Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-05-24
ENTOMBED IN A MINE.
Twenty-seven Men Buried by the
Cave-in of a Coliery
At Ashley, Pa.-Nineteen Corpscs Brought
to tho Notwithstanding Scenes
Around the Mouth of the Pit
f'. ..,--Causc of the Disaster.

WILKEsBARRE, Pa, May 16.-An ex-
| tensive cave-in occurred at noon Thurs
| day in No. mine of the Lehigh and
Wilkesbarre Coal Company at Ashley.
| Superintendent Dows and 100 men are
| in No. 1 gangway of the caved-in mine.
| They are working their way slowly to
the place where the men were at work.
| Unless the men are hemmed in entirely
they may be able to make their escape
by this route. The number of men in
the mine is estimated at twenty-seven.
The cavern was caused by weakening
of the props supporting the surface.
The cave-in extends over half mile
square and includes portion of the
thiclsly settled village called Mafetts
Patch. A large number of houses went
down with the surface, but only few
of them were badly damaged.
About five o'clock it was announced
that one of the rescuing parties had sue
ceeded in breaking through one of the
chambers beneath the cave. 1t was $3.50,
however, before they reached the first
of the victims. He was lying at the bot
tom of tifty-foot plane, and in order to
rescue him it became necessary to lower
miner down with rope. This was
done, and the charred and blackened
form of Anthony Froyne was hoisted to
the surface. He was still alive, but his
injuries are considered fatal.
As it looks now, very little hope is en-
tertained that any of the men will be
rescued alive. The men entombed are
nearly all married and have large fami
lies all dependent on them for support.
The opening through which the res
cuing party entered into the gangway is
on the north side of deep wooded ra
vine. The space in the immediate vi
cinity of the opening is lighted with To-
comotive headlights, torches and Ian
terms that shed weird and fitful CLEANS
of light into the yawning cavern whers
squads of miners labor in the hope OF
rescuing their fellows. Outside this
small circle all is darkness.
About nine o'clock last night there
was shout and the crowd eagerly
pressed forward. Two miners were com
ing out, bearing limp form on a
stretcher. The rescued man proved to
be fire boss John Allen. He was uncon-
scious and badly burned, but will proba
bly, recover. 1t is said that Aliens lamp
set fire to gas and caused the explosion.
Shortly afterward Robert Roberts was
brought out. He is so badly burned that
he can hardly recover.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, May IA heavy
rush of gas at three o'clock Friday
morning interrupted the work of at
tempting to rescue the imprisoned min
ers at Ashley. For four hours nothing
could be done, but at seven o'clock
large party of rescuers entered the slope
and commenced work upon the cave, be-
yond where three men were found
Thursday night They soon broke
through and rushed into the chamber
beyond. where in the semi-darkness
they stumbled over yielding bodies. A
close search revealed six blackened
corpses near the opening, none of them
recognizable. Further along at various
places were found thirteen other bodies
all more or less burned, but none of
them could be recognized.
A scene ensued about the mouth of
the slope which will never be forgotten
by those who witnessed it when the
news of the finding of the bodies be-
came known to those in the vicinity. A
strong guard of men held back the
women, who pressed forward madly to
enter the mine. In short time four men
appeared bearing body on stretcher
The women tore away the blanket but
saw only blackened and charred re-
mains. Other bodies were brought out
as fast as possible, and at noon all but
fpn IF rla IN, hn rotn
when the cavern occurred had been
'ound. These bodies were conveyed in
ambulances to undertaking rooms and
prepared for burial. The excitement
was intense and the streets in the vicin-
ity of the morgue were completely
booked with people, many of whom
came from other towns. The scenes of
the morning in the town have never
been equalled in the pitiful spectacles
presented since the great Avondale dis
aster many years ago, when over 100
miners were burned to death.
A guard of special policemen was nee
essary to keep the pressing crowd away
from the morgue. A one o'clock two
moro bodies had been brought out Of the
mine and the search for others was still
progressing. The body of Michael
Henry, known to be under the immense
mass of debris, may not be found for sew
eral days. John Allen, the assistant fire
boss, who fired the gas, is suffering in
tense agony. While Aliens face and
hands were but slightly burned, he in
hailed the fatal after-damp. Anthony
Frayne and Robert w. Roberts, the men
rescued Thursday night, are in a criti-
cal condition a nd it is believed that both
will die.
General Superintendent Phillips in an
interview with reporter said: 1.-THE
men lost their lives through the negli-
gence of Assistant Mine Boss Allen, who
insisted on relighting his lamp in the
presence of a large volume of gas. Had
he not done SO the men now dead could
all have been rescued alive, as there
was good current of air passing through
the chamber where the men had taken
refuge after the cave-in had taken
place."
New York Excise Com missioners Indicted
for Misdemeanor.