New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-10
THE TWIN MINE DISASTER.
STATE INVESTIGATION BEGINS IN ST.
ALOYSIUS HALL, PITTSTON.
EDWARD HUGHES TEsrIFIEs THAT THE SHAFTS
WERE NOT sAFE-INsPECTOR MDONALD
POINTS OUT THE PRECAUTIONS

TAKEN BY THE COMPANY.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNEl
Wikesbarre, Penn. July 0.-The investigation
into the cause of the Twin Mine disaster was
opened this morning in st. Aloysus Hail. Pitts
ton. Inspector William Stein. of Shenandoah;
Edward Brennan, of Shamokn, and Edward
Roderck, Of Scranton, constitute the Commits
sion appointed by the Governor. Attorney-Gen-
eral Mccormick is present to advise the Com
mission and to decide upon the mode Of proceed
ure to be followed
At II o'clock the inspectors entered the hall
and took seats upon the platform. Inspector
Stein presided. Attorney General Mccormick
began by telling how the investigation was in
augurated by the Governor, who desired to know.
first II all the safeguards for mining provided by
law had been observed by the mne-owners and
whether all the preventives of accidents had been
employed: second. II those preventives were not
used and If this accident was caused by the
negligence Of the mine-owners. II the Commits
sion finds that this was Of those accidents
for which no one is accountable, they are to take
such measures as may render less possible a
similar catastrophe.
Edward Hughes the first witness. said on
the day before the disaster working with
John Gill l said TO him 1t was not n safe place
to work We noticed that the bottom was fall
ing out Of vein No 3. / could run my arm over
the coal and under the roof. On that day ] had
conversation with Mr.. Mccormick, who was the
fire boss and told him how dangerous 1t was.
There was slight cave-in, and also some trouble
from gas We had consultation as to whether
we should continue to work. One or the men
threw up piece Of stone and asked wet or
dry 1t came down wet.
"Then a few Of the men went out. and was
among the number. Previous to the accident tne
props used in the mine were thin ana OF not
much use They had rested OUTSIDE TOT TWO
years and were dried up with the sun. Two
weeks before the accident l first noticed the
company using as support for the roof wha' 's
known as cogs Six months ago saw the pillars
of the fifth vein sink down. I first noticed the
bottom going down by the roadbed sinking"
Hughes said he did noe believe operations at
the mine were conducted legally. Also that the
company had been warned OF the cave-in three
weeks before 1t occurred. and did nothing until
the day before the accident.
| Mine Inspector Mcdonald was on the stand In
| the afternoon. He was examined as to whether
the pillars in the NTH and sixth veins were
directly under each other. He admitted that
they were not quite, but were as near as could be
way was twenty-four feet wide at point de-
| scribed by Mr.. Hughes. but added that on an
| average II was but twelve feet. He said some
of the gangways were only eighteen feet w<de,
but that others had to be driven wide to avoid
gas and make working safer.
When asked about the probable cause OF the
accident he said he noticed a large crack or
! fssure In the rock rear the cave. through which
water came but they bored hole through 1t
and found the rock Of average thickness Dur
ing his examination Mine Inspector Mcdonald
said that he never had occasion to coll any otner
inspector 10 look at the mine He considered
that the pillars were strong enough TO support
the everything strata OF sandstone. ne accounts
for the strata breaking down so suddenly be-
cause of the fssure and the dislocation men
toned in his evidence above. He was not notl-
fed at any time that squeeze was going on In
the mine He knew of nothing In the statutes
debating the size pillars should be During the
time Vein No q had been working, said MI NC
Donald nine lives had been lost In the SIX years
previous to the present disaster
AS MIR Mcdonald made this statement man
In the audience loudly exclaimed: You're a -
liar, Mister. n-
He was Immediately elected from the hall On
being cross-auestioned by Mr.. Oberye, Inspector
McDonald said that during the last year he had
made five official visits to the mine Tnere ar"
Ave veins In the mine, two of which had lately
been worked Within the last two years he had
not inspected any Of the worked-Out veins
Mr. Oberyle consumed considerable time In
rigidly questioning Inspector Mcdonald as TO MS
visits to the mine and the condition IN Whlcn ne
found the workings He said he took his map
into the mine with him. On the map he traced
the various workings which he visited and In
spected The hearing was then adjourned until
to- morrow morning at 10 O'Clock.
a