Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-28
DISASTER in a MINE.
Explosion of Gus Kills Two and I'm.
lures Many Near Marion, III.


lures Many Near Marion, III.
Marion, ILL.,, Sept. 25.-At 1918 o'clock
Friday morning one of the most ter
rible catastrophes that has ever oc-
Cured in the history of the county
took place at the Williamson county
coal mines, located at Johnston City.
From the facts gathered it seems that
a Quantity of gas had accumulated in
an entry some 200 yards south of the big
shaft during the night, and upon the
arrival of the men who were at work
at that particular place it was ignited
from the lamps worn by the miners
upon their caps. Certain 1t is that a
short time after the descent of As men
into the earth terrible explosion oc-
CURED, blowing the cage that was rest
ing at the bottom Of the shaft 80 feet
upward, and sending volume of smoke
and gaseous vapor whirling and hurting
out Of the mouth Of the shaft.
At the first news Of the calamity,
oven before the bodies of the victims
were brought up, Mine Superintendent
G. Davis showed the actions of hero
by going down in the poisonous at
mosphere and aiding in the rescue. His
bravery overcame all discretion, and,
unheeding the warnings of the men,
he rushed to the spot where 1t was
known that one unfortunate still re-
NAMED, but outraged nature proved
more potent than heroism, and his In
sensible form was dragged out of the
death-dealing air. the inhaling of the
after-damp nearly causing his death.
After he was restored he Immediately
went below again, and at the time the
reporter was on the scene was still in
the mine searching for the body of the
one man, who is still in the NINE The
impossibility of living in the mine till
the after-damp has subsidized prevents
the body from being reached
Following are the known victims of
the disaster:
KILLED-Frank Farraro and an I'M
known, still imprisoned in the mine.
FATALLY HURT-G. Grietti, horribly
burned; Peter Casper, burned internally
cannot live; Joe Barlow, left leg broken
twice. right leg smashed, head cut, will die.
1NJURED-Robert Britton arm broken:
M. Owens. arm and face burned; Dave
Richmond. head badly cut n. Smith,
burned; Robert Richmond, bruised; ]. HiR-
gins, cut on head and badly shaken up.
Drs. Felt, Burgess and Boswell came to
the relief of the wounded and had all
they could do in dressing the wounds OF
the sufferers. The scene at the mines
cannot be described. Stout-hearted men
stood about awe-stricken with white
faces and quivering lips, too full of
thankfulness for their escape to speak.
The body of Frank Farraro, who came
to Johnston City from Collinsville, nj,
was lying in the office respectfully COW
cred by sheet, there is not bruise dis
cernable and his death was caused solely
by asphyxiation. Peter Casper, one of
the fatally injured, is burned almost be-
yond recognition. The skin is loose
from the bones of his limbs, and it is
question of hours us to his death.
Joseph Barlow, 16-year-old boy, Ia
mangled horribly and cannot live. G.
Grietti, an Italian miner, is injured in
ternally and his sufferings are painful
to behold, also is burned very badly
about the face and body and cannot re-
cover. Coroner May FASTENED to the
scene of disaster with promptitude and
will hold an inquest over the dead body
of Farraro, and will probably be busy
all day to-day