, and are prepar-
ing for the inquest.
GOING TO THE SCENE.
Capt. bly,, the president, and other officers
OF the company will leave here tomorrow
for the scene Of the disaster
Although the accident occurred before
dark vest rday, it was not given out by the
officials of the company here until to-day,
| they having been advised of it late last
night. 1t is thought that in making blast
"gas feeder" was struck, filling the cham
Der with gas, which, coming in contact with
a naked lamp. produced the explosion.
WHAT GAS FEEDER Is.
"gas-feeder" is a pocket of gas i'm
bedded in coal AS soon as a pick is struck
into it, the gas escapes, and if anything
ignites it, an explosion follows.
1t is generally conceded that there was
good ventilation, and the mines were well
supplied with air appliances.
The superintendent says the accident
could not have been foreseen, and that no
blame attaches to any one.
INEXPERIENCED USE OF DYNAMITE
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Nov. A special
| to the Press from Williamsport says:
MANY rumors are going the rounds. and
among them is one that the direct cause Of
| the explosion was inexperienced use of
| dynamite in the mines. In conversation
| with one of the drivers who escaped, it was
| learned that an italian had gotten 100
sticks Of the deadly stuff from the store
| Keeper III Tile unu dlbO BOLtou
| 100 caps and had returned after a fuse, but
| as there were none in stock it Is supposed
| he had tried to set 1t off in some other way,
| thus causing the explosion.
LOOK AT THE CoRPsEs
"In the blacksmith shop near the scene Of
| the disaster, lay the charred and unrecog-
nlzable remains of August Pierson who was
| blown out through an air shaft so feet in
| the air. and some of his clothes can be seen
| hanging to the limb of large tree near by.
Next to him is Michael Currens, who
| was blown 200 feet out OF the mouth of the
mine, and was found dead in ditch still
| clingIng to the handle of his shovel. He
| leaves a wife and seven small children.
"Beside him lay P. f. Donley, who also
was blown out OF the mouth of the mine.
| Donley leaves wife and four children.
Then in a row are Samuel Killinger,
| Charles Almon, John Carlson. John Ander-
son, Stephen Plutz and others whose names
| cannot be learned.
"The names Of those badly burned are
| Wesley Smoke and John and Aaron Ander.
son. They will recover.
MULE DRIVERS STORY.
"John Farrell. mule driver. tells this
story: / was behind a pushing cart, and
| in sticking up my head saw flash. / inn
| media tely dropped TO the ground, moving
as quickly as possible toward the mouth
Of the drift, and escaped uninjured.
My mule and Swede miner alongside Of
the animal were killed instantly. felt but
| little OF the effects Of the explosion, and its
force must have been all above me, al
though all the timbsrs at the mouth of the
shaft were carried out 200 feet beyond the
mouth Of the drift
1.-THE land upon which these mines arc
situated is the property Of Edgar Munson Of
| Williamsporr. 1t is leased to a number OF
gentlemen from New York and Williams
port, who began operations last February"
DIED IN A CELL.