Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-10
A DANGEROUS MINE,
Several Witnesses Testify to the
Presence of Gas in the
Farm Hill Pit.
KEIGHLEY KNEW ITS CONDITION
And Claims That Improvements We're
Promised, but That the Work
Was Not Carried Out.
KEIGHLEY KNEW ITS CONDITION
TIE INSPECTOR SEVERELY ARRAIGNED
By Secretary WatchOTn, Who Says Neglect Caused
the Accident
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,

DUNBAR, July 9.-1he inquest was re
sumed at 10 o'clock this morning, and tn
forenoon session was mainly taken up b,
miners testimony regarding the condition
of the Hill Farm mine. Thomas Shearin
fire boss at the Ferguson, and a brother o
the man who lost his life, told an impress
i've story, and others gave some startling
testimony as to the condition of the mine
The main points brought out were the fol
lowing:
John Pendergraf, one of the men who called
on Inspector keighley to notify him of the
condition of the mine, said he went to keigh.
ley because John Coke had broken through
into the MahoninC. Hugh Doran had told hin
there was black damp coming through the
hole. He quit because he thought il unsafe
He was questioned by Mr. keighley and re
piled: You told me there were many com
plants made and wanted us to swear to them.
Both Wills and myself told you we were salts
fed. The hole in the Mahoning mine wa:
made before you were notified there was nc
water near the hole. never heard of any fire
damp. 1 worked on the wind mill" He dic
not say he was going to bring suit against
Superintendent Long.
Dr. }. ], Mullen testified that he made an ex
animation of the bodies of the two men. Their
death was caused by inhalation of damp and
smoke. Only made an outward examination.
PASSED DANGER MARKS.
Thomas Kelley was called and testified as
follows; Was in the Hill Farm mine the day
of the accident. Ran out through the smoke.
Heard the NOISE of the explosion. Met the two
men who were found dead Don't know how
the men met their death: passed danger marks
with open lights.
John Bigley was called. He lost several rel
atiYes in the Hill Farm mine. He remembered
the explosion of 1884; worked in the mine IL
years. Hugh Doran showed me gas over a
fill" said the witness. "Doran knew then that
there was gas in that part of the mine. The
lamn eight te6t Tod
when was shown this gas. quit on account
of bad air
James Miller was the next witness. He dug
coal in the Hill Farm mine. Never heard any.
one say to any of the officials that there was
gas. Mr.. Erhart had said he told the bosses so
once. W. r. O'Hara had worked at the Hill
Farm mine four or five years ago. Never told
MIR. Lang there was gas.
HIHugh Doran, recalled, said he had no knowl.
edge, Tor the past ten months, that there was
gas in the mine.
I Frank Mallory, who saw the accident was
called, and said: Il was in the pit when the &C.
cident occurred, and was about 100 feet from
the bore hole. The noise was not loud, and
felt little shock. The explosion was not
strong enough TO put out my lamp"
Thomas Shearin, whose brother was lost, said
be saw the flash and heard the explosion. HIS
brother was brought up to the Ferguson fiat,
which was the safest way out and he told him
he could get through that way.
A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Lamby and were shooting horseback. Just
as the trip passed me the fash came. 1 could
see gas there; didn't seem to be much. Then
came up and all the men ran. 1 met Hays, and
said to him: For Gods sake, come back" L
followed him to the castover and met a solid
wall of fire. Then be said: You will come
with me, and We went to the manway. We
had to gr0pe. Hays came along nve or six
steps. Then he turned and went down the
mine / tired to come up the mAnway till 1met
him on the other side. Get back; the dips on
fire" he said; this thing will be over in a few
minutes" SHOW me the Ferguson hat," l
shouted, and we went in. l asked him where
Jimmie. the other brother. worked, and he said
he on the top right Then sald: Hes
gone" then said we must get out and stop
the bore hole. He was to remain till came
back. Told him there might be some chance
for an explosion and to come back to this fat,
and not to try the manway. Then the second
explosion came and put our lamps out The
first man [ met was Lang. Told him the hole
must be closed. He said 1t was being done.
Then went back and found my brothers
safety lamp at the Place where let IN hlm: ,ss
said the gas ignited. II heard a second ex-
plosion,' said the witness, land am sure of it.
He was fire boss, and it was his duty to try and
get the men out. My brother was killed In the
discharge of duty. l think there was gas in
that bore hole and if the peg had been driven
10 the bottom the gas would have been stopped.
This was the one chance to save the men if
they were not sutfocated. would not have
approached the hole in that way"
QUANTITIES OF GAS.
Mr. Keighley asked witness how far the
fame extended up the slope. The witness
said: About 800 feet. The slope couldn't
contain the fash. The gas all came from the
bore hole. In any of these mines man can
come but the manway alive. The vibration of
the explosion would knock down the brattice
and make the slope and manway virtually
one"
He had seen gas in the mine time and time
again and thought there was where the largest
body of gas IN the Connellsville region.
The incident of the day was the tilt between
Superintendent Lang, of the Hill Farm and
MIR. Byrnes. The latter intimated that the
former was not answering his questions d.
.rectly and that he had but little sympathy He
closed his remarks by: Yes, there are 81 men
under that hill" This brought Mr.. Lang to
his feet and he said he felt the accident as
much as anyone. Il have no personal ends to
gain. am not forced to hang my head down.
No one can say that there is a spot on my
character and Pm right" The Coroner had to
pound on the table with his cane to secure or
der, and it was few minutes before the excite
ment was over.
The afternoon session was late beginning
Mr.. Lang, Superintendent of the mine, was re-
called at the request of Mr.. r. ByTnes.
"There was bore hole put down in the
mine, wasn't there?"
''Yes, two or three years ago. In the No.
borehole the coal was dug out and water came
out Just as in this last one."
woRDY WARFARE.
Then Mr.. Byrnes and Mr.. Lang had wordy
war over the statement that No. 2 borehole was
entered in the same way as No. l. "We dug
up about three feet" said Mr. Lang land the
borehole was full of water"
'Mr. Lang, do you remember a complaint
about a hole, and what excuse did you give me
for not carrying a drill hole ~ asked Mr..
Keighley.
30 feet. 1 went down the mine and told Hugh
Doran to put up props, and sent down car loads
of hay to make it as tight as possible"
did you know what lay on the other side ?'
mo, didn't take any pains to hnd out
whether there we're any gases on the Mahon-
ing side. l tried to keep safe. We didn't run
over our line not even up to it.
MI Lang, you say you notified Doran TO NIX
this break up. Where was the pit boss?"
tight as possible"
Beth Worman was called. He said: II am
machinlst. Used to be at the Mahoning. We
had Two bore holes reachsd, both by drilling
and cutting; The cutting thought to be the
In answer to Mr.. Keighley he said: "The
law OF loo0 shut me out Once found some
dangerous gases above where we were working
There Is a boundary pillar of about 100 feet
where this hole was broken through The coal
was worked up to the line"
George J. Burns the former mine boss of the
Hill farm mine, was called. His testimony
was not important.
DUTIES OF A FIRE BOSS.
At the request of the jury Mine Inspector
Keighley took the stand. 'Tbe duty of the
fire boss in time of accident is to try and rescue
the men. His duty is 10 examine the worIinS
places. In rescue think the fire boss ouobf
20 take the lead. When nothing can he d1ne
the fire boss should try and save himselfn
'On May ~ you wrote two reports from Fer
guson and Hill Farm mine. Why?r
because 1 usually do So"
"Why didn't you shut the mine up when Won |
found It worse than reported9"
i found young revolution going on one
man against another. Then / went to Mr.
Lang. ana he promised me faithfully TO rem.
edy things that waited till the next day. Then
satisfied myself that the work was being