The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-17
DEADLY FIRE DAMP.
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN A PENN.
SYLvANIA MINE.

over Thirty Lives Lost-Beartrending
Scenes and Incidents-One of the Most
Deadly Disasters Ever Known In the
Region.
DUNBAR. PA, June l6.-An explosion
occurred at l0:30 A. NJ. in the Dunbar Fur
mace Company's coal mine, ut Hill Farm,
mile west of here, and there were fifty
seven men at work about 5000 feet from the
mouth OF the slope.
Two bodies were taken out. Twenty-nine
men are still in the NINE, and have almost
certainly lost their lives. A rescuing party
Is at work.
The explosion was caused by gas from an
air hole. A miner penetrated the air hole
with his pick, and the gas ignited from his
lamp. A terrible explosion followed. What
little air there was in the place driited to
the heading to the right Of the main en-
trance. The fire followed swiftly, and be-
fore the thirty-one men could be alarmed all
hope of escape was shut off by the ilames.
The twenty-siy men employed in the left
heading were notified OF the danger in time
to save ther lives, although their escape was
est confusion.
DEADLY EXPLOSION.
The explosion was one of the most disas-
trOus and deadly in the history of the coke
region. In the Ieiseuring disaster in 1888,
twenty three men lost their lives. At Col.
J. W. Reeds works mt this place two years
earlier, five men were killed, while ut the
Youngstown Works a year later some
sixteen lives were lost. The latest
calamity has unneryed the commun-
ity, and the inhabitants are wild with
excitement. Thousands of people gathered
at the mouth of the mine this afternoon.
Among them were the parents, wives, chill
dren, and sweethearts OF the unfortunate,
and strong guard Of police was necessary
10 prevent many Of them, mad with an
guish. from rushing into the deadly hole.
Wives, widowed by the horror. stood about
lily clad and sOre-footed, lulling to sleep
their babes in arms, mothers wruug their
hands and cried aloud for their boys, while
children from eight to fourteen years
of age hurried about looking into the black
ened faces of the escaped miners in the
hope Of finding their fathers or brothers.
Their suffering was pitiable. and while
the authorities of the company are exert
ing all their energies TO recover the bodies,
the total absence Of information regarding
tress more severe, and mOans and grOans
went up unconsciOusly from many of the
pinched lips in the unhappy crowd.
The officers of the furnace company have
been notified Of the disaster, and the au-
thOrities here have been instructed to do
everything in their power to relieve the dis
tress Of those who have suffered by the ca
lamity.
PITIABLE SCENE.
Night never fell on gloomer sunset
than this. Men, women and children, still
stand about. painfully. awfully silent. just
inside the man hole holding in his hand n
hickering lamp, stood Father MalOdy, with
his Prayer Book in his hand. reading the last
sacrament to the unseen unfOrtunates. lie
was not disturbed by the excited, earnest
wOrkmcn who rushed hithcr and thither in
the endeay0r to get at the lost. Armfulls
of hay were carried in by the
men tO close of all possible escape
of the fresh air. The news of the
explosion spread rapidly TO all the works in
the region. On incoming trains visitors
commence to pour in, and many mine
bosses and superntendents were among
them, and the little hotel was taxed to its
utmost capacity.
To the miners it was "A question almost
personal, as none of them know when death
may meet them in the same form. fire
damp explosion is a rarity in this region,
and On that account. if for nothing else, the
present disaster il all the more fearful.
THE LOSS.
The loss by the explosion cannot now be
ascertaincd. 1t will be heavy, however.
and the owenrs are fearful that the works
will have to be abandoned.