The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-15
A FATAL EXPLOSION !
Deadly Gas in the West Bear
Ridge Colliery.
ONE MINER MEETS DEATH
-Four Men Badly Burned and Otherwise
Iuiured-The Victims Hurled Through
Space by the Terrific Force of the Ev-
plosion-The Cause n Mystery.

MAHANoY PLANE, May 15.-An explosion
Of gas took place in West Bear Ridge
colliery yesterday afternoon by which
John Hottenstein, miner 3S years of age
and residing at Ashland, was instantly
killed and four men were injured.
The injured are:
Robert Dalton, miner, Mahanoy Plane,
burned about the face and hands.
Michael Ryan, loader, Lost Creek,
burned and bruised about the head and
body Bad cash across the forehead.
Edward Ryan, loader, Lost Creek,
burned about the face and hands, but not
seriously.
William Minnie, miner, Ashland, SER
iously burned.
The remains of Hottenstein were re
moved to his home in Ashland. An
inquest will be held this evening.
The injured men, with the exception of
Edward Ryan, were removed to the
Miners Hospital at Fountain Springs.
Ryan was able to walk to his home.
The report that the explosion was caused
by a naked lamp is denied by Inside Fore
man Kline and his assistant, James
Mahony. The place is known to be
loaded with gas and for this reason no
naked lamps are allowed within breast u,
where the safety burners are unlocked.
The gas is believed to have been ignited
through the safety lamp carried by
Robert Dalton, which it is thought eX-
ploded, although no trace of the lamp has
since been found. The concussion, though
heavy, did no damage to the mines.
The scene of the explosion was in breast
number 27, of the south dip, west gang
way, at 1920.
The presence of gas was first noticed by
William Minnie, who called to Dalton,
working in the slant above, to save him
self. Dalton was in the act of picking up
his lamp when apprised that it was too
late by flash of brilliant light followed
by terrible and irresistible movement
of air that dashed him to earth as though
he were feather.
The foreman and assistants were mp
prised of the explosion by the unusual
rush Of air through the workings and a
moment later were upon the scene. They
found Edward Ryan, loader, picking
himself out of the ditch where he had
been tumbled by the explosion while
climbing upon the wagon. Near by him
lay his partner Michael Ryan, unconsci-
Gus and bleeding quite freely from
manway, starting the coal when dashed
out and against the wagon, to the ditch
He revived soon after.
William Minnie and Robert Dalton
were met making their way down the
breast, groaning with pain. The search
ing party BfOpeu luS way through Jne
dust laden atmosphere toward the place
where Hottenstein was known to have
worked. A call elected no response. Up
the steep pitch they climbed, fearful for
their fellow workman's fate. His posi-
| tion was known to have been one Of par
ticular danger.
Forty feet from the face of the breast
they found Hottenstein's body lodged
against prop, his skull aid open and his
brains oozing from the hcrrible wound.
Hottenstein was dead an had proba bly,
been so for several minutes He is sup
posed TO have been working at the face,
| from where he was doubtless hurled
through space with terrific force and hi
flight checked in it's fatal contact with
the protruding timber below. The re-
mains were removed from the place upon
a stretcher.
The officials and inspectors were upon
the scene this morning making investiga-
tions