Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-11
EXPLOSION OF GAS.


 Port Royal, Pa, June 11.-By the ex- plosion of gas in shaft No ? of the Pittsburg Coal & Coke company's mine about 6 o'clock last night seven men are supposed to have been killed and thirty miners entombed.
 Smoke rose from the mouth of the shaft in volumes during the night. The entire population of the town remained all night at the mine, eagerly awaiting some news from those thought to be either buried under tons of slate or slowly awaiting either death from flames or relief from the outside.
 The list of those supposed to have lost their lives is unobtainable at this hour, and this partial list of the sup posed dead:
 William McCane, general superin- tendent of this district who resided at West Newton.
 Dennis Wortley, pit boss of the mine.
 Michael Roy, one of the foremen.
 Michael Daily, who entered the mine for the first time yesterday morning.
 Frank Davenport, married and re- sided here.
 Anthony Sickles, married, lived here with his wife and child.
 Jack Peoples, who has wife and two small children here.
 About thirty other miners.
 The rescued:
 Lawrence Settler.
 John Stakes.
 In the attempt to rescue the men known to be in the mine other lives were placed in jeopardy and may be lost.
 From what can be ascertained here last night about o'clock there was a low, rumbling sound, followed by a roar which sounded like cyclone, then three sharp and short reports. As quickly as possible the work of rescue was taken up by the people of the town.
 A messenger was dispatched on horseback to West Newton, which is five miles away, and while awaiting the arrival of appliances necessary to enter burning mine temporary res cue party composed of the men who had knocked off early in the day, was formed.
 Fearlessly the men entered the shaft and started toward the spot where it was thought some of the entombed men might be found. Lying at the bottom of the shaft were Lawrence Settler and John Stakes. Unconscious and covered with dirt, the men were quickly taken to the top of the mine.
 About o'clock William McCune of West Newton, general superintendent of the district; Dennis Wortley, pit boss of the mine; Michael Roy, foreman of the Euclid mines, and several other bosses with about 20 men, went down shaft No l, which is just opposite on the Baltimore & Ohio side of the river and they are probably lost.
 About three hours after the rescue party had been in the mine, two more explosions were heard. Meantime. the crowd around the opening of the shaft and increased, the crowd, includ- ing mothers, wives and sisters of many of the men entombed.
 At o'clock A. W. Sweeney and Frank Stratton came to the surface bringing Harry Beyeridge in an un- and a leg broken and badly burned. He cannot live. Sweeney and Strat- ton succumbed shortly after reaching the surface. Sweeney, who was main- ly instrumental in saving Beveridge was able to tell that he climbed over. the bodies of at least three men on his way out.
 The explosion occurred at the time when the shifts were changing from day to night turn, it is impossible to tell how many were in the mine at the time, but certainly no less than 30 are entombed. At 4 o'clock this morning Superin- tendent McCune's hat and a couple of letters had been found, the hat being blown to fragments. There is no trace of him or any of the rescuing party. Those now known to be in the burning mine are James Bailey, Jack Keck, Dan Allsip, Roy Allison, Tom Gleason, Harry Hough, John Stock, Joe Buckle, Peter Mccullough, John Burke, William McCune, William Wardley, Edward Sweeney. David Wrin, Chris Howell and several others. SPIKE SULLIVAN WHIPPED. rr,o,.4o, T,,na C4;l-o c.,1l,~,a,,