The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-30
The When
VICTIMS OF MINE DAMP
SIX COAL DIGGERS DEAD AND
TWELVE UNACCOUNTED FOR.
Disastrous Explosion of Gas in One of
the COIIieries of the Lehigh and
WiIkesbarre Company.

explosion of gas occurred in No. mine
of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Coal Com
pany in South Wilkesbarre, between l and
2 o'clock this afternoon. Six men are
known to be dead and two injured. 1t is
not yet known how many men were in the
mine at the time of the explosion, but
twelve are reported missing, and it is be-
lieved all of these have perished. The dead
who have been brought to the surface are:
WILLIAM r. JONES, fire boss, married,
with q family.
JOHN JOSEPH assistant mine foreman
wife and. five children.
Others known to be dead but who cannot
be reached because of the mine damp are:
THOMAS OWENS, miner, married and
WILLIAM LACEY. rock miner married
and family.
JAMES HEBRON, laborer, married and
family.
JOSEPH WORTH, fire boss. married and
family
The injured, so far as known, are: David
Williams. overcome by black damp and in
jured on back and side; John Davis. over
come by lAlck damp.
The cause of the explosion will possibly
never be known. The mine was idle for to-
day Usually there are from 400 to 800 men
employed in the mine. Had they all been
at work when the explosion occurred the
loss of life would have been fearful. The
only men in the mine this afternoon We're
the company hands and fire bosses who
were at work in the rock tunnel changing
the air course. Among those at work in
the tunnel were: Thomas Owens William
Lacey and James Worth. The place was
very gaseous, and the men worked with
safety lamps. 1t is believed the gas was
ignited by blast. David Williams the
driver boss, was at the head of the slope
800 feet away, when the explosion occurred,
and was hurled some distance and injured.
He was the only one in that vicinity who
escaped alive. The explosion was so severe
that it was plainly felt at the mouth of the
shaft. The roof of the farmhouse was blown
off and all the airways and brattce inside
were wrecked and blown away. The alarm
was prom pity given, and hundreds of men.
women and children rushed to the head of
the shaft. The grief of the womankind
who had husbands. sons or brothers in the
mine was heartrending.
The work of organizing rescue gangs was
begun without delay. 1t was a perilous un-
dertaking, as the sequel proved but no
man faltered. lire boss William r. Jones
ana assistant mine foreman John Joseph
selected the men for the first party and
themselves led the way. All were over
come by the dread afterdamp, but not until
they had found driver boss David Williams
All except Joseph succeeded in reaching the
loot OF the SHAFT and We're removed to the
surface, but the old fire boss, William r.
Jones, Suecumbed to the dealy fire damp
and oied in half an hour after Icing Drought
out, despite the efforts OF Drs Stewart and
Petty, who did their utmost to revive him
John Joseph, the other hero, became sep
arated from the first party, and the sec
ond reScuing party found his body and
moved it to the surface at 2:30 o'clock. A
number of company men who worked in a
different part of the mine reached the sur
face by the No. shaft, and also by an
other opening. 1t is not thought possible
to reach the four men in the rock tunnel
until the air currents are opened.
Superintendent laval and other officials
of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre company
We're early the scene and did all in
human power to aid the men below. Many
streams of water were sent down the shaft
to establish a temporary air current while
the work of rescue was in progress. laval
believes there mey yet be six men inside,
but an old miner insists there twelve.
1t is the general supposition that all are
dead. A 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 distance
to insure safety. The mine damp is very
bad, and the work of rescue is progressing
at great risk. On March 2, 1880. in this
colliery eight men were imprisoned
and died before they could be reached by
the rescuing party.
Later-The bodies of Thomas Owens Will
liam Lacey, James Heron and j. A. Worth.
who We're at work in the tunnel, were
burned and hardly recognizable. The res
cuers are now at work clearing the tunnel
1t is believed now however, that six is the
total number of dead.
One Killed. Two Fatally Injured.
WILK ESBARRE. Pa, Oct. 29-One per-
son was killed. two were fatally injured
and another was seriously injured by an
accident on the Wyoming Valley traction
line, early to-day. The killed and injured
are: Julia Walsh aged twenty years, of
Port Bowkley, both legs cut off and died
while being removed to the hospital; John
Hughes. of Port Griffith. cut about the
head and injured internally; Dennis Hogan
aged seventeen years, of Midvale, leg
broken and internally injured; Julia Curley
aSed twenty years had an arm broken and
confusion the head and body. but will
recover. The was running on the line
between this city and Pittston. When
about a mile from Wilkesbarre ii jumped
the track. 1t fell upon it's side, pinning
four of the passengers under the wreck. 1t
was nearly an hour before they were
moved.
Wreck and Fire.
WAPAkONETA, O.. Oct. GA disas-
trous collision happened on the Cincinnati.