The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-17

ers.
A. A. Garner, who returned from Ros-
lyn on Sunday night. said yesterday that
several Of the coIored families there were
in need.
THE INQUEST AT ROsLYN.
Superintendent Corey and wesley VII.
son Testify ~ to Came Of Explosion.
RosLYs. May 16. Especial. 1.-The inquest
in the slope disaster was resumed at
O'Clock this morning. but owing to the
fact that the experts summoned by the
company had not visited the scene of the
explosion, and were consequently not
ready to report. an adjournment was taken
until O'Clock in the afternoon The com.
mittee appointed by the miners, accom-
panied by-4nspector Edmundson. went
into ths- slope on Sunday afternoon and
declined to- accompany the party Of
experts unless requested. An invitation
was extended by the company manage
ment for those who desired to 60 down
today and the miners committee went
down again. The party that visited the
immediate scene OF the disaster comprised
Inspector Edmundson, ex-Superintendent
Ronald. Mr.. Harrison, Firemen Shaw and
Pettigrew, J. b. Corey. of the Oregon In
provement Company; Wesley Wilson, of
the Seattle Iron and Coal Company; f. w.
Lewis, of Carbonado, and James Ash, ID.
Davies, Joseph Watson and James Nc
Govern, of the miners committee The
party not returning by 4 o'clock, the i'm
quest was again adjourned until 7o'clock
p. m.
When the coroner's court was convened
In the evening Justice Gamble, IN order to
avoid confusion, ordered that the county
attorney, mine inspector and Jury only
were privileged to verbally ask questions,
all others to be written and handed to the
county attorney. This rule was made at
the Saturday session. The hall was
crowded to its full capacity. In the abb
sence of Prosecutor McFall, Ralph Kauf-
man. of Ellensburg, conducted the exam.
ination.
The first witness called was f. w. Lewis,
the general underground foreman Of the
Carbonate mines. Mr.. Lewis had spent
thirty-eight years of his life in the coal
mines in the United States and Wales,
having had more or less experience in CASE
ous mines. In his examination of the
slope today he found gss in the third level
about seventy-five feet from the face. The
fourth level was clear of gas. Between
the fifth and sixth levels he entered the
crosscut that was running from the slope
TO the manway. From this point he OBJ
served that the timbers had been blown
toward the opening and toward the foot Of
the slope. From the fifth level the tim.
bers had been driven upward, and
from the fifth to the seventh
called to the drill hole in the crosscut, and
~
force had been used near the end OF tho
hole. The coal around that point was
shattered. On the sixth level the timbcrs
had the appearance of being scorched
more than any other any place. No gas
was found in the space of the sixth level.
In the seventh level the stopping had been
blown out and a small quantity of gas was
located, there being no air on account OF
the stoppings being out. On the direct
question Mr.. Lewis thought the point Of
igniting was in the crosscut between the
sixth and seventh level. Judging from the
way the timbers lay he was satisfied
that powder was used. He thought the
drill hole was free from tamping. If there
had been aEy gas there the shot would
have ignited IL, and It would have COM
municated to the other parts Of the slope.
The hole was blackened as if from pow
der explosion, but he could not judge as
to the kind Of powder used. The mine is
one of the dryest in Washington, in his
opinion, and the dust may have aggra-
vated the explosion. The plan of the mine
and the ventilation he considered good.
The blackening of the hole must have been
done by powder, as the gas would not
have had the same effect.
The testimony OFT. b. Corey, the next
witness, was in substance the same as that
of Mr.. Lewis. He has been engaged in
mining for thirteen years, principally as
superintendent of mines, and was some
what familiar with gaseous mines, having
had to deal with il in Franklin. The lay
of the tirnbers and the dust on the same.
indicated that the point of explosion was
at the crosscut between the fifth and sixth
level. The Roslyn slope he considered
quite dry. The Newcastle mine, under his
management. is drv the east side, aud,
while there is no il Immable gas there,
still they have had an explosion. His
theory was that the dust caused the same,
the element having played conspicuous
part in other explosions TO his knowledge.
His impression was that shot was fired
in the crosscut. which ignited the gas, and
that the explosion resulted. Tho plan Of
the mine, he thought, was first-class, he
never having seen better one. The air
was good as far as the battrice extended.
the current being too strong for comfort.
He noticed no indications OF q shot below.
In speaking of the general workings, he
thought the air in the mines should be
split. and he thought that it would be
safe 70 work in the mine with an air cur
rent down the east andu up the west sides.
Mr.. Wilson. on taking the stand. was
objected TO as an incompetent witness for
the resson that he was inexperienced in
the matter OF gas in mines. He was per-
mitted. however. to describe the scene OF
the explosion as he found il on his visit
today. his testimony was in substance
the same as that of Messrs. Lewis and
Corey. He was of the opinion that shot
had been fired in the crosscut above re-
ferred 10. resulting in the explosion.
Daniel Davies, one Of the COMMITTEES of
miners, was the next witness sworn. His
mining experience covered a period OF
twenty-four years, a number OF which
were spent in the gaseous mines Of Wales
and in Washington. He has been here for
eight months In relating the result OF
his Investigations into the cause OF the re-
cent explosion, he stated that ne found the
first and second levels free from gas. but
in the third level taiIings were located Ia