The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-16
NARROW ESCAPE
FROM A MINE FIRE
Two Hundred Men and Boys We're in
Danger.
FLAMES IN THE WEST RIDGE NINE
Shanty Of the Fire Boss and the Tim.
bering Burned..SmOke Filled Two
Veins and Made the Men Scramble
for Safety..Prompt Action of Mine

Many Of the two hundred men and
boys at work in the West Ridge Coal
company's mine in the North End mar
rowly escaped being burned or suffoca-
ted yesterday morning. The shanty Of
the fire boss near the foot OF the slope
was discovered afire soon after the men
began work and the flames spread to
the timbering. Several of the veins
were filled with smoke and there was
great deal of excitement on the surface
while the men were making their escape.
The flames We're extinguished by the
city fire apparatus before any serious
damage was done. At 6 o'clock last
night the timbers that were weakened
by the flames had been replaced or re-
paired and the usual work in the mine
will be resumed this morning.
The fire in the shanty is supposed to
have been started by the flame Of
naked lamp or by lighted match: at
all events the interior of the little hut
was u mass of flame when Fire Boss
Neeson discovered it. Huge clouds Of
smoke were pouring along the roof and
into the three and tive-foot veins which
commence at this point and in which
most of the men were at work.
UNABLE TO BREATHE.
Neeson tried to make his may into
each Of the veins but was unable to
breathe on account Of the smoke and
so could not alarm the men. He made
his way up to the head of the sicpe and
a city alarm was sent in, the North End
companies responding. A long line of
hose was put down the shaft. situated
near North Main avenue and back OF
the residence Of Postmaster Nandling,
and stretched to the shanty which Is
about midway between the foot of the
slope and the shaft.
The firemen were not allowed to en-
ter the mine but the stream of water
was directed by Neeson, Inside Foreman
Richard Martin and Outside Foreman
Kingsley. Within forty minutes after
the fire was discovered and within
twenty five minutes after the hose was
run down the shaft the flames were ex-
tinguished.
Meanwhile the air currents had car
ried the smoke In among the chambers
where the men were working off the
three and five-foot veins 1t was impos-
sible to attempt any rescue owing to the
dense volumes Of smoke. About 60 per
cent. of those who had been at work
below reached the surface by plunging
blindly through the smoke into the
purer air near the mouth of the slope.
1t was later learned that of those who
failed to come to the surface had either
preferred to take the chances OF going
toward the face Of the workings or had
been working so far back that the
smoke did not reach them and they
worked on in blissful ignorance of their
danger.
CHANGED THE AIR CURRENT.
When the two foremen and Fire Boss
Neeson went down the shaft to direct
the stream of water from the hose they
changed the air current so that the
smoke was turned away from the fac
ings. Thus the men at work in the eX-
treme chambers were protected and the
mine was soon cleared of smoke.
The fire created so much excitement
among the miners and their families
that there was no effort made to resume
work yesterday. However, this might
have been done in the afternoon, as the
damage was slight.