The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-09
DEATH In A COAL NINE.
AN EXPLOSION KILLS SIX AND
INJURIES EIGaT.

several OF the Injured Expected to
Die-The Bursting Of a Safety Lamp
the Cause of the Accident-An Ex-
cited crowd About the Mouth OF the
Shaft.
NANrICoKE. Pa, Nov. S-The usual
Sunday quiet of this mining village was
disturbed ebout 80 O'Clock this afternoon
BY the announcement that terrible explo-
sion of gas had occurred In No. shaft
# the SusQuehanna Coal Cons
renv. by which a number of men
we're killed and others terribly injured.
But a short time elapsed before the news
snread throughout the town and a large
crowd gathered at the scene, including the
relatives and friends OF the miners en-
ploved in the mine, and while they waited
for news from the shaft, the scene was
heartrending in the extreme.
FOURTEEN MEN IN THE MINE.
Il was soon learned, however, that owing
10 the fact that this was Sunday, there were
but fourteen men at work in the mine. or
this number six were instantly killed, and
several others SO badly burned and injured
that they cannot survive, many fearing
not bear removal from the mine. The
killed are:
WILLIAM j. WILLIAMS, a miner, aged
80 years with wife and four children.
HENRY r. JONES, town clerk of Nanti-
coke, fire boss, aged 40 years, with wife
and two children.
WILLIAM JONATHAN. aged S5 years, with
a wife and four children.
JOHN ARNoTT, aged 40 years, with wife
and four children.
CALEB JETHING, aged 80 years, with a
wife and four children.
THOMAS LLOYD, a driver boy. aged 1S
years.
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The accident was caused bv the explosion
of a safety lamr, the flames Of which
ignited the gas. The existence Of this ele-
ment had become known, and the safety
lamp, which il generally used successfully
in the presence OF gas, was being used by
the men during their operations. The mine,
which is one OF the best operated by the
Susq ehanna Coal Company, is not seriously
damaged.
A HEARTRENDING SCENE.
The scene about the mouth of the shaft
was heartrendiug. AS som as news of the
explosion was noised about town the wives
ard children Of the men who were i'm
prsoned gathered about the opening. The
wives wept frantically and the children
played about uncon cious Of the fearful
doom their fathers had met. A searching
party was organized as soon as possible,
and brave men went down the mine to
rescue their fellow workmen. They had q
struggle with the dangerous after-damp,
and after almost losing themselves in the
cavern, cropping in the dark, they came
upon the bodies of the victims.
SOME OF THE MINERS BEHEADED.
The force of the explosion had dashed to
pieces several mine cars standing on the
tracks and the victims had been dashed
against the walls of the mine.
Some were beheaded and others disem-
boweied. 1t was a fearful,spectscle. The
remains were taken to the mouth of the
shaft and frem there to their late homes in
embulances and on stretchers. After each
followed the mans wife ard childten.
-Four more of the injured have died
Howell Johenski, aged 50 years, with wife
and family OF small children; John Ma
loEey, 80 years old. with wife and three
children; David r. James, aged 81 years !:
William }. Williams, Jr.. aged 23 years, a
son OF W. j. Williams, who was killed.
-Four more are badly injured, and one OF
them will die. The explosion awas caused
ny the attempt Of one of the men to change
Inc air sarrent, when his lamp exploded.