Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-09

car; got another one. Jos. Beighley and I'd
Conden came up to me, and asked now many
cars loaded. told them hadn't tapped the
hole. He turned to go away, ana nad
a piece of coal to cut down. Just as cut down
the coal, Conden was standing near, heard
the water bursting in the coal. don't know
the exact amount of water. Conden told
me the hole was full of water. jumped Ior
the SLOPE and he with me: MY open lamp Wss
hanging on the showl, and didn't reacn ior II;
had between six and seven feet to go. IL MADE
a dreadful report was scared and asked
about the men below. Up the slope saw the
empty trip coming. rushed for the otner
side of the slope The boy Hayes came down
and Conden asked HIM for light. but he said
he hadn't time. AS soon as he got to the bore
hole saw the gas light and fell. heard a
report; got up and found | was In smoke;
dropped again. called to Joseph blgley, put
received no answer.
THE BRATTICE WAS BURNING.
saw a light ahead of me and tried for it, but
1t went out. Then crawled up and got into
the drainway and found David Hay and
Thomas Shearin. Old man Hay tried TO get 10
the slope to release the men, but couldn't A
man named Kelly said, Let's get out OF here"
Then came to the manway and there was no
fire or smoke. Then about /, 200 feet from the
bore hole. Somebody said it was off It's hinges
came up and said the slope was in flames. We
got out as fast as we could. l saw no smoke
until we got out of the mine.
In August. two years ago." continued the
myself, found gas near the No. ] bore hole.
1t was ignited. These two men could have
gotten out. Doran brought a wooden plug
down to plug up the water.
Edward Conden, who was with Kerwin, was
called. He said: 81 was digging coal in the
mine the morning of the accident. Bgley and
went up to see Kerwin get ducking when
the hole was broken through. He didn't quite
get into the hole and caught Kerwin by the
arm and helped pull him away. Bgley was
down the mine; saw the boy, Hay, run down,
l,r,+ slv,sA haa- HoCh h0Nn
pulled my hat over my face and started out on
a run. wanted to get out as soon as could.
Hay and Shearing could have come out with
me if they wanted; shearin went down to
"Did you see the brattice burningf" asked
Mr.. Keighly.
KNEW OF NO GAS IN THE MINE.
No. saw the fash. 1t scared me. 1t was
like keg of loose powder going OH. Never
knew any gas in the mine"
Mr. Keighly had Mr.. Kerwin recalled.
"Did anyone attempt to tear bratticeT'
"No one. don't think they could have got
ten in to the brartice to tear it down. 1t would
take a strong man to tear it down. Part was
muslin and part brattice cloth. L was little
scared for myself when was breaking through.
There were over 1000 feet of brattice. The
bursting of the water made louder report than
the gas explosion"
James Cant one of the drillers, was called.
81 am a driller. Been in the business eight
years. Drilled the hole where the accident oe-
CURED. Began it in the last part of April. 1t
was about 500 feet deep. Never saw any acel-
dents in drilling these wells Found no signs
OF gas in the well. Have told the Superintend-
ent and officials that there was no gas. knew
there was water in the hole. The officials knew
there was water in the hole. We finished our
work Saturday morning before the accident.
The gas might have accumulated"
Was there any casing in this holeT asked
Mr., KeIghley.
mo, sir."
$50 you usually find gas in these holesf"
"Yes, in the majority of cases.
Superintendent Frank A. Hill was called.
He was sworn, and MI. Byrues questioned him.
last March. Lang is superintendent of the
mines and Evans is mine boss. 1 knew the
bore hole was to be put down. Knew bore hole
was finished and opened.
time of the accident till a few days ago. L
don't think the rescuing party reached the
point they started for. / saw Inspector Keigh-
ley's report in the office.
John Pendegraff and Thomas McClearly notified
Mr.. Keighley of the bad condition. He told
us that if we would swear to our statements he
would put it to law"
What did Mr.. Keighley say when he came
out OF the mine? 81 asked him if he found
things as we said, and he said yes. or good
Keighley that men were pushing into the
Mahouing without drill hole"
Mr.. Keighley asked the witness: "What day
did you call on me?'
''May IL. Saturday about noon"
"You got down to the farm sometime Monday.
You couldn't have gotten to the mine sooner.'
Then the witness wanted to ask question.
He wanted to know how he came through from
the Ferguson. 80 -'''i'' VI
Keighley said there were several reasons
one was that he was mad.
The witness then said Keighley told him he
could not get through from the Ferguson on ac-
count of the water.