The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-06-21
COAL MINE HORROR
q Series Of Explosions Causoa a
Torribla Disaster.
MANY BRAVE LlVEs Lo8r.
Mine Was Considered Dangerous
and Explosion Was Causad
By thu oresd Of
the Workers.

a most disastrous explosion took
place in tho Port Royal mino near
West Newton, Ponn., on last Wcdnos
day. There is no Ere in tho mino, to
Judge from appearances at tho pit
mouth, but tho foroo of tho explosion
was 80 groat that mono Of tho mon, SO
the minors say, could have survived tho
shook. Tho complete list Of tho dead
ipoludos:
William MoOuno, superintendent.
married., four childron.
John Hook, mino boss, married,
throo ohildron.
William Allison, superintendent,
West Newton, married, four children,
Daniel Alsop, mino boss, and thir-
teon minors.
William MoCuno was superintendent
Of tho Port Royal district comprising
five mines. Io was largo stock.
holder IL :ho P;t:sbars Goa! Company
and mis- family lives in q handsome
residenbo on Vino stroot, West Newton.
William Allison was cousin Of Prosi.
dent Mckinley.
Early Wednesday, morning Harry
Boveridgo and two miners, I'll, 90 OF a
roaouing party that wont TO the mino to
bring out their mates who were en-
tombed, wero sent to Tho MoKcespart
Hospital. Beveridgo had both hands
broken and tho other two wcro badly
burned.
At 9.04 A. NJ, Wednesday an in
epcotion party wont into tho miuo
through tho shaft on tho Baltimore
and Ohio side Of tho Youghioghopy
River twas their purpose to popo
trate as far So possible to locate tho
dead bodies, with hardly hope Of find
ing anyone alive.
Tho rescue party had beon in tho
mino about an hour whom tho mulfl ID
report of another explosion was hoard,
issuing from tho depths Of the shaft,
and a rush for tho Gage WAS made by
tho mon above, who thought that these
resouers had mot tho fato Of tho 10 who
had gone before. A dozen men volun.
tocrod to 60 down and try ard rescue
tho party, but thcir services wcro not
required, as tho signal to hoist tho cage
WAS givon from tho bottom and when it
reached tho top throa unconscious
forms wcro found lying on it. Fire 10
spector Callahan and Fire Boss W.
Melee, Of tho Wick Havon minos,
were the most dangerously hurt Of the
party, and these men wero takon to tho
hotel nearby, whore two physicians
worked with them almost an hour bo.
fore they could bo brought bao. {, lifo.
This last explosion, in tho m. .ds Of
many, seems to settle tho fate of tho
ontombed mon, and all hopo of getting
any OF them out alivo has boon aban-
doned. ~
Tho disaster occurred about 6 o'olook
Wednesday evening. An explosion was
heard by mon at shaft No. 2 and sud
denly cloud of smoke burst from tho
mouth of tho shaft.
a searching party, composed Of
Superintendent William MoOuno and
nine others, won't down shaft No. Q.
Nothing was heard of them and in an
hour another roscuing foroo, hoadcd by
James Bailey and William Williams,
ilro bosses, were let down tho shaft.
They groped their way about 200
feet whom two explosions woro heard in
rapid succession. The slaft lamps in
tho hands Of Bailey and Williams woro
blown fifty feet away, and they thom-
selves wero thrown violently to the
ground. They arose to their feet and
oallod for their comrades, but thoro was
no answer. Both men hurried back to
the shaft and woro taken up in tho cage.
From that momont until 8 OF A. NJ.
not another soul wont down tho shaft,
as it would have moant certain doatb
from tho after damp.
Tho part that wont in this morning
vas composed Of Mino Inspector Bor.
nard Callahan, Gonoral Superintendent
John Roso, Flro Boss William McFeo,
Fire Boss Daniel Nc Cullough, Fire Boss
Petor McLindon and Pit Boss Robert
Mckinney. All but Callahan woro
brought from tho various mines Of tho
Pittsburg Coal Company.
Tho Port Royal mino has always boon
considered dangerous. Thore was a
similar explosion in tho mino seyon
years ago, by which ono man was killed..
Tho use Of safety lamps had bcon
mado especially imperative in thoso
minos by tho district inspector, owing
to tho groat danger that was known to
exist, but careloss minors sometimes
uso opon lights, booauso thoy can SEQ
better to mino by thom and this helms
thom to make a bigger days wages.
This is what probably oausod tho OK.
plosion, but tho inquiry which will fol.
low may develop different cause.
Minister Sont 10 Jail.