Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-03-28
MINERS PERISH.
Awful Result of Exploding Gas In
Pennsylvania Colliery.
thirteen workmen Are Killed-Narrow
Escape OF Four othcrs-Twelve Bod
les of the victims Are
Rescued.

Dubois, Pa, March 24.-The first great |
mining disaster in this neighborhood |
in all of the IS years since mining be-
came an industry of magnitude occur
red at O:2O o'clock Monday morning |
at the Berwind-White shaft, just east
of town. 1t came in the form of an eX-
pIosion of mine gas and resulted in the
death of 13 men, all of Dubois. The
names of the dead follows:
James Graham, Sr., James Graham. Jr,
who was working with his father, John
Monroe George Postlethwaite, Jesse Pos
tIothwaite. Henry Harvey, George Harvey,
Harry Smith, Lindsey +. Bradley, Andrew
Mowak, David Bell, Reuben Noble, George
Ainsley.
All of the dead leave families except
James Graham, Jr. AS soon as the cX-
plosion occurred and before the extent
of the disaster was known, messengers
were sent into town to summon all OF
the physicians who could be found.
When the news reached the Rochester
mines. which are three miles from the
shaft. the men working there rightly
OWNED that the services of good, prac-
tical men would be wanted under the
ground, and about 40 at once came out
| and started to the shaft. Conveyances
were found for some and others went
as far as they could in the street cars
| and walked the remainder of the way.
| Superintendent Reed, of the Rochester
mines, followed, and as soon as he ar
| rived at the shaft went below with n
| cage full of his own men. The air was
| so bad below that the men, who went
down in gangs of about ten, could not
stay long at u time, but the opening
seemed to clear up later on, and better
progress in getting at the extent of the
disaster was made.
Seventeen men went down the shaft
at seven o'clock in the morning, IL
going into a heading north of the shat;
and the other four in the opposite direc'
ton, and the latter, with the mine boss
were the only ones to escape the ter
rife shock. The four men were half c
mile away from the shaft, and shortly
after nine o'clock they felt what they
believed was the shock, following ar
explosion of gas. Immediately aftel
Mine Boss Harvey came running toward
them and directed them to hurry TO thu
foot of the shaft. When they came II
| InG SUdlI lItN lhNO "a pp'y VI 6 N
and knew that there had been an eXplo
sion. Their first effort was to put VI
some brattices which had been blown
off by the explosion, hoping that
might possibly have the effect of turn
, ing an air current to their comrade
in the other parts of the mines, bu
) before they had accomplished muc
: they were overcome by gas and had
be taken up in the cage, one of thel
being in a very serious condition. The
it was that the news reached the ou
l side world. The shaft is close to 30
t feet deep, and for some time there ha
been known to be traces of gas in til
l chambers, but precautionary measure
were observed to avoid disaster. tt
{ mine is new one and is yet in earl
I, stages of development, and for that re;
son there were no more men at work {
I the time of the explosion.
: Twelve of the 13 bodies have been r,
covered from the shaft. 1t is not know
= whether the remaining body is that {
s Bell or Noble, as the body of tho last vi
4 tim brought to the surface is mutilate
beyond recognition.
Dubois, Pa, March 24.-Fire broke OF
in the Adrian mine No. l, at Delane
:, jefferson county, Monday 1nornin
- Superintendent w. Robinson and fl
p. men entered to locate the fire. The
were overcome with gas, and rendert
"a unconscious. A rescuing party was o
20 ganized and Charles Lawrence al
ia Isaac Jones were found dead. The OF
If ers will recover. The mine is owned
to the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal al
At Iron company.