Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-06-21
AN AWFUL FATE.
Thirty Coal Miners Entombed by an
Explosion at Dunbar, Pa.
They nre Shut In by Wall of Flame
and Smothered to Death-The Worst
Disaster Ever Known in the
Connellsvillc Region.

DUNBAR, Pa, June 17.-Thirty-one
miners were killed by an explosion of
gas in the coal mines at Hil1 farm,
owned by the Dunbar Furnace Company
and located one mile west of this place.
The explosion occurred at 1890 o'clock
Monday morning. The bodies of two of
the unfortunates were taken out. The
others are still entombed in the mine,
where a fierce fire is raging. There is
little doubt that all are dead. Desper-
ate efforts are in progress to cl ear the
way to recover the bodies, but so far
without avail. A rescuing party of one
hundred men, headed by Mine Inspector
Keigley, of this district, spen the af-
ternoon in the pit, but up until late last
night had been able to rescue only two
bodies. These had died from the force
of the explosion and are badly burned
Their features are distorted and disfg-
ured and could only be recognized by
their clothes.
Fifty-seven miners were at work about
5000 feet from the mouth of the slope
when the explosion occurred. Near the
point at which the heading started an
air hole had been drilled recently. Gas
and water had accumulated in it. A
miner named Patrick Kerwin pene-
trated this air hole, six inches in dame
ter, with his pick, whereupon strong
stream of water gushed out. kerwin,
alarmed, sounded the danger signal.
His assistant, Patrick Hayes, started
hurriedly for the main entrance and
had scarcely moved when the foul gas
was ignited from his lamp. The explo-
sion that 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 swift
ly and before the thirty-one men could
be alarmed all hope of escape was shut
off by the flames. The twenty-six men
employed in the left heading were noti-
fed of the danger in time to save their
lives, although their escape was thrill
ing and was accompanied by the widest
confusion. At point near where the
explosion occurred the bodies of Daniel
Sheiran, fire boss, and David Hayes were
found. They had evidently attempted
to escape through the flames.
Following is full list of the missing
miners; Joseph Brigner, married; Rich
ard Brigner, Milt Ferney, married; Bar
ney Moss, Peter Egan, Robert McGuill,
Martin Cavaner, John Cope, and Andy
Cope, his son. Pat Devlin, married;
John Debanney and his son: John Joy,
married; David Davis, married; Thomas
Davis, (son); Pat Cahill, married;
William Cahill, single; Pat Courtney,
married; John Courtney (his SOM, Jack
Mitchell, married; Dan South, married;
James Shearn, single; Danny Shearn,
single; David Hayes, William Hayes
(his SOM, James McCleary, married;
Thomas McCleary, married; Elmer
Dewey, single; Joseph Bigley, wife and
two children; Barney and Emanuel
Maust, brothers; John Mitchell, mar
ried.
Wives, widowed by the horror, stood
illy-clad and sore-footed, lulling to
sleep their babes in arms. Mothers
wrung their hands and cried aloud for
their boys, while children from eight to
fifteen years of age hurried about, look
ing into the blackened faces of the es-
capped miners in the hope of finding
their fathers or brothers. Their suffer-
ing was pitiable, and while the authori-
ties of the company were eXerting all
their energies to recover the bodies, the
total absence of information regarding
the fate of the missing men made their
distress more severe, and means and
groans went up unconsciously from
many of the pinched lips of the unhappy
crowd.
Night never fell on gloomier scene.
I'D Oh
about, hoping against hope, and pain
fully, awfully silent. Just inside the
man-hole, holding in his hand flicker
ing lamp, stood Father Malony, with
his prayer book in hand reading the last
sacrament to the unseen unfortunates.
He was not disturbed by the excited,
earnest workmen, who rushed hither
and thither in their endeavors to get at
the lost. Armfulis of hay were carried
in by the men to close of all possible
escape of the fresh air.
The explosion was one of the most
disastrous and deadly in the history of
the coke region. In the Leisenring dis
aster in 1888, twenty-three men lost their
lives.
At Colonel J. M. Reeds works at this
place, two years earlier, five men were
killed, while at the youngstown works, a
year later, fifteen lives were lost. This
latest calamity has unnerved the COM
munity and the inhabitants are wild
with excitement. Thousands of people
gathered at the mouth of the mines
Monday afternoon. Among them wer ;
the parents, wives, children and sweet
hearts of the unfortunates, and strong
guard of police was necessary to prevent
many of them, mad with anguish, from
rushing into the deadly hole.
These works furnish coke for the Dun
bar Furnace Company, who own them.
The Scottdale Rolling Mill Company
sent force of men to aid the rescuers
and to-day they will close down their
works and send all their employees.
The loss by the explosion can not now
be assertained. 1t will be very heavy,
however, and the owners are fearful
that the works will have to be aban-
doned.