Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-06

as there was danger when the clips were
running. They had to pass through No. nat
TO reach the shaft This nat was not examined
for gas"
James Dugan had never heard complaints OF
bad air.
Ioseph Brewer never saw Snaith under the
influence of liquor during working hours, put
lad seen him little bit full when on duty.
Fire Boss Lowther was discharged to cur
tail expenses" asserted John Beveridge, who
worked in the slope when the explosion oc-
Cured There were just as many men en-
ployed after the fire boss was discharged as be-
fore. Some of the men were doubled up. 1t
is necessary to examine all places, even when
men are not working l often had to 60 into
these places with an open lamp to get rails.
Six tracklayers were laid off to curtail ex-
penses but just as much coal was being dug
and just as many men were working"
James Brown, Jr.'s, testimony was confined
10 Snath's character for sobriety. Brown had
brother killed in the mine. The witness said:
Il have frequently seen Snaith drunk, and
hoard of him trying TO slide down the slack
rope at the shaft, but the mine boss stopped
him. Snaith had been assistant mine boss,
but when they put of the other fire boss they
promoted HIM downward. saw Snaith on the
morning Of the explosion, and he was apparent
ly sober"
Theory of the Ex-Pit Boss.
Jacob Peffer-I WAS pit boss of the Nam
moth mine for four years, until December last.
1t would take four hours to properly examine
the dip workings. l think the explosion was
caused by a man carrying an open lamp into an
old working
Jesse Crum, night pumper: AT $40 on the
morning of the explosion Snaith told me
There's going to be trouble; she's heavy in the
butts" Witness lost son by the explosion,
and did not think Snaith's statement of suf-
hcient Importance for him 90 warn his boy or
the mine officials.
Michael casey said the gas must have come
suddenly or it might have been sccumulating
in some place where the fire boss did not see it
James Blick, Mine Inspector for the Seventh
district, was next called upon to give his opin-
ion. He described the condition of the mine,
but said 1t was not nearly as badly wrecked as
might have been expected from the number of
persons killed. The roofs had fallen
tries The explosion occurred between
Nos. 2 and s. Thirty-six hours after
The explosion 1 found some gas in the dip, but
that must have accumulated since the eX-
plosion. The gas which caused ;he explosion
might have gathered within two or three hours.
Shortly after the explosion we found that the
gas was accommodating very rapidly. Ten hours
alter the fan was started could hnd no gas
Caused by a General Squeeze.
AT the point where the explosion occurred
there seemed to be a general squeeze. and the
roof was falling every now and again. When
first went into the mine estimated there was
5000 feet of gas at the fall and three hours
later there were "a, 600 cubic feet. The gas
which caused the explosion came from this fall
at No. butthead of No. fiat When we went
settling of the roof. 1t is quite possible that
No. $ fiat might have been free from gas when
the FIRE boss made his examination, but
that the squeeze afterward liberated suf-
hcIent gas TO cause the explosion.
l do not think the mime is we'll
arranged for ventilation, and l think it will
take years To bring it up to perfect condition.
Three per cent of the carbonic oxide gas IN The
air of q mine is almost immediately fatal to
life, and this is what killed the men. cannot
say positively that the squeeze caused the ex-
plosion. or whether the explosion, III destroy
ing the supports, hight have caused the
squeeze. Still believe that my theory is cor
rect-that a squeeze liberated the gas which
caused the explosion. Yes" in answer to Mr..
Kane, "a squeeze in q mine is generally very
gradual sometimes coming on for several
days"
W. r. Harris, timekeeper at the Mammoth
mines: There were l54 men employed in the
shaft in October, 1890, when there were two fire
bosses. In January last there were 10 men
employed"
At this point the inquest was adjourned until
10 O'Clock tomorrow morning. jerks.