Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-11-24
DEATH In THE MINE.
Blasting Powder Explodes Ia a
West Virginia Colliery.
Brenzied Relatives Hasten to tho Mouth
Of the Pit MutiIated Victims
Brought to the Surface Brave
and Timely Deeds.

pIhJBENViLLEt W I" NOV. ~ "A icut'
ful powder explosion occurred shortly
after noon yesterday at the Blanch coal
mine, located at the west end OF Col.
liers, w Va. Twenty-Five kegs Of pow.
der exploded, causing the instant death
of three miners and the serious wound
ing of eight Others, three Of whom will
probably die. The names of those who
were killed are as follows:
John PloslSy.
Wesley Anderson, colored.
Michael Croker.
The wounded are:
William Anderson, colored, was
blown distance of fifty sect over a
trestle, leg broken, face and head badly
bruised, will die.
burned about head and back, will die.
John Gillespie, lately come from
Akron, o., was burned inwardly and it
Is thought he cannot recover.
John Anderson, colorod, head badly
cut
Lawrence Campbell, colored, burned
about arms, back and head.
John Zagzing, burned very seriously
about arms and head
Matthew Wright, burned about head
and neck
George Teeters, injured internally.
John Ramsey, burned about head and
arms
John Hully, miner, is missing, but
it is not known whether he was about
at the time Of the explosion or not.
The explosion was caused by a fzzing
fnse throwing s saiTe into powder can,
the explosion of which fred others until
the volume of flame was sufficient to
explode the whole stock of loose pow
der The miners had been losing pow
der by theft and they kept days sup
ply in boxes, which were left open at
the noon hour The men in the mine
had just begun to come in to where the
powder was stored and in few minutes
more most of them would have been
there. A stunning explosion in the
mine, a great blast of fame and
smoke from the mines mouth,
and then roar was flung
out to the country round that told only
too well that there was death and dis
aster at the mine The scene that fol-
lowed cannot be told in words The
women who had husbands brothers,
sons or sweethearts in the smoking pit
were siIupiy frantic. Crowds came
swarming to the mines mouth, Just as
they dropped their work or left their
tables, their faces white with death
and eager inquiry on every lip. who's
in the mine?" Wives and mothers were
there tearfully imploring the men to 90
in where they knew that death lurked
in the air, either to rescue those who
were not past rescue or learn the worst
at once.
As soon as they had time TO recover
from the shock the mine boss and a
squad of brave fellows took their
chances on the bad air and went In.
Then there was a brief wait, more try
ing perhaps than tho awful moments
that had preceded it. The advance OF
the rescuing party appeared bearing
among them the scared and mu-
tilated victims Of the explosion
John Piosky was dead, Wesley Ander-
son, colored, died. Michael Choker was
fatally wounded. William Anderson,
colored, legs broken, hip dislocated,
face torn and otherwise dreadfully mu-
tilated, will die. He was going into
the mine when the powder exploded
and he was blown fifty feet along the
drift and over q trestle. John Ander-
son, colored, was blown along the drift
aud his head wedged under q coal car,
he may recover.
The explosion did comparatively little
damage, so far as is known, to the mine
or its equipment That more Of the
miners We're not suffocated was due TO
the prompt action of Miners James
Clark and James Borden, who, when
the big door that closes the drift was
blown from its fastenings, quickly
placed it in position again. The works i
belong to L. c. Smith, of New Cumber- Z
land, William Smith and John McNulta, I
Of f'Wellsville, O. The mine has been in
operation since May 1891, and fifty
men were employed there yesterday. /
There is still one man uuaecounted for 4
in connection with the disaster, a miner /
named John Hully.