The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-10-27
CORONER'S INQUEST.
Unable to Determine the Cause Of the
Shenandoah City Explosion.


Deputy Coroner Cardn and jury compris-
ing Messrs. James B. McHale, J. p. Carroll,
Thomas Tosh, Thomas Bolin. Lawrence
Cullen and Daniel Sweeney last night held
an inquest on the death Of Adam Supalinsky,
one OF the victims Of the explosion Of gas ia
the Shenandoah City colliery on the 18th
inst, aud who died on the 25th inst. Mine
Inspector Stein was in attendance and took
an active part in the examination Of the
witnesses. The jury was unable to determine
the cause Of the explosion.
The first witness examined was Silas
Frost inside foreman at the c0lliery. He
testified that he visited the face Of the gang
way, in company with the fire boss, about
twenty minutes or half an hour before the
explosion occurred. He was in the slope
when boy came to him and said some men
were burned in No 2 gaugway. The men
used safety lamps. but were not tied down to
their use by the colliery officials. The safety
lamps were used after shots were fired
When the place was visited a naked lamp
was on the bumper Of a car about or feet
from the face OF the gangway, but at
far end of the car Air is supplied by two
pipes in the gangway with force fan. One
of the pipes has diameter of three feet and
another one foot About 20 900 cubic feet Of
air go into the gangway, 4,7OO cubic feet 70
through the pipe, indicating velocity of
about seven miles an hour. When Messrs.
Frost and Hughes we're in the gangway the
latter made test and found no gas at the
face He did not examine above the timbers
Since the explosion men in the gaugway
have been using safety lamps on account Of
striking the fault Very little gas has been
found there since
David Hughes, the fire boss, testified that
he examined the gangway at $3.50 a. IN. and
found no gas. At $3.50 he went in again with
MIR. Frost and the place was clear of gas at
the face He did not make u test above the
timbers that time At that time there was
a space of about three feet above the timbers.
On the day of the explosion the men wore
just striking the fault Small quantities of
gas were frequently found in the gangway.
Safety lamps were used by the men at the
face of the gangway after shots to guard
against leaders or small pockets Of gas
Anthony Alex, driver boy, testified that
when the first car was being loaded in the
gangway that morning, he saw streak of
burning gas across the face of the gaDgway.
He said he saw at least a dozen jets Of barn
ing gas when the men were pulling out the
loose coal. He was glad to leave the place
when he took in the second car. He re-
ported the matter to the loader boss.
John Hitchings said he was in the gang.
way about fifteen minutes prior to the ex.
plosion and the naked lamp was standing Oh
one of the air pipes, about 20 or % feet from
the face. The men were working with safety
lamps at the face. He went into the breast
next to the face of the gangway and was
there when the explosion occurred. The
concussion put out his light. He heard NJ
noise of blast before, and did not think
there had been a blast in the gangway.
The jury rendered the following verdict
That the said Adam Supalinski came to hi,
death by an explosion of gss which occurrei
on October 18th, at the Shenandoah City col
liery, resulting in death on October 25th, tn,
cause of the explosion the jury is unable Il
determine"
The funeral of Supalinski took place from
his late residence, on West Poplar street, thi,
morning. Services were conducted in st
Stanislaus Polish r. c. church. on Wes
Cherry street. The Kosciuzsko Guards and
the Polish Citizens Society, of which the
deceased was a member, attended the funera
in body. The procession was headed by the
Lithuanian band Interment was made il
the parish cemetery