The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-30


Tremendous Force of the Explosion
One of tho Worst Mines of That Regio
-Lsadsss of the First Rescue Part.
Psrish-The Death List-Day's News o
Accident and Crime.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. "a terrible
explosion OF gas occurred in No. mine
of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Goa
company, South Wilkesbarre, between
md o'clock this afternoon Six men
pre- known to be dead and three injured
It Is not yet known how many men
were in the mine at the time of the ex-
plosion, but twelve are reported missing
and 1t is believed all Of these have per-
lshed. The dead who have been brought
to the surface are:
WILLIAM r. JONES, fire boss.
JOHN JOSEPH. assistant mine fore
man.
Others known to be dead, but who can
hot be reached because OF the mine
lamp are:
THOMAS OwNES, miner.
WILLIAM LACEY, rock miner.
JAMES HEBRON, laborer.:
JOSEPH WORTH, fire boss.
The injured. so far as known, are:
David Williams, overcome by black
aamp.
Johnh Davis, overcome by black damp.
The cause of the explosion will proba-
bly, never be known. The mine was idle
Tor the day. Usually there are from
100 to 500 men employed in the mine.
Had they all been at work when the ex-
ploSion occurred. the loss of life would
have been very large. The only men in
the mine this afternoon were the COM
pany hands and bosses, who were at
work in the rock tunnel, changing the
lir course The place was very gaseous
and the men work with safety lamps. 1t
Is believed the gas was ignited by a
blast David William, the driver boss
was at the head of the slope, 500 feet
AWAY, when the explosion occurred and
was hurled some distance and injured.
He was the only one in that vicinity
VINO escaped alive.
The explosion was so severe that it
was plainly felt at the mouth of the
shaft The roof of the fan house was
blown off and all the air-ways and
braftice inside were wrecked and blown
away. The alarm was promptly given
and hundreds of men, women and chill
rren rushed to the head of the shaft.
The grief of the woman who had hus-
bands. sons or brothers in the mine was
heartrending.
The work Of organizing rescue gangs
was begun without delay. 1t was
perilous undertaking, as the sequel
proved, but no man faltered. Fire Boss
William r. Jones and Assistant Mine
Foreman John Joseph selected the men
for the first party and themselves led
the way. All were overcome by the
dread after-damp, but not until they had
found Driver Boss David Williams
All except Joseph succeeded in reach |
Ing the foot Of the shaft and were re- |
moved to the surface, but the old fire |
boss, William r. Jones, succumbed to |
the deadly fire damp and died in half an |
hour after being brought out, despite |
the efforts of doctors to save his life. |
John Joseph, the other hero, became sep
hrated from the first party, and the sec
pnd rescuing party found his body and |
removed it to the surface at 2:30 o'clock |
A number of company men who were
working in a different part Of the mine |
reached the surface by the No shaft |
and also by another opening. 1t Is not
Thought possible to reach the four men
In the rock tunnel until the air currents
hre opened.
Large streams ofwater were sent down
the shaft to establish a temporary air
current while the work of rescue was in
progress. Superintendent laval be-
lieves there may be six men inside, but
an Old miner insists there are twelve 1t |
is generally supposed all are dead The !
rescue party of twelve men, in charge of
Mine Foreman John F. Jones, is slowly
making way to the rock tunnel and
building an air passage the entire dis
tance to insure safety. The mine damp
Is very bad and the work of rescue is
progressing at great risk.
On March 2, $780, in this same colliery.
eight men were imprisoned, and died be-
fore they could be reached by the rescu-
Ing party. ,
PINNED UNDER A WRECK.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 29.-One person
was killed. two were fatally injured. and
another was seriously injured by an ac-
cident on the Wyoming Traction line |.
early this morning. The killed and in
jured are:
JULIA WALSH. aged 20 years. Of
Park Bowkley; both legs cut off: died
while being removed to the hospital.
JOHN HUGHES of Port Griffith: cut
about head: injured internally.
DENNIS HOGAN. aged II wears of {
leg broken and injured inter- {
na,ly. I
Julia Curley, aged 20 yeans: arm brok-
en-; confusion on the head and body; will :,
|
The car was running on the line be-
tween this city and Pittston. IL fell i,D- {
On Its side, pinning four of the passeng- c
ers under the wreck. 1t was nearly an I
hour before they were removed. L
FRISCO WRECK INQUEST.
st. Louis, Oct 29.-Coroner Wait of 81 >
louis. this afternoon took I'D the inyes /.
lgaton OF the question of the RESPONSE =
'iiity Tor the Frisco wreck of Sunday :
asst, following the inquest made m
Airkwood. This arises from the fact that =
mother victim has been added 10 the l;st
II those killed in the meramec cut coll
ision. and that this latest victim died in
81 Louis. The name Of the ninth VIC .
I'M Is John r. Dressing. The same VIII
lesses examined at the previous INQUEST
VIII be- present v
FOREIGN SHIPPING SUFFERS
Liverpool. Oc:. 29-The British steam q
r Architect. Captain Whitborne. from g
iaiveston on Oct .. for this port az 8
wed today and landed the crew of the ;,
taIan bark Lorenzino, Captain Cam a
'no, from Miramichi. N B.. on Septen- u
er Il, for this port. which was abandon 8
IN water,ogged condition. Her crew r.
the ships boats buffeted the waves a
II