The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-25
THE EXPLOSION
GILBERTON.
Con. Leahy, the Mine Foreman, Died
This Morning.
THE REST WILL RECOVER
Results of the Investigations Thus far
Made of the Circumstances Sur
rounding the Disaster.

Nothing which has occurred in connec-
tion with mining operations in this region
since the disaster at the Kelley Run col
liery aroused excitement equal to that
caused by the explosion at the Gilberton
colliery. 1t startled the people through
out the region and from the time the re-
port of the occurrence first spread until
late hour last night kilograms and mes
sages from all parts of the country
poured into Gilberton and this town in
quest of information concerning the vic
Tins, many of the inquiries coming from
anxious friends and relatives at distant
points,
1t is gratifying to know that although
two men lost their lives, and ten more
suffered injuries, the effect of the ex
plosion was comparatively slight Most
of the ten injured men had miraculous
escapes from death, but as it is they suffer
from but slight burns
| At the time of the explosion but one
man, Frank Mccormick, the fire boss
suffered death but at an early hour this
morning the spirit of Con. Leahy, the
| inside foreman of the mine, passed away
| He was unconscious when found in the
mine and remained so until death stepped
in
The ten injured men are George e. Davis,
of Turkey Run; William Davis, his
adopted son; Louis Ball or Bolinski, of
| Shenandoah; James Toomey, of Turkey
| Run; William Schultz, of Shenandoah (;
| Robert Sherman, of VIM. Penn; John
| Kester, of Shenandoah Henry Buchanan,
of Gilberton William Birmingham, of
Turkey Run; and Enoch Finderlin, of
| Shenandoah.
OF these Bolinski and young Davis are
the worst injured. The former was cut
and bruised as well as burned. His con
dltion is serious, but he will probably
recover. A report that he died last night
was unfounded. Young Davis was not
badly burned but suffers from being
tramped upon by mule. His condition
is not serious, however.
l. 1t is not known exactly how McCor
mick met his death. He was found dead
on the upper side of the gangway and
about 35 yards west of the slant leading
to the stable. heavy door covered his
body and there was a crush Of the head
at the top. 1t is believed that blow he
received from the door killed him.
The circumstances under which Con
| LeRhy was found are considered remark
| able. When the explosion occurred Dis
trict Superintendent Rees Tasker was en-
gagged in the st. Nicholas colliery. WheI
he received the dispatch he hurried to Gil
berton and an hour after the explosion
Mr.. Tasker and Patrick Leahy, brother
of Con, were on their way in the mine il
search of the two missing men - McCor
mick and Leahy.
After finding McCormick's body tn,
two searchers pushed their way ives
along the gangway and after travelling
about seventy yards found Con. Leah!
directly opposite the west line of tn
| Furnace slope, bending over with hi
hands against the south side of the gang
81, way and cropping his way tediously in tn
dark, westward. Strange as it may seem
IL is vouched for by the two searchers, tn
] victim was apparently unconscious. Hi
eyes were closed he did not utter a sount
A., | and did not give the slightest indication
movement in cropping How he got there
or crossed the slope without tumblinj
into the gunboat hole will never b.
4 known. He was unconscious from tn
p time he was found until he died.
In order that the statements made b.
h those who have investigated the affai
may be better understood brief descriI
8 ton of the workings is given. The Buc
Mountain gangway of the GilbertOn CO.
liery is reached by the Furnace slope
which sinks $50 feet from the surface
IGunboAts are used in this slope. At
point 50 yards east of the bottom of tn
slope McCOrmick's body was foun
and from that point to the mic
die of the cross tunnel, whic
cuts the seVen-foOt and MammOt
veins, and in which eight of the men wer
grouped when the last explosions occurred
the distance is II yards. just east of tn
tunnel the slant to the stables begin,
The place where the first explosion oC
CURED, where Davis and his son wer
buried, is $50 yards east of the cross tunue
The result of the official investigation
/ thus far made is told better in the lang
uage of Mine Inspector Stein "Richar
Close, a loader boss, gave statemen
which he says is correct, He stated tina
George Davis had been TO the point wher
the final robbings had been brought
which is from IS to 42 breasts, East BucI
/ Mountain gangWay, and came out to tn
he and his son had suffered burns
Davis at the same time asked for Fran
| Mccormick, the fire boss. On hearin
tue statement Mccormick went toward
\ | Davis, and as he did so two more sligl
J explosions occurred, which were felt b
. all who were standing at the tunnel
where | was and which is $50 yards frOI
a where Davis was working. Mr., Leahy
the foreman, then went towards tn
}, stable and just as he entered tn
stable Leahy shouted back "Pu
out your lights, boys, there
10 gas here !" Almost simultaneo usl
! with this there was fourth explosion. /
I was very violent. 1t killed Mccormick
who had followed Leahy, blew Leah
/ along the gangway, and tumbled tn
, other men and myself pretty badly abou
1 the tunnel and turnout, also setting fir
to the hay in the stable and killing fiv
= | mules.n
q Mine Inspector Stein also says tina
Frank Mccormick, on making his usua
q morning examinations, reported that
squeeze had taken place during the nigh
and told Fred Weeks, fire boss in tn