The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-02
FIREDAMP'S VICTIMS.
An Explosion Causes a Great
Calamity at Dunbar, Penn.
Over Thirty Miners PaUsh in a
Burning Shaft.

Thirty-one miners were killed by the e1-
plosion Of gas in the coal mines at Hill Farm,
owned by the Dunbar Furnace Company,
mile west Of Dunbar, Penn, at 1890 in
the morning. The bodies of two of the un-
fortunates were taken out. The others, on
the day after the accident, were still
entombed in the mine, where a
fierce fire was, raging. Desperate efforts
were made to clear the way and recover the
bodies, but without avail. A Arescuing party
Of 100 men, headed by Mine Inspector
Keighly, spent the afternoon in the ill-fated
pit.
There were fifty-seven miners in the pit
when the explosion occurred. They were ct
work in the headings off to the right and
left Of the main entry, about 5000 feet from
the mouth Of the slope. Near the point at
which the beading started in diff
ferent directions an air hole had
been drilled recently. This was a
pinch hole. Gas and water had accumu-
lated in it. A few minutes before the ex.
plosion occurred Patrick Kerwin penetrated
the air hole with his pick A strong stream
of water gushed out. Kerwin was Mortified.
He sounded tha alarm. His assistant, Pat
rick Hayes, started hurriedly for the main
entrance. He had scarcely started when the
foul gas was ignited from his lamp.
The explosion which followed was terrific.
What little air there was in the place drifted
to the heading to the right of the
main entrance. The fire followed
swiftly, and before the thirty-one
men could be alarmed all hope Of escaps
was shut off by the flames. The twenty-si1
men employed in the left heading were mott
fed Of the danger in time to save their lives,
Ia kl1s,. t,r,l ND rryod
accompanied by the widest confusion.
At point near where the explosion oc-
Cured the bodies Of Daniel Sheeran, fire
boss, and David Hayes were found. They
had evidently attempted to escape through
the flames. Appended Is full list Of the
dead miners:
Joseph Brigner, married; Richard Brigner,
Milt Ferney, married; Barney Moss, Peter
Egan, forty-four years old; Robert McGuill,
Martin Cavener, John Cope, married;
Andy Cope, son; Pat Deylin, married; John
3Tebanney, married; John Tsy,a 10y, married; n.;
%srped mann ;'?Hnaa ThoSss 6sy aso son Pat ca
hill, married; William CahiEl, single;
Pat Courtney, married; John Courtney,
(son); Jack Mitchell, married; Dan South,
married; James Shearn, Danny Shearn,
David Hayes (father), William Hayes (son);
James McCleary, married; Thomas Nc
Cleary, married; Elmer Dewey, Joseph Big
lev, 80, wife and two children; Barney
Maust Emanuel Maust (brothers; Pat
Courtney, 40, married; George Courtney
(son), II, and John Mitchell, 40, married:
The explosion was one Of the most disas-
trous and deadly In the history Of the coke
region. In the Leisenring disaster in 1883
twenty-three men lost their lives. At Colonel
j. N. Reeds works at Dunbar, Penn, two
wears earlier five men were killed, while at
the Youngstown works year later fourteen
lives were lost This latest calamity has un-
nerved the community, and the inhabitants
are wild with excitement.
Thousands of people gathered at the mouth
Of the mines during the afternoon. Among
them were the parents, wives, children and
sweethearts of the unfortunates, and strong
guard Of police was necessary to prevent
many of them, mad with anguish, from rush
ing into the deadly hole. Wives, widowed by
the calamity, stood about lily clad and sore
footed, lulling to sleep their babes in arms;
Mothers 'Rrung their hands and cried aloud
for their bows, while children from eight to
fifteen years Of age hurried about looking
into the black faces of the escaped miners
in the hoPe Of finding their fathers or
brothers.
These works furnish coke for the Dunbar
Furnace Company, which owns them;
George Parrish, Of Wilkesbarre is President
Of the company. Samuel Dickson and j. G.
Bullitt, Of Philadelphia, are among the
heaviest stockholders. The company has
been fairly successful. 1t has a capital
stock of $7O0,OO0 Considerable Of this
amount is held in Uniontown.
The officers of the furnace company have
been notified of the disaster. and the au-
thorities have been instructed to do every.
thing in their power to relieve the distress OF
those who have suffered by the calamity.
Tho loss by the explosion cannot now be
ascertained. 1t will be heavy, however, and
the owners are fearful that the works will
have to be abandoned.
At midnight the smoke and gas from the
right shaft poured up the main exit, and
after trials almost beyond human endurance
the rescuing party gave up all hopss OF ever
recovering their comrades bodies from that
entrance, and turned their attention to
the Ferguson mine, one and half miles
away.
The men say that had they known the
shaft was to be broken into they would never
have entered the mine, as either water or gas
would surely have followed, since in these
regions gas always comes from the upper
shale. The owners however, and, in fact,
some Of the men themselves, say it was an
accident pure and simple, that could not be
avoided.