Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1890-06-19
hEARTRENDING DETAILS.
Scenes Around the Tomb of the Miners
Pitiable Beyond Description.

Scenes Around the Tomb of the Miners
Pitiable Beyond Description.
DUNBAR, Pa, June l7.-Thirty-one
miners were killed by an explosion Of
gas in the coal mines at Hill farm,
owned by the Dunbar Furnace company,
and located one mile west of this place.
The explosion occurred at 1920 a. N.
The bodies Of two Of the unfortunates
We're taken out. The others are still
entombed in the mine. where a fierce
fire is raging. There is little doubt that
all are dead. Desperate efforts are in
progress to clear the way to recover the
bodies, but so far without avail. A res
cr1ing party of 100 men, headed by Mine
Inspector Keigley, Of this district, spent
the afternoon in the pit, but have as yet
been able to rescue but two bodies.
These had died from the force Of the ex-
plosion and are badly burned. Fifty
seven miners were at work about 5000
feet from 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 penetrated the air hole,
six inches in diameter, with his pick,
whereupon strong stream of water
gushed out. Kirwin. alarmed. sounded
the danger signal. His assistant, Pat
rick Hayes. started hurriedly for the
main entrance, and had scarcely moved
when the foul gas was ignited from his
lamp.
THE EXPLOSION WAS TERRIFIC.
What little air there was in the place
drifted to the heading to the right of the
main entrance. The fire followed
swiftly, 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
notified in time to save their lives al
though their escape was thrilling and
was accompanied by the widest con-
fusion. At point near where the ex-
plosion occurred the bodies of Daniel
were found. They had evidently at
MOST DEADLY OF ALL.
The explosion was one Of the most
disastrous and deadly in the history Of
the coke region. In the Leisendridge
disaster in 1888 twenty-three men lost
their lives. At Col j. NJ. Reeds works.
at this place, two years earlier, five men
were killed while at the Youngstown
works. A year later some fourteen lives
were lost. This latest calamity has un-
nerved the community and the inhabit-
ants are wild with excitement. Thou
sands Of people gathered at the mouth
of the mines during the afternoon.
Among them Were the parents, wives
and children Of the unfortunates, and
strong guard Of police was necessary to
prevent many of them,
MAD WITH ANGUISH,
from rushing into the deadly hole.
Wives, widowed by the horror. stood
iliy-clad and sore-footed. lulling to sleep
their babes in arms. Mothers wrung
their hands and cried aloud for their
boys, while children from 5 to Is years
of age hurried about, looking into the
blackened faces Of the escaped miners in
the hope of finding their fathers or
brothers. Their suffering was pitable,
and while the authorities Of the COM
pany We're eSerting all their energies to
recover the bodies, the total absence Of
information regarding the fate of the
ullSSlilS, Lleu uidele ulic1l ulStlesS liloIe
severe, and means and groans went up
unconsciously from the pinched lips in
the unhappy crowd.
The officers Of the furnace company
have been notified Of the disaster and
the authorities here have been instructed
to do everything in their power to re-
lieve the distress of those who have
suffered by the calamity.
The Scottdale Rolling Mill company
has sent force of men to aid the res
cuers and in the morning will close
down their works and send all their en-
ployes.
The loss by the explosion cannot now
be ascertained. 1t will be very heavy,
however, and the owners are fearful
that the works will have to be aban-
doned.