Evening journal., 1894-10-10
FIVE BURHry l.i A WINE.
The Negligence Of a Carpenter
Caused the Disaster.
HIS NAEED LAMP FIRED THE GAS.

an Explosion In tho Luke FIdier CoIliery
Is Followed by the Most Disastrous Fire
In tho History Of the Pennsylvania An
thraeite Region.
sHAMoKIN, Pa, Oct 10. Tho most ais
astrous mine fire in tho history Of the an
thraota regions Of Pennsylvania started
at the Luke Fidler colliery from the naked
lamp of workman.
Five persons are known to be dead
They are George Brown, miner; Irwin
Burlington. carpenter Michael Buzoiis-
HE, lnborer, Anthony Colbert, driver boy
and John Gierze. lahorer.
The fire started in tho air way Of No 1
shaft, and Irwin Burlington, whom the
colliery officials hold responsible for tho
disaster Is dead His body was not burn
ed, as death was due to suifocation. George
Brown, a miner and ~ Polo, Anthony
Bobert, a driver boy from the Luke Ed
ler and another Polish laborer. whose
namo is not known by the mine officials
are In the mine, and no hope Is entertain
ed of recovering them. The mine is now
a mass Of flames and cannot be approach
ed from any direction. 1t is feared that
the inside workings will have to be flood
ed, which means many months OF idleness
TO the 300 employees. Superintendent Nor
ris Williams Of the Mineral Railroad and
Mining company informed representa-
tive of the press that while irwin Bufllng-
ton, John Anderson, Jr., and others wero
engaged in retmbering No. I shaft the
formor disobeyed orders by lighting his
naked lamp in the air course for the pur-
pose Of testing the air. A spark set fire to
the timbor that was as dry as powder, aud
the current carried the flames up and
down the shaft like lightning. Buffing-
ton was advised by his fellow workmen to
make good his escape, but he neglected to
heed their warning, and he returned to
tho bottom Of the shaft in order to OK
change his gura boots for his shoes. This
delay cost him his lifc, and his dead body
was recovered in the tunnel today
RELIEF Parties Organized.
superintendent Williams, Mine Inspect
or Edward Brennan, Inside Foromen
August Heir and Arthur Kennedy and
all of the under bosses at the Fidler and
Cameron mines formed three relief par
ties and entered the mine TO rescue the so
imprisoned workmen by way of the coal
run workings through No air way on
the mountain and down the new shaft
The latter opening proved godsend to
the men, as IL is to this channel the most
Of them owe their escape
The smoke spread through the inside
workings with great rnpidity and alarm
ed the men and boys doing night duty in
the mine. While the imprisoned mon were
rushing through the inside workings in
search of on air shaft for an outlet hun
dreds Of their friends gathered about tho
mouth Of the shaft, and as the farmhouse
was destroyed by the flames the cries and
means Of the mothers, sisters, wives and
children Of the imprisoned employees sent
chills through the hearts Of many hardy
miners, who were awaiting for an oppor-
tunity to assist their doomed comrades
Two Of the mon were overcome by tho
smoke while making their escape, but tho
Coal Run resouing party succeeded in car
rying them out and restoring them to con
seriousness. The gangs Of workmen can
not get to any point near the fire on ao-
count of the smoke and gas, SO that the
flames cannot be fought with any success.
1t has been decided to drown out the
fire but It win require six weeks to I'LL
tho inside workings with water Opera
tions cannot be resumed at this mine for
at least two years 1t employed 800 men
and boys, and It's payroll averaged $25,
600 per month