The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-25

the Mine Inspector says the gas was
liberated from the everything strata 10y rea
son Of the squeeze and carried along in
the return air-current to where the stable
connects with the return airway and was
ignited by some one going in the stable
Richard Close, the loader boss, was the
only man in the tunnel who escaped in
jury.
In describing the force of the last ex-
plOsiOn one of the men in the tunnel at
the time says he turned a complete for.
ward sOmersault and when he landed
upon his feet his coat was thrown over
his head.
George El Davis, his son, and Enoch
Hnderlin, Pole, worked together, the
first named being the contractor and the
last named the lab0rer Davis made a
statement last night In which he ac.
counted for the first explosion. He said
that he was up in a chute at breast No. 10
and Finderlin was down on the gangway,
loading a car. While Davis was in the
chute there was n rush of gas, but on
reaching the chute turned and went back.
A second time it came to the chute and
went back. Davis felt that it would not
return again but concluded to go after
the two mules which were some distance
east of the breast. Davis and his son
went for the mules, but Finderlin ran
out towards the tunnel. Davis and his
son were unable to get the mules
out and in his efforts to accom-
plish it young Davis was tram
pied. The father and son turned back
and just as they approached breast 10 an
explosion took place, knocking Davis and
his son into the ditch. When they con-
sidered the danger over the two hurried
out to the tunnel. Davis could not tell
how the gas was ignited
The mine officials have agreed that the
explosion was caused by slide in a robbed
breast situated about 40 feet east on the
! Buck Mountain gangway; that the slide
liberated a body of gas which found its
way to the gangway and took fire from
Sherman's lamp.
An official stated last night that Sher-
man reported that the gas caught fire
from his lamp, but another miner said he
heard George Davis tell Foreman Leahy
! that he Davis) had lit it, but this the
miner construed to mean that it had been
done by one of Davis men.
Some of the men who were in the mine
| have stated that there were five explosions
in all. Almost twenty-five minutes
elapsed between the first and last. The
| first shock was light and occurred at
! about Ills o'clock, The second followed
| ten minutes after the first, three seconds
after the third blaze passed over, but this
was too light to do any damage. The
| fourth shock followed the third by about
ten minutes. 1t was the heaviest and did
the greatest damage. The fifth was very
The damage to the mine by reason OF
! the explosion is not serious. The sever
| dead mules were removed last night anC
District Superintendent Rees Tasker say
the mine will be ready to resume opera
tions on Monday morning.
Con. Leahy, the deceased mine foreman
was married man and son of eNCountA
Commissioner John Leahy. He was
very popular young man.
The remains of Frank Mccormick the
fire boss, were removed to the home o
his family on Gilbert street, this town
Immediately after the accident. He wa
80 years of age and left wife ant
five children. The Oldest child is II
years of age and the younges
10 months, He served as mem
ber of the mine inspectors board las
year and was an active member of tn
Phoenix Fire Company. The date of tn
funeral will not be fixed until the famil
can learn when E. j. Mccormick,
brother of the deceased, can reach her
/ from Omaha, Nebraska. The deceased
was born in Schuylkill Haven and haC
resided in this town 2S years.
John Leahy, brother OF Con. Leahy
died at his home in Ellengowan this morn
ing from miners asthma.
While Mine Inspector Stein was in tn
Gilberton mine yesterday examining tn
cause of the explosion he took box q
matches from q miner VINO was ABOUT
) go into work and few minutes late
took a handful of matches from a IN
2 ner who was on his way out of tn
, mines. These discoveries made tn
Inspector indignant. In spite of tn
; terrible accident he found men goin
in and out of the mine equipped directl
} contrary to the mine laws. "How ca
J the safety of the miners be preserved,
4, Mr.. Stein exclaimed in his indignation
: "when the miners themselves persist i
3 violating the laws Both these me
e strenuously denied that they had matchC
upon their persons, but when / threatene
TO place them under arrest they confesse
+ and gave me the matches"
As to the direct cause of the eXplosio
< Mr.. Stein said he was not prepared
: make positive statement but he coul
I, not see how the gas could beignited witt
: out light and if the men carried safet
a lamps it would not be ignited. Thrt
g years ago Superintendent John Neith,
4 Pottsville, and Mr. Stein gave unqual
+ fed instructions that none but satet
b lamps should be used in all the working
D of the Gilberton colliery, except by I'll
G bottom men. Even the pumpmeu we
j, ordered to use them. But Mr.. Stein addC
3 that during his visits he never saw an
= of the men using other than safety lamp
Mrs. Bridgman's classes in piano, eel
/ and violin will open September l. S-l5-4
4