The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-22
A aiyStery.
, had !nSpet
and d-clar,
{ OF the exp.
:. although

The fire boss had inspected the plane
Il :hc morning and declared It free from
E"S. Tha cause OF the explosion IL there
:'-e O mystery although the mine off,
Gals have several theories. One report
= that fall OF roof in the slope ex-
poded a quantity Of dynamite which
~as z.orel there ard tha: this. In turn.
termed a feeder o; cas TO become iSnI;cd.
.Aa"Shc:- theory Is that the gas was !g
:.;'t by a careless workman, ard Il third
;hAt blast SCI fire to the gas shortly be-
:grc rooE. and that the men We're fight
!EE the fire when the explosion occurred.
Ths first knowledge ot the catastrophe
came 10 the surface by the noise of the
explosion. The foundations o, the
houa4s over the rllEes shooE, and the
dreadful rumor spread from i!D 20 lip:
How many IEcu are in the nine?"
The men IN the engine house who had
charge OF the hosting carriages. gave
the first alarm. a resculHS party, head
cd ny John Matthews, was Immediately
urgaa.zcu and the brave fellows de-
sccnded the shaft as quickly as the car
RACES could take them.
But they did not remain long below.
The ventilation was bad and after two OF
the party had been overcome by the
tradIy after-damn they were compelled
u return to the surface.
\ half hour later the ventilation had
teen improved somewhat and another
:.~cue party went down. They found
three men lying unconscious In the
p.-EGT1y.
81! the men who escaped with their
,!yas had thrilling experiences.
AS soon as the explosion occurred
they made u rush for the main gang
;.ay. Some cra%led on their hands and
Erro3 for nearly n mile. They did not
crrc walk. for the force OF the after
damp would have prostratcd them. The
NlrOngeSt reached the foot OF the shaft
'rst, for II was fight for life, and each
man was for himself The older men
lad desperate time Some OF them
w"rN about to give up the struggle
when they were pulled along by their
rrm-nGcs. who could not see them drop
IN thcir tracks
owen Murray and John Minaley were
:.GaG by the rescUers who entered the
: Inc shortly after O'colck 10th were
GHc0nscloug and will scarcely recover.
Thay are In W!lkcsbRrro hospital. They
1""gr found near the foot OF the plane
where the explosion occurred.
Andrew Mcdonald. one Of the reFcu-
rcs, nearly lost his life while attempting
10 recover the body OF his brother
iflLia. lte knew wncTc IL DTDDublS
could be found, entered the plncc, and
fMmbled over n corpse in the darkness.
II" pays no recognized his brnihcrs
clothes by the touch. He attempted
10 pail tho body ont. but wn9 overcome
- ~ uttcr-dnmp and sank unconscious to
'hc ground. II was with difficulty that
.r was brought to the 8urfacr. After
I"nchIHg the open air and rcgnlnIng con-
sc!unBncss he wnntcd 10 make n accOnd
trip into the mine. but was not allowed
u 90.
Tho Ugunl heartrcndIng scenes were
Witnessed at the mouth of tho shaft
when n big disaster occurs.
The relatives OF the rntombcd men
Etthcrcl about and gnrC vent TO their
grief
Superintendent Footc raid tonight
That he wuN ut o loss TO account for tho
'husc of tc explosion. Every prccau-
'Inn had been taken 10 make tho mine
safe hn declared. II had always boon
N" rule of tho company 10 never allow
'h"!r employer 10 enter n mine whore
There was the least jeopardy OF life. and
ihiH rule has been enforced more strict
y ninCe the Pi,tst0n dIsnatcr OF iaa,
Juno. when !ifiy-Sevcn mon were buried
IN tho Twin shaft