The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-30
LIST OF DEAD and INJURED
Inside Workings Of No. 3 Shaft Of
the Lehish and Wilkes Barre Coal
Company Demolished by Gas.
Several Miners Killed by the
ShOck-TWO Brave ReSCuerS Die
from Effects Of Black Damp.

Wilkes Barre, Pa. Oct. 29.-Another
dreadful explosion and mine horror oc-
CURED here this afternoon shortly af-
ter l o'clock in No. shaft, operated
by the Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre Coal
company In the southern part Of this
city. The list Of the dead up to eight
o'clock tonight number six in all and
two are injured as far as can be learn
ed. 1t Is not known just how many
men were in this mine at the time OF
the explosion, but this being an idle
day at the colliery and the four hund-
red or more miners and labOrers who
find employment therein were not at
work. Had all the hands been In the
mine at the time the loss of life would
at work were company hands employed
in looking after the inside workings
and keeping the mine in good. cOndi-
tion.
William Lacey, contractor, was at
work In rock tunnel about mile
from the foot of the shaft, with a num-
ber of men who were employed under
him-just how many 1t is not as yet
definitely known. The number, how
OF these, four are dead, including the
contractor himself. Imediately after
the explosion a rescuing gang was
organized by firebOss William X. Jones
and Assistant Foreman John w. JOS
ephs. The men proceeded down the
shaft, Jones and Josephs being far in
the advance and when about one mile
from the foot of the shaft they
stumbled over the bodies of Owens,
Lacey. Herring and Worth. At this
point they were overcome by black
damp and fell dead in their tracks.
The other resucers were forced to beat
a hasty retreat and were rapidly taken
out of the shaft.
They were weak and upon reaching
the open air revived. A few hours later
the air current was partly restored
and the men were able to push their
way into the tunnel with somewhat
better results. but still not able to
reach the four rock miners killed.
LIST OF THE DEAD.
The list Of dead as far as known are:
WILLIAM r. JONES. aged 46 years, fire
boss, married with a large family; been
In the employ of the company for the
JOHN W. JosEPHs, aged 50 years, mar
ried. leaves wife and three children;
has been assistant mine foreman for
past twelve years.
WILLIAM LACEY, aged AZ. rock con-
tractor. married. leaves wife and sew
eral children.
JAMES HERRING, aged Sc years, rock
JOSEPH WORTH, aged 45 years, rock fire
boss. married, leaves wife and three
children.
The injured, so far rescued, are:
DAVID WILLIAMS, aged 20 years, Ia
borer, single, overcome by gas.
JOHN DAVIS, aged 80 years. laborer.
single. overcome by gas, with bruises
on body.
There are several theories as TO the
cause of the explosion. The mine is
known to be a gaseous one and extra
precautions have always been taken to
guard against explosions. All the men
at work in the tunnel today Carric,!
safety lamps. so 1t is not believed that
the gas was exploded from a naked
lamp. The most plausible theory is
that the gas was ignited by a blast.
The explosion was so great that it de-
molished the inside workings and he
fore the rescurers can reach that
portion of the tunnel where the men
are supposed to be it will be necessary
to remove the debris. This may take
considerable time and it is possible
that the bodies of the four dead rock
miners may not be recovered before
tOnlOTTOW.
EXPLOSIONS FREQUENT.
In the past three years this colliery
has been the scene of several bad ex-
plosions. The most disastrous occurred
on Sunday, March 9th, 1890 BY which
! eight miners were burned to death in
a most horrible manner, and two years
ago some of the members of the New
York Coal Exchange had a narrow es-
cape. a party of ten of them were on
the carriage and had been lowered a
short distance into the shaft when an
explosion took place near the foot. The
! carriage was quickly hoisted out of the
shaft, just in time to save the lives of
the New Workers.
The roof of the fan house was blown
off today and that building otherwise
damaged. The shock from the explo-
/ sion was heard for fully a mile away.
| The mine is on fire and will cause the
| company much trouble and expense be-
! fore the flames can be subdued.
Later-The bodies Of the four rock
miners were found at $50 tonight and
are now being brought to the surface.