The record-union., 1893-04-03
Ten Persons Burned to Death in
a Pennsylvania Mine.
THE FIRE CAUSED BY THE EXPLO-
SION OF A LAMP.
Five People Cremated in Hotel Fire
at Bradford, Penn.-The Summer
Residence of Joe jefferson, at Buzz
Yards Ray, Burned, and the Family
Cook Loses Her Life.
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oS.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SEAMoKIN (Pa.), April "A miners
lamp caused an explosion yesterday
morning in 1.-THE Nelson shaft, operated
by Langdon & Co.
Many men who were in the mine at the
time escaped, but ten lost their lives and
number of mules were suffocated.
The dead are: John Roble, James and
Mike Brennan, John Ryan, Fred Ginter.
John Burt, John Garry, Joe Bortrex,
Nick Dolton and Frank Shupis.
Attempts were made by a force from the
surface to fight the fire, but those who
started to do so were compelled to fly
for their lives. The men who lost their
lives were at work nearly 100 feet above
where the fire broke out. Through the
alrway smoke poured in, suffocating the
unfortunates like rats in a trap.
Almost the entire town gathered in the
vicinity OF the burning mine, and the
scenes were most distressing. About
midday rescuing party went down the
shalt, and, proceeding short distance in
constant danger OF suffocation, they came
across the bodies of two men locked in
each others arms. Further on the bodies
of eight more men were found, making
ten dead in all. The bodies were removed
to the surface with much difficulty.
Only two mules were gotten out alive,
leaving thirty dead mules in the mine.
By this fire 100 men are thrown out of
employment.
FIVE PEOPLE BURNED TO DEATH.
BRADFORD (Pa.), April "A fire was
discovered early yesterday morning in
the Higgins Hotel. patronized chiefly by
railroad men, of whom about seventy
five were asleep in the structure when
the fire broke out. The escape of many
was cut off by the flames and they were
compelled to jump from the windows.
The structure was entirely consumed,
together with the Buffalo, Rochester and
Pittsburg depot and the freight house
and one or two other structures.
Three of the dead bodies have been re-
covered and two bodies are known to be
in the ruins. There were twenty-five in
jured.
The dead are: Engineer Parke of the
Buffalo. Rochester and Pittsburg shops;
f. Havlin, residence unknown, and an
unknown woman. Tom Cullen, painter
by trade, and the child of Mrs. B. Tucker
are buried in the debris. A baby belong
ing to Mrs. Weaver is missing. E.
Tucker was in the building, but it is not
known whether he escaped or not.
The following are among those seriously
injured: JUDY Harmon, glassblower, cut
about the hands. face and neck and hair
all burned off, injured internally; w. j.
Osborne of Buffalo, back probably broken,
considered fatal; b. Pickard, night clerk,
leg broken and internal injuries.
The scenes attending the fire were ap
palling. One hundred and twenty-five
people were in the house: In the panic
the guests jumped from the windows of
the second and third stories to the rail-
road track on one side and into Tuna
Creek on the other. The hotel register
was burned and it is impossible to get an
accurate list of the missing. The finan-
cial loss is about 100000.
JOE JEFFERsoN's RESIDENCE BURNED.
BUZzARD's BAY Mass, April 2.-Fire
yesterday afternoon totally destroyed the
beautiful summer residence of Joe Jeffer-
son, situated on the shore of Buttermilk
Bay, and the family cook, Helen Nc
Grath, perished in the ruins.
Miss Simmons, the housekeeper, Miss
Collins, the maid, and Miss McGrath
were in the cellar at noon when Miss Nc
Grath discovered what she supposed to
to be water covering the floor. She called
the hired man, Wright, who saw at once
that it was oil from gasoline tank, and
lrs oh tod TO tIa - 81
lives. But they stood dumbfounde6. In
moment the gas communicated with
the fire in the furnace, and there was a
terrific explosion. Wright caught Miss
Simmonds and Miss Collins and fought
his way to the open air.
He endeavored to return for Miss Nc
Grath when he met with binding sheet
of flame. Burned and bleeding he still
heroically tried to gain an entrance, but
was unsuccessful, and the unfortunate
woman was left to perish.
When the cry of fire was raised Mrs
jefferson, who is ill in bed, hastily arose
and fled, not stopping to dress. She was
removed to the home of Station Agent
Bassett. She suffered a severe nervous
shock, and medical attendance was sum-
moned, The children, who were playing
in the attic, were the first to escape and
seek a place of safety.
The fire spread with lightninp-like
rapidity, the whole building being roar
ing furnace. The large and valuable
painting which was to have been ex-
hibited at the Worlds Fair was totally
destroyed, together with Jefferson's
costly collection of curios. 1t is estimated
that Sl50,OO0 worth of paintings were con-
sumed, and the total loss will.reach $780,
O0C. Jefferson is en- route to California
and word was sent to him of the catastro-
phe.
TOBACCO FACTORY BURNED.
NEW YORK, April "A seven-storv
brick building at Second avenue and
Thirty-eighth street, formerly occupied
by the w. Duke Il Sons Company as a
cigarette factory, but more recently by
the American Tobacco Company as a
mandatory of smoking and chewing to-
bacco, was destroyed by fire early this
morning. James B. Duke places his loss
at S4O0, 900, wholly covered by insurance.
FOREST FIRES IN NEW JERSEY.
MILLvILLE On. J.), April "A big fire
south of this city, which started yester-
day, burned fercely all last night, but
was reported to be under control this
evening. Considerable damage was done.
The fire in the vicinity of Carmel, which
was supposed to have been extinguished
vesterdav started mn again to-dav and q