New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-04
IN A BURNING NINE.
EIGHT MEN IMPRISONED IN A PENNSYLvA.
MA COLLIERY.
THE TIMBERING CATCHES FIRE FROM SLIGHT
EXPLOSION OF GAS DESPERATE EF.
FORTS TO RESCUE THE MEN.
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Wilkcsbarre, Penn. March 3.-A serious disaster
occurred this evening at the South Wilkesbarre
Colliery of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Coal Com
pany, by which eight men will, it is feared. lose
thor lives The timbering of of the gang
ways caught fire from slight explosion OF gas
and is burning furiously. On the other
side of the fire. in workings opening of the gang
way, are eight men, and although desperate
efforts now being put forth to reach them
and extnguish the fire, it is feared that they must
perish by suffocation before they be reached II
they are not already dead. The names Of seven
of these eight men are as follows:
GULL. Frank MINER married. with children.
DUGGAN Hugh, miner, married. with three children'
FERRY, Michael, laborer, single.
JAMESON Thomas driver boy age seventeen.
MCDONALD. Thomas, driver boy, age nineteen
O'DONNELL. James, laborcr, single.
WILLIAMSON Thomas, married, with three childrcns
The name of the eighth man is not known.
The disaster occurred about o'clock this even-
ing The day shift had just come out and the
night men were going in. party Of seven men
were at work driving airway opening from one
of the gangwayS about 1000 feet from the foot
of the shaft. They started in TO their work about
80, and about o'clock Thomas Jameson, hav-
ing got his mules out OF the stable, started after
them down the gangway to bring out the cars OF
coal and rock fast as they Should hll them'
When at 400 feet from the foot of the shaft. the
naked light on his hat fired small body or gas
that had evidently gathered from a feeder or
crcvice. 1t could hardly be called an explosion,
merely a rush of flame along the roof, but the
eangway was dry as a bone-an unusual thing.
The timbers which lined its sides and roof took
fire like tinder and in a moment, famed by the
strong air-current through the gangway, were in
a bright flame.
Jameson saw at once that there was great dam
ger to the men beyond unless they made their
escapc Immediately. He called for help, ana
several men came He told them TO take his
mules back, and inform the boss. am going
i'm TO notify the boys, he said. They've got 70
get ont mighty quick" Without word he ran
through the fast-gathering smoke down the DARK
tunnel He never came back, but whatever Is
the fate of the men he tried TO save he VIII snare
it.
The flames spread with great rapidity, ana In
a few minutes the gangway was hlled WIN rolling
,olnmcs of smoke which, carried by the air
cnrreut. swept directly on to where the men we're
Al work If jameson reached them at all and they
attempted to make their way o,,o ~
they must have been driven back by the SMOKE
and flame The only hope for them Is thaO
they may have retired into the far END OF one
of fnc gangways opening from the one In wnlcn
the fire j. and in this case II they can ne IeacrSu
sn,cdi|v they may be brought out alive Inc
paueWaV connects with the workings OF the Stah-
ion mno. but the distance is over hall a miIe.
and II they attempted to escape tnat way uey
must have been overtaken by the smoke ana
sufocated A gang of men attempted 10 reacn
them from the stanton mlnc, but were orINeh
back by the smoke without getting any urace
OF them. -..,;..a
Directly the extent Of the disaster was reali1eo
preparations were begun for rescue Inc only
way I'm which they can be reached Is oy eA-
tiuguishing the flames. and to TINS end every
effort is being put forth. but many delays or or
curred before work could be begun In earueSp
The supply Of water was short, ana tner WIS
hardly any hose In the mine. ENtra nose We
obtained as rapidly possible u9m
adjoining colieries and the water supply was
reinforced by lines of pipe LAID from
the CITY frc-pugs in the vicinity. But IN spite
If all efforts il was several hours before the nre
was attacked in earnest and by this time the
~anrway was completely closed with roaring
flames that extended certainly for long distance.
Relief Gangs were organized eacn 10 "ork TWO
hours and the wall Of fire that shut IN their un-
fortunate comrades was attacked WITH oespera'ioi.
Thor, is not any possibility of eNtingnlshing me
flames before morning. If by that tiine' anu III ,ne
~. .,nfime the fate of the men inside Is unknown,
thouch but little hope Is entertained Ireat eN-
element was created all through the city oy the
rews Of thc disaster The colliery is located IN
the southern portion Of the town; ana the men an
livcd in lis immediate vicinity Drecuy the news
became known their relatives and friends n9cksu
IN tlr collicrv As the intelligence sprcan 'ne
crowd increased. and fully 1000 pecpe "eie
Gathered around the collieTy by o'clock eagerly