The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-06-12
MANY DEAD IN A MINE.
Seventeen Victims of Explosion at
Port Royal, Pa.
HEROES GAVE LIFE IN VAIN.
On the Death List Are Found Two
Mine Superintendents, One of
Them n Second Cousin of
President Mckinley.

West Newton. Pa, June 1l.-Time
only adds horror to the disastrous mine
explosion which occurred at No. .
mine of the Pittsburg Coal company at
Port Royal. Three men were rescued,
and II others are imprisoned in the
burning mine.
Not a practical miner in this district
believes that one of the II men Ell
tombcd is still alive. There is no fire
in the mine, to Judge from appearances
at the pit mouth, but the force of the
explosion was so great that none of the
men, so the miners say. could have sur
vived the shock, and the complete list
of the dead is
William McCune, superintendent,
married, four children; John keck
mine boss. married. three children;
William Allison, superintendent, West
Newton, married, four children; Daniel
Alsop. mine boss; Thomas Labin, min
er, married: Michael Roy, fire boss.
married; Thomas Glcson, fire boss,
married; Chris HowellS. fire boss, mar
ried one child; Anthony Stecklcs, mar
ried; Frank Davenport, miner, married;
Taylor GunsaulcsS. Sr., married; Tay-
lor Gunsauless. ,Ir.; John Stackle, min
er: Peter McCandle married; John
Burke, George DAILY, Bernard Ball,
miner.
The wives and children Of the miss
ing are gathered about the mine shaft
waiting for some news of their loved
ones and every few minutes appeal to
some men TO try to rescue them.
Story of the Disaster.
The explosions are supposed to have
occurred between entries 20 and -.
5000 feet back from the shaft The
first explosion was heard by men at
shaft No. ?. aud suddenly cloud OF
smoke burst from the mouth of the
shaft. II was known that Anthony
Stecklcs, John PEBBLES. George DAILY,
Frank Davenport and James Settler
were in the mine. A searching party
composed Of Superintendent McC
and nine others went down shaft No. :.
Just before they were lowered the bell
was rUng from the foot of the shaft.
The cage was already down, and II was
brought up, with Settler on it.
The rcscuing party then went down.
Nothing was heard of them, and in an
hour auotler rtscuing party, led by
James Bailey and William Williams,
fire bosses, were let down the shaft.
They had CROPPED thoir way about 200
feet when two explosions were heard
in rapid succession The shaft lamps
in the hands of Bailey and Williams
were blown 80 feet away, and they
themselves We're thrown violently to
the ground. They arose to their feet
and called for their comrades, but
there was no answer. Both men hur-
ricd back to the shaft and were drawn
up in the cage.
The party that next went down was
composed Of Mine Inspector Bernard
Callahan, General Superintendent John
Reese, Fire Boss William McFee, Fire
Boss Daniel Mccullough. Fire Boss
Peter McI.iudon and Pit Boss Robert
Mckinney. All but Callahan were
brought from The various mines Of the
Pittsburg Coal company.
The body of Taylor Gunsauless, ST.,
was brought to the surface by the
party, headed by Inspector Callahan.
A big crowd surrounded the mouth Of
the shaft when the corpse was brought
out. and the scene was pitiful in the ex-
treme. Many women were there look
ing for their husbands, fathers and
brothers, and they wildly appealed for
the rescueTs to save their loved ones.
sim Another Explosion.
The rescue party had been in the
mine about an hour on their next trip
when the muttled report of another cX-
plosion was heard issuing from the
depths Of the shaft. The signal to
hoist the cage was given from the bot.
tom, and when il reached the top three
unconscious forms were found lying on
1t. Fire Inspector Callahan and Fire
EoSS W. AIrFec of the Wick Haven
mines were the most dangerously hurt
of the party.
The Port Royal mine has always
been considered dangerous. There was
a similar explosion IN the mine seven
years ago, in which one man was
killed
The use Of safety lamps has been
made especially imperative in these
mines by the district inspectors of
mines, owing 10 the great danger that
was known TO exist, but careless min
erS sometimes use open lights because
they can see better to mine by them,
and this helps them TO make bigger
days wages, This is probably what
caused the explosion, but the invcstga'
ton which will follow may develop
different cause.
or the dead William McCunc was
superintendent Of the Port Royal dis.
trict. comprising five mines. He was a
large stakeholder in the Pittsburg Coal
company, and his family lives in n
handsome residence on Vine street,
West Newton. William Allison was
second cousin Of President William Nc.
Kinley.
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