Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-01
DOWN IN THE DEPTHS.
CONTINUED from first page

through the butts, rooms and fats which
abounded in this fatal section of the mine.
Occasionally a call for the strictest silence
would be made as the Inspector listened to
the cracking of the ceiling and tried for any
importing of gas. At the entry to one fiat
the flre bosses dates of inspection for II
days, marked in chalk on a sill. were
visible. A Committeeman examined
the character of the figures, and
could not bring himself to believe
that the date of the 27th-the day Of
the accident had been made by the hand that
marked the others. There was a decided
dissimilarity in the figures, aud the '27''
looked much fresher than the others.
Only here and there could 't27' be seen.
and it was observable that where the mark
should have been it most decidedly was
not
Where the Explosion Was.
In the third fat pool of blood was found,
and from il broken oil can, cap and PEN
knife were picked up as relics of the poor
fellow who had perished there. Finally the
| actual place OF the explosion was reached
aud located. This was in the third fiat. Mr..
Mullin scraped few ounces of dust from
the charred coal from the corner of the third
butt on the third fiat, and carried it away
for analtzation. In the second butt on the
were plainly seen to be charred, and all
around this immediate section were similar
evidences of the gas having been fired.
An incident which is given for what it is
worth, occurred just as the party were pro-
ceeding toward this place. Superintendent
Keighley was leading, and on reaching a
fat, turned down another.
"What is up there?" inquired a commit
teeman.
"Only some headings that have not been
worked for some time. The fire did not ex-
tend there, and it is only waste of time to
60 through it."
The party halted and were about turning
aside, when three or four of the committee
on second thought, decided to 60 on and see
for themselves, the others remaining. They
were gone for considerable time, when the
superintendent and others, becoming tired of
waiting. followed. As THE DISPATCH re-
porter overlook committeeman, the latter
took him aside and said:
II wonder what reason Keighley had for
trying to mislead us? You heard what
he said about abandoned workings?
Why here, here >. is where the men
pointed out the charred coal at the angles of
the passages. In the rooms of the "dip"
much criticism was made of the distance be-
width of the rooms. and again of the thick
ness of the ribs.
"Where there is distance between sup
ports there is danger of the roof crack
ing" said a committeeman. "Crack-
ing may be followed by fall of
slate, holding vein of gas. When that
gas enters it may be dissipated to degree
by the currents of air, but, again, it may flow
to corner, or accumulate in a bratticed pas
sage. Well, the result is that the miners
naked light comes in contact with it, and
Every Point Examined.
As the investigation proceeded the falls of
slate became more frequent and at one pass
age it was deemed advisable to turn aside.
The visitors paid attention TO every point;
testing the roofs, and examining the floors;
the latter more especially in wide places,
because" it was explained, ''the great
weight overhead has a tendency to compress
the ribs, which. yielding, do SO by encroach-
ing on the floor, and causing upheavals. In
one or two places 1 have seen evidence of
ribs bearing heavily on the floor space"
From time to time the spots where the
men had perished were indicated. Here
four hardy men met their doom; at this cor
ner Duncan was picked up; and so on, was
the mournful tale related. In this manner
for two hours and half did the party In
vestigate for themselves into the cause of
the disaster, and satisfied themselves as to
how it was brought about. Concerning this
very vital point what follows is said to be
the result of to-day's inquiries.
There was gas In the mine, and ii was
known to be there previous to the accident
Safety lamps were not used because naked
lights were in vogue in the district.
1.-THE committeeman seemed satisfied that
the mine was handled carelessly; that the
presence OF gas was sufficiently clear TO war
rant the use of safety lamps, and the mine
practice might be improved upon"
The committees car was hitched onto a
local train at 3:11 o'clock and drawn to
Greensburg, where the party will remain
over Sunday.
Inspector jenkins Opinion.
In reply to a number of questions, In
spector jenkins made the following state
ment to your correspondent:
"Gas is always present in mines which are
below water level. as are those in this par
ticular section. Whether it can be guarded
against depends on how the mine is handled.
1t finds its way in through veins in the
slate, and, when falls occur, they are Just
as liable as not to leave bare some
vein of gas. There is always more or less
danger in mining, and in very few cases
does miner enter mine without taking,
to great extent, his life in his hand. Ii
he is experienced and careful he may avoid
firing gas which has not reached sufficient
volumes as to become dangerous, but the
average miner is not careful. That is,
he has become so accustomed to his life that
he mlnImizes all chances of danger, and is
apt to get off his guard
'You give it as your opinion, then, that
there was gas in this mine before the day of
the accidenI?"
ST do"
'YOu think that safety lamps should have
been employed?"
II think that had safety lamps been used
that the accident now being Investigated
would not have happened.
Miners prefer naked lights, but that's no
reason why they should use them. 1 think
those lamps should have been used.''
The committee will arrive here on Mon
day morning from Greensburg, and take
evidence. Afterward the investigation will
be continued at Greensburg, and may occupy
a couple of days. Peter Wise and James
Mcbride were here this afternoon. Father
Lambing was also present, as was Father
Smlziel. Father Lambing says that some
eight or ten of the widows are in the old
country, leaving not more than dozen or
so rendered destitute by the disaster. The
orphans will number about %.
F.. j. KELLY.