The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-10-08

wmKEsBARER, Pa, Oct. 7,-shortly
a!tOr o'clock this afternoon a terrible
explosion OF gas occurred in tho Dor.
rance mine, operated BY the Iehigh
Valley COSl Company, which is situated
in the northwestern part Of the city,
1t ls not yet known how many men were
in tho mine. The officials were very
reticens, and it Is almost impossible TO
get any information from the levels Of
the earth where the rcscusrs are at
work. At S o'clock Eve men all badly
burned were brough: to the surface,
They are:
Robert blanchard, aged nineteen.
William Miller, aged twenty.one.
Michael Moss.
George LaAy,
Joseph Murphy.
The fret two are members OF the on.
giueer corps, Moss and Lahy are labor.
ers aud Murphy is driver. Miller aud
blanchard are 90 badly burned that
they cannot live. Blanchard gave his
version OF the explosion as no lay in n
cot at the hospital.
Shortly before o'clock tho engineer
corps decided 10 make survey OF tho
old abandoned works. known as the
baltimore section, and which underlie
the grounds Of the Wilkesbarre base
bail club, one mile distant from tho
main opening Of tho mine. The party,
which was in charge Of Fire Boss Daniel
ReeS, who is an expert on mine gasos,
consisted OF William Jones, William
Cahill and LleBellyn Owens. Blanchard
aud Miller were left bohind to finish
Some work which had been started in
the morning.
About twelve minutes after they had
left Miller and Blanchard, tho explosion
occurred. Both Miller and Blanchard
were knocked down by its force. Fly
ing timbers also struck Miller. breaking
both bis arms. After being knocked
down, Miller and Blanchard remember.
ed nothing until they wero revived at
the hospital. Blanchard thinks some
Of the engineers, or probably the fire.
bOss, set dre to body OF gas in an old
working and that all Of the party must
hayo been instantly killed. When
lAnChard was found he was being
suvly roasted TO death. Tho gas bad
st ire to his clothes aud they had been
almost burned oil his body when the
iescuers came upon him. Miller was
90 pinned down BY debris that no could
no! make uso Of bis hands. At O'Clock
Moss, LAhy and Murphy wero brought
to the surface. They, too, were badly
burned, and were taken to tho hospital.
At midnight, tho reIcuers had made
very little Roadway in their ehotrs to
reach the victims OF the explosion. Fire
damp made itS appearance shortly alter
Q o'clock, which proceeded very aIowly.
There isa strong suspicion also that tho
explosion caused d heavy fail Ia the old
workings and that this will further re-
ilrd tho work OF tho reacuer5.
il iS now admitted by tho
mine officials that thOro is no
hope Of finding tho engineer
corps alive. They all porishod in tho
explosion, aud II they were not Killed
outright, they were Sulocated by tho
Lr0 damp. The superintendent is OF
,D0 opinion thoy were killed by the
force Of tho explosion and their bodios
probably burned to n crisp. All but
ceu. minors and lnborers have been ac.
counted for. Whether these eight per.
l,rcd with the engineers will not DO
Known until tomorrow. snperinton.
don't Chase thinks. however, that the
..., Of tho Lad will not number more
than seyon or eight Iheso may be pu!
down as follows:
William l., Jones. mining engineer,
aged twonly.onc, Of WilkesDarro.
william Cabil, mining engineer, aged
twenty, wilke-barro.
L.owellyn Owens, mining engineer
aged twcnty.iour. Pitlaton.
Daniel Davis, frG bass, aged thirty
eight.
rbrco unknown men, probably Hun.
garian inborcrs.
At midnight it was said at the ho1.
hul that Miller and blanchard Woro
ru'uns easily, but lIit!o hope is enter.
il.uui for their recovery.
yichaOl Moss, ono OF tho injured
munr, diod at tho hospital nt
u clock d. IN.
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