Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-01-31
AN AWFUL DISASTER,
One Hundred and Ten Miners Killed in
Pennsylvania Mine.
The Great SHAFT of the II. c. Frick
Company, Near Point Pleasant, the
Scene of the Disaster.

The Great SHAFT of the II. c. Frick
Company, Near Point Pleasant, the
Scene of the Disaster.
BY an explosion OF fire damp in the man.
moth shaft of II. C. Prick Coke Company
near Point Pleasant eighty sturdy miners
were ushered into eternity and a number
seriously injured. The explosion occurred
shortly after nine o'clock A. NJ, and it is
supposed was the result of the ignition of a
miners oil lamp. The after damp which
followed the explosion sutfocated nearly every
situation fell to the ground, thereby prevent
ing the gas from striking them. There is not
a soul left 10 tell the story of the calamity.
The persons not killed are in such a critical
condition their deaths are momentarily ex-
peeted.
Up to this writing fifty bodies have been
recovered, all without the sign Of life. The
lire which broke out after the explosion was
soon extinguished by the immense fans which
were put in operation. The gas has about all
been driven from the pit, and the work of re-
covering the remaining bodies has been com.
menced. The mammoth plant embraces 5t9
ovens, one of the largest plants in the coke
region, but it is hard Of access. 1t is situated
near the United Works, where an explosion
recently destroyed the entire shaft. The
collins have already been ordered for eighty
persons. The only man who escaped from the
fatal mine was Mine Foreman Eaton.
1t is estimated that there are sixty wives
end families left wholly dependent on the
CHARITY of the world for sustenance by the
disaster. In fact they are almost penniless
as the plant has not been running full force
Tor some TIME, owing to a decrease in the de-
mand Tor coke Every means possible will be
resofted to in order TO supply the widowed
mothers and children with the necessaries of
life. The Frick Company will be liberal in
TINS direction, and IT is understood that
subscription paper will shortly be circulated
to obtain money to support the unfortunate
families.
WORSE THAN FIRST REPORTED.
MAMMOTH, PA.-One hundred and ten
men were killed in the explosion
The curse OF all these things is that it falls.
not on the poor 10 individual victims, but
upon their families, many, and in fact, mot
OF the men teing married, with wives and
children to add sorrow to the shock so keenly
felt throughout this entire region
Physicians and undertakers came from
Scoitdaie, Mt. Pleasant and Greensburg aud
after them father Landing, of Seottdale came.
The physicians services were not needed. Tor
every man in the headings, where the explo
sion occurred was killed. None were injured
and lived.
Dead bodies were brought up every few
minutes, and the crowd at the shaft mouth
simply iell back to allow the men carrying
the stretchers to pass.
Superintendent Keighley says no man liv.
ing knows the cause of the accident, and it
viii never be known for a certainty.
NO SAFETY LAMPS USED.
John w. Bell fire boss at Lecla Ma said.
mo safety lamps were used. There was too
much work here for one fire boss anyhow.
They discharged one acouple of weeks ago to
reduce expenses, and one man has been forced
10 do the work"
Superintendent Lynch gave all the infor.
nation in his power concerning the explosion.
lie was working like hero but he stopped
long enough to say that it was the biggest sur.
prise to him within his recollection.
The Mammoth Mine was long thought to be
the safest mine of the nineteen operated by
Frick. Mr.. Lynch thought it possible that
in drawing the ribs or pillars some miner had
tapped gas. All lights were open and the
gas was an unexpected thing.