St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-24
Nearly a Dozen Dead, and
Several Injured Beyond
Hope Of Living.
The Tragedy Occurs in a Pit
Reclaimed After Years OF
Abandonment.
TollerS Hundreds of Yards
Distant Frustrated by.
the Explosion.

louisville, Pa, July pa fright
fui explosion occurred in the York Farm
colllery about LIS today, 10y which five
men are known to have been killed out
right and it is almost certain that three
more have also suffered the same fate.
At this writing the known killed are as
follows:
JOHN HARRISON. of Pottsville. fire boss;
leaves wife and three or four children
WILLIAM JONES. Minersviile Carpenter.
married
GEORGE KREIss. of Middle Creek.
WILLIAM WEHMAN, Minersville.
HERMAN WARREN. st. Clair
ANTHONY PULTcHLAvAGE, Pottsville
There are believed to be three more among
the killed-Fire Boss John Harrison, of
Vaudeville: Thomas Jones' of Minersyllle.
and James Hartzell. of Llewellyn
The injured are as follows: Henry Madara.
Mt. Hope fatally burned: Thomas Lands
FIshback. badly burned: Robert Allott and
son, of Pottsville; George Stack, Yorkville,
tWenty-three years, married, leg broken and
burned; Anthony Stock, boy leg broken and
burned, since died. Edward Curran, Potts
vile.
A Terrific Upheaval.
The explosion, it IS believed, was
caused by strong feeder being broken
into, and its force penetrated a safety
lamp aud ignited the gas. The explo-
sion was terrific and completely closed
the gangway with several cars which
were on the track. Several men were
known to be closed in, but how many
or the extent of their Injuries
was impossible to ascertain. Doctors
are doing all in their power for
the injured men. Fathers Duffy
and Rooney, of ST. Patrick's church,
were also promptly on hand to admin
lister to the Spiritual welfare of the I'M
fortnnates.
The York Farm coIIlery is owned
and operated by the Lehigh Valley
Railroad company and the Phil
adelphia d Reading Railroad company.
lessees. -Four years ago the Lehigh
company purchased these workings,
which at that time. and for forty years
previous, had been abandoned and
were filled with water. Several mill
ions of dollars have already been ex-
pended by the company in cleaning the
Abandoned GangWays
of water, ra-timbering and in driving
tunnels to intercept the different veins,
and great success has rewarded their
efforts. The risk in connection with
gas, which exists in great quantities. in
workings once abandoned, has been
great, and many mine explosions have
occurred i'll the past few years by which
miners. working at this place, have
been seriously I'M ured, and a few in
stances where death has followed, but
this accident is beyond parallel.
LII this mine are many small counter
gangwayS. some of which are not so
readily cleared of gas, and in some
places old gangways, long abandoned,
called leaders, exist which have been
closed for years, and in which immense
quantities of gas have accumulated. 1t
was while tunneling that one of these
leaders was struck, and as soon as the
first opening was made the gas rushed
out in volumes. Safety lamps, which
are used entirely in these workings.
were of no avail, and it was from one
or these safety lamps the gas was ex-
plOded.
Chaos in tae Wine.
The tunnel and gangways in differ
ent directions are filled up with debris.
and it will take many days to clear ii
away. Loaded mine wagons are
wedged across in the gangways, and
rocks timbers and debris are so piled
upon them that the reScuers have hard
work making their way to the front.
Workmen in distant parts of the mine
say the noise and force of the explosion
was something terrible. Men 500 yards
away were thrown to the ground.
AS soon as entrance could be made to
the mine numberess volunteers offered
their services, but none but the most
tried were selected, and they at once
set to work. The first brought to the
surface were the injured. Preparations
had previously been made and the
requisite materials were OH hand for
the speedy relief of the burned men.
Physicians at once took them in charge.
and all that medical skill can accom-
pllsh was done for them. The body of
Thomas Jones, of Minersville, was re-
covered in the tunnel and brought to
the surface at $50, and it is expected
that his companions. Harrison and
HartZell, are near by and will be
reached in few hours. Henry Man.
dara. one of the injured, died this even
ing.