Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-11-05

Wllkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 30.-A ter
rible explosion Of gas occurred at No.
mine Of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre
Coal company in south Wilkesbarre
between 1 and 2 o'clock yesterday at
ternOOn. Six men are known to have
been killed, and three 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 believed that all of these persisted
The dead who have been brought to
the surface are: William R. Jones,
fire boss, has family; John Joseph, as
sistant mine foreman, has wife and
i've children. Olhars known to be
dead but who cannot be reached be-
cause of mine damp are: Thomas
Owens, miner; VIM. Lacey, rock min
er; Jos. Worth, fire toss, all have fam
lilies. Inc injured, sc far as known
are: David Williams, John
Davis, both overcome by black-damp.
Fire Boss William r. Jones, and AS
sistant Mine Foreman John Joseph Sc
lected men for the first rescuing party
tbAiA 1Su Liz way. All were
overcome by the dread after damp. but
not until they had found Driver Boss
David Williams. All except Joseph
| succeeded in reaching the foot of the
shaft and were removed to the surface.
| but the old fire boss, William r. Jones.
succumbed to the deadly fire damp
and died half an hour after being
brought out, despite the efforts of the
doctors, who did their utmost to revive
him. John Joseph, another hero, be-
came separated from the first party,
and the second recuinS party found
the body and removed it to the surface
at Z:30. A number of a company of
men who were working in a different
point of the mine reached the surface
by No. shaft and also by another
opening. 1t is not thought possible
to reach the four men in the rock tun-
nei until the air currerts are opened.
superintendent laval and other Of
ficials of the Lehigh G Wilkesbarrs
company arrived early and did all in
human power to aid the men below.
Large streams of water were sent
down the shaft to establish a tenn
porary air current, while the work of
rescue was in progress. laval be-
lieves that there may yet he six men
inside, but the old miners insist that
there are twelve. The general suppo-
sition is that all are dead. A rescue
party of twelve men, in charge of the
mine foreman, John F. Jones, are
slowly making their way to the rock
tunnel and building an air passage
the entire distance to insure safety.
The mine damp is very bad and work
Of rescue is progressing at great risk
The cause Of the explosion will pos
sibly never be known The mine
was idle for the day. Usually there
are from four hundred to five hun
dred men employed in the mine. The
only men in the mine yesterday after
noon were a company Of hands and
fire bosses who are at work in a rock
tunnel changing the air course. The
place was very gaseous and the men
worked With safety lamps. 1t is be-
HeVed the gas was ignited by a blast.
David Williams, driver boss, was at
the head of the slope five hundred
feet away when the explosion occurred
and was hurled some distance and in
jured. He was the only one in that
vicinity VINO escaped alive. The
explosion was 50 severe that it was
plainly felt at the mouth of the shaft.
The grief of the women who had hus-
bands, sons and brothers in the mine
was heartrendering