The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-22
ANOTHER NINE HORROR
Five Men Meet Death in a COL
liery at Plymouth.
FIVE OTHERS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
Tho Tragedy Occurred Through tho Care
IessneHs OF an Assistant Mine Foreman,
who Entered Body of Gas with q
NRkad Lnmn.

Hho IrhSeuy Ocourreu Ihrough thc care
IessneHs OF an Assistant Mine Foreman,
who Entered "a Body of Gas with q
Naked Lamp.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Sept 22.-By an ex-
plosfon of gas in the Lance coliery No. II,
of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Coal COM
pany, at Plymouth, yesterday afternoon,
five men were instantly killed and five
others seriously injured.
The accident happened about . p. m,
and was caused by Joseph Golightly, who
entered body of gas with his naked lamp.
A terrific explosion followed. The dendly
flames swept from one end of the gang
way to the other, carrying death or injury
to every living being in its path. Props
came tumbling down, cars were lifted off
the road and dashed with fearful force
against the pillars, and loose coal was
caught up and sent whirling through tho
chambers, only to be ground into powder
by its impact with the rocky walls.
The men We're working fully a thousand
feet from the spot where Golightly's lamp
set off the gas, but owing to the unusually
gaseous condition of the mine the scorch-
ing flame spread so rapidly that there was
no escape.
Golightly was burned fearfully, the
flesh of his body being literally cooked.
The otheR victims were not burned, but
were killed By the flying debris carried on
the wings of the explosion. The masons
were building walls and the laborers clean
ing up rubbish in the rock tunnel when
death overlook them. 1t came with such
fearful force that only few of them had
a chance to escape
Golightly has been assistant mine fore
man for fifteen years and was considered
one of the safest and most reliable mer in
the employ Of the company. Hewas thor
oughly familiar with the mine and why
he entered the gangway with naked
lamp is a mystery which none of his friends
can solve.
As soon as the explosion occurred word
was sent to the surface and in few min
utes thousand people had gathered at
the mouth of the shaft. The greatest ex-
citement prevailed among the friends Of
the doomed men. A rescuiug party was
at once organized, being led by Superin-
tendent Morgan. Volunteers were ready
at II moments notice. and n large party
dropped down into the shaft to bring up
the victims. After a short absence they
reappeart l. bearing the blackened bodies
Women and children shrieked in an agony
OF grief, and threw themselves upon the
bodies of their dead az they were carried
by, while strong men brushed their hard
ened hands across their eyes and turned
away to hide The weakness.
The damage to the mine is not extensive
and it resumed work today.
The dead are: David NJ. Jones, aged SO,
contractor, Wilkesbarre, leaves a wife and
two children; William Jones, Wilkesbarre,
rock miner, aged IS, wife and two chill
dren; John Flanagan, aged Is, mason,
Wilkesbarre, wife and six children; Owen
p. JONES' Plymouth, aged 55, miner, wife
and several children; Joshua Golightly,
Plymouth, assistant mine foreman, aged
5o years.
The injured are: Owen L. Evans, rock
miner, aged 40, arm dislocated; Thomas
Williams, rock miner, aged 40, ribs
broken; ID. b. Davis, rock miner, aged 40,
shoulder dislocated; John Cummings,
| aged Is, leg broken by flying debris; James
| Morgan, miner, aged 46, face cut and scalp
wounds. All of the wounded will prob
ably recover.