The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-29

Coal and Iron company, ana thelr
safety is due to the promptness with
which they were notified to vacate by
Mine Foreman Hugh McCutcheon ana
his assistant, James Eckersley
A spark from the locomotive which
hauls the coal TO the breaker set fire
to the roof of the fan house. In
twenty-five minutes the fan went
tumblng down the shaft. Smoke
poured in and filled the gangways and
chambers and suffocation would be the
certain fate of any person caught.
The men got out through the second
opening, which is 1900 feet from the
main shaft. Five mules were under
ground, but they would not be led
through the smoke and had to be
abandoned. In thirty minutes the fan
and engine houses were reduced to
ashes. The frame work around the
opening of the shaft was all that re-
mained standing.
Engineer Courtney remained at his
post awaiting a signal from below un-
til the fire came so close as to burn
his shirt. Those who saw his heroic
conduct speak in terms beyond praise
about il. He waited until the very
last minute to be of assistance to the
men in the mines had a call come from
them.
NO TIME TO SPARE.
The men inside when the fire broke
out were: John Donnelly, of Oak street.
a brattice man; John Dougherty, Of
Marvine street, a miner; Dennis GAL
lagher and John Bibles, miners: James
Hawley, a driver boy; and eighteen
Polish laborers whose names could
not be obtained. All except two were
in the bottom vein. They didn't have
a minute to spare.
Indirectly all of them owe their lives
to Mine Inspector Edward Roderick.
At his instance the works were closed
down last winter because there was
not second opening from the bot
tom vein, as required by law. The
main shaft is situated in the angle
formed by the Lackawanna river and
the Ontario & Western railroad a few
hundred feet north of Parker street.
Its depth is sos feet.
The first vein below the surface is
the 14-foot vein. That is worked out.
The second is the Clark vein. The
Clark vein is 36S feet from the sur
face, and there is another opening
1880 feet from the main shaft which
goes down to the Clark. The Dun
more No. 3 vein is 1877 feet below the
Clark. Mr.. Rodericks reason for stop
ping work at the shaft was because
the only way out of the Dunmore vein
was through the main opening through
which coal was hoisted. Furthermore
the boilers at the second opening were
never steamed up, except in the event
of an accident to the machinery in the
main shaft.
Mr. Roderick had to go to court
about it, BY his attorneys Willard.
Warren & Knapp, he applied for an
Injunction to restrain operations until
second opening was driven to the
bottom vein, and also that the COM
rany be required to keep steam up at
the second opening always when men
were in the shaft. Attorney w. j.
Hand appeared for w. H. Richmond,
president of the company and the
largest stockholder in it.
INJUNCTION GRANTED.
Judge Gunster granted an injunc-
ton as prayed for by Mr.. Roderick
and the mine suspended operations.
The company proceeded then to com
plete the opening between the Clark
and Dunmore veins. A slope was driv-
en- to connect them. On June 16 last
Mr.. Richmond's attorney petitioned
court to dissolve the injunction on the
ground that the second opening had
been completed.
By agreement between both parties,
| approved by the court, the company
| agreed to keep up steam at the second
opening until the case came on Tor
| final hearing. The company wanted
| TO be absolVed from the obligation oil
keeping steam UP always, as the evil
| dence showed that the second opening
| was used only twice in six years, and
steara could be raised in an hour.
If steam had not been up yesterday
at that opening the men would have
| had q. still closer call, for the fan was
| burned down at the main shaft in a
half hour, and in less than fifteen min
utes after that the mine was filled
with gas and smoke.
Mr.. Roderick was in Carbondale un'
til s o'clock in the evening. On his
arrival home he went to the shaft and
took charge of operations.
The fire broke out at o'clock. II
brought the two North End companies
to the scene. Chief Hickey sent in g
call for the General Phinneys of Greer
Ridge to get their hose. but the com
bined hose of the three companies was
not enough TO reach from the nearest
hydrant to the shaft.
The combustihle character of the far
and engine Eouses gave the fire free
rein. BY the time the fire companie!
were ready both structures wer {
| mass of burning ruins. Some of tn,
men in charge refused to permit Chic
Hickey to turn a stream on the EN-
bers, and as the fire had eaten up al
it could except the bunting and beam!
| around the shaft the chief was no
particularly anxious to ignore the com
| mand.
DANGEROUS SITUATION.
But when Mr. Roderick came h,
found the shaft so full of gas that /
was up within a foot of the surface
a spark from the embers could fly in
TO the opening and there would be al
upheaval that would throw the dyna
mite shells Of the Vesuvius into tn,
| sndue' mere was Sio"u huhSlne
around the mouth of the shaft tina
numbered from 100 to 200 persons
Nothing could save the majority o
them Ii the gas ever exploded, and &
needed only a stump of a lighted cigaI
or spark of any kind to do IT. Tit
day was so oppressively hot that not {
breath of air was stirring. Woe be
tide the curious people If wind haC
been blowing.
Consequently, Chief Hickey was no
tined to come up again. The chief go