Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-05
Fresh Disasters in Pennsyl-
vania Galleries.
Two Mines in the Anthracite
Region Flooded.
Eighteen Men Drowned in One and
Three in the Other.
An Explosion Of Powder in Third
Mine Results Fatally-WiIdest
Excitement.
Associated Press Dispatches.


HAzLEToN, Pa, Feb. A terribls
accident occurred at Janesville this
morning, whereby eighteen men lost
their lives. The accident occurred in
Slope 10, operated byJ. G. Hayden &
Co. The workings are situated imme-
diately under old workings known as No
8, worked out some five years ago, and
filled with water. The cause OF the dis.
aster was due to the drilling Of hole
through a pillar, which liberated an i'm.
mense body OF water confined in the old
workings. flooding the new workings, and
drowning all the men in that portion OF
the mine. Following is
M :, LIST OF THE DEAD.
Lawrence Reed, Jamas Griffiths, Ed
ward Gallagher, James Ward. Harry
Bull, Joseph Matskouritch, Barney Nc
Closkey, Patrick Kelly, James Wiasto,
Mike Smith, John Berno, Tom Click,
Tom Askaskay, Joe Astro, Bosco Frinko,
Thomas Greko, and two unknown Hun
garians. Several of these men were
married and had large families.
HOW- TIE DlSAbIEk OCCUkkEDs
William Brislin, one of the seven men
who escaped from the mine, says he felt
he wind coming when the men broke
through into the old slope. He yelled
to his companions to run for their lives,
or all would be drowned. In moment
the rush of water came, and Brisln,
Henry Gibbon, John Moline, John Boyle,
Charles Boyle, William Coyle and Pat
rick Coll barely escaped. The water
rose rapidly. and before any attempt
could be made to rescue the rest OF the
workmen, the water flowed in, and in
five minutes the slope, which is 624 feet
deep, was filed to the mouth, and
eighteen men who had but few hours
before with light hearts left the bright
sunshine and clear sky, to descend into
tha dark cavern, were buried in watery
grave.
ruEsx1nDHsf xxcsExMyxr. 4l n
The news Of the disaster cresssd the
widest excitement, and tile mouth of
the slope was soon thronged with peo-
pie. The scenes of anguish that ensued
cannot be depicted. The weather, which
was bitterly cold, did not have any effect
toward diminishing the crowd, and it
was onlyiefter the terrible result was
made p1sbn that none Of the entombed
men were living, or could possibly be
reached, until all the water was pumped
out of the slope, that the grief-stricken
friends OF the unfortunate men could be
induced to go to their homes.
The firm of Hayden Il Co. will pump
the water out as early as the machinery
can be placed in position. How long it
will take is not known. Some of the
miners say it will take four weeks.
Many theories are advanced as to the
cause of the great disaster. Some charge
it to neglect to notify the workmen of
the dangerous proximity of water.
A SIMILAR DISASTER.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Feb. A cave-in
occurred this afternoon in No. 3 slope at
Grand Tunnel, opposite Nanticoke.
Three Poles are shut in, and as the
place is filled with water, it is supposed
they are drowned. Is
The accident was precisely similar to
that which occurred at Janesvelle this
morning. A heavy blast broke hole
into an old working which was filed
with water, allowing it to run into No.
3. Most of the miners fortunately man
aged to escape. Three unfortunate
Poles are undoubtedly dead.