The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-03-29
THE VIM. PENN
MINE EXPLOSION
Inquest Opened on Saturday and Con-
tinued Until To-day.
THE GAS IGNlTED WITH A MATCH
Developments Seem to Show That Sargent
the Man Who Died, Struck the Match
Prom Which the Gas Caught
Flame and Exploded

Deputy Coroner Manly and jury on Sat
urday commenced an inquest as to the cause
Of the explosion at the VIM. Penn colliery
last Tuesday morning whereby Joseph Sar-
gent received injuries from which he died
The session was brief one owing to the in
ability of several important witnesses to be
in attendance and only three witnesses were
examined. The inquest was continued until
two o'clock this afternoon
The developments thus far show that the
circumstances of the accident, as bearing
upon the events Immediately following the
primary cause were quite different from
those already published and question has
come up as to whether Sargent ignited the
gas with a match, or the gas was ignited by
the fame of his lamp without any fault on
his part. The burden of proof appears to be
that the former was the case. The relatives
of the victim however adhere to the latter
theory and the inquest is, in consequence
prolonged so that there may be an investiga-
ton that will satisfy the family.
1t appears that the Mammoth and Buck
Mountain veins in the VIM. Penn colliery
are connected by a tunnel about 1876 feet in
length Sargent and the other two victims
of the accident were engaged in loading
car with rock and coal from the tender slope
that is being sunk. The leaders were in the
Buck Mountain gangway and little east of
the tunnel cave-iu occurred in breast No
of the west gangway Of No. slope and that
pulled down part of the floor of the nam
month gangway at point about 12O yards
west Of Mol slope and about2O yards east of
the tunnel. The cave-in leaves an opening
in the Mammoth gangway floor about u
yards in length. When the fall occurred
there was a concussiou which, the company
claims, had its effect to and through the
tunnel to the point where Sargent and the
others were loading the car and their lights
were blown out The story as told in behalf
of the company continues After their
lights went out Sargent and his companions
made their way through the dark tunnel to
the Mammoth gangway When they were
approaching the breach in the gangway one of
the three men, seeing light on the east side
of the breach, called for a light They did
not know what had occurred and were still
walking towards the breach when David
Hopkins, whose light they had seen, and
who had been placed on guard on the east
side of the breach, called TO them and said,
Keep away We can't give you a light
she's gone down" The three men, under
stood for the first time, what had hap
pened and turned west again. going
back into the tunnel. 1t was there that
Sargent said he was going to have light.
He said there was plenty Of fresh air and nc
danger need be feared. He struck match
and his own death tells the rest of the mourn
ful story
This story differs from that claimed by the
relatives Of the victims in but one, although
vey important, respect. They claim that
there were two explosions, one where the
men were loading the car and the other oc
CURED in the tunnel, but the first was tn,
one that did the most damage The com
pany claims there was but one explosion
and was the one caused by Sargent ignitinl
the gas which was brought up from tn,
/ lower workings by the conclusion of thu
cave-in