The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-07-01
EXPLOSION Kills II.
SIXTEEN OTHERS BADLY INJURED
IN PENNSYLVANIA MINE
CRASH.
GAS IS loNlTED BY A LAMP

AL sASoSSS
Whom Report Spreads That Sixty
Five Are acknowledgement Says
All Bodies Are Found.
Wehrum, Pa, June 24.-As the re-
suit OF an explosion Of gas in mine
No. 4 Of the Lackawanna Coal & Coke
Company, II miners were killed and
16 injured. With the exception of one,
those killed were foreigners. With
few exceptions those injured were
Americans.
Inspector Joseph williams of Al
toona with a party entered the mine
shortly after eight o'clock last night
to ascertain whether anyone was yet
entomhed.
Due to Gas Ignition.
superintendent A. M. johnson said
that while the mine has always been
regarded as no~n-gaseous, the explosion
was due to the ignition of a pocket Of
gas by the open lamp of a miner.
"The mine has been SO free from
gas for the last six years." said the
superintendent, that the state in
spectors have permitted the use of
open lamps. With II dead and 16 in
jured, I am Of the opinion that every
one has been accounted for who en-
tered the mine"
The mine, has only been operating
two days each week, Tuesday and
Friday. Those in the mine had en-
tered the shaft for their daily allow
ance Of coal for family use.
Grouped about the slope entrance of
the mine Just before the explosion
e several Italians. When the ter
rife subterranean upheaval of rock
and deadly gas spouted skyward these
Italians were caught. Terribly burned
and MANNED, they rushed about the
settlement crying for aid. The cries
and sound of kissing mine gas at the
entrance of the mine brought the en-
tire town to the scene.
Superintendent w. N. Johnson,
backed by the Office force of the COM
pany, stood at the mine entrance and
held back the frantic women whose
relatives were entombed.
superintendent's Son Injured.
The first man to reach the surface
was A. L. Johnson, son Of the super
intendent. Young Johnson had been in
a lower heading. There were burns
on his arms, body and neck, and it
was stated he had inhaled flame. He
is n of the few very seriously in
jured.
Following the superintendent son
came two Italians, their faces burned
to a crisp. They were attended by
the mine physician. a
Superintendent Johnson called for
| volunteers to enter the mine. In the
volunteer ranks stood several women.
These were ordered back. With wet
handkerchiefs tied over their faces,
the first squad of the relief party
started down the shaft. OF the eight
who started, four came back with
their senses. The others, overcome
with blackdamp, were pulled to the
surface with ropes.
Oxygen Aids the searchers.
Oxygen, sent by the Cambria steel
works, aided the searchers and with
safety helmets, a fourth rescue party
succeeded in bringing IL bodies to the
surface. Late in the afternoon five
more bodies were recovered. They
were found huddled together in the
lower left heading where they had died
In an evident effort to reach the main
shat.
All but two rooms Of the mine have
been thoroughly searched and it was
announced that it was thought nc
more bodies were in the mine. Coro
ner Hammers has not yet set the
date Of an investigation of the ex
plosion.
Twelve Hurt In 315.Foot Fall.
Clinton, Ind, June 25.-Twelve min
ers were more or less seriously in
jured when a cage at the Klondike
mine No. 4, three miles west of the
city, became unmanageable and
dashed from the pit opening to the
bottom of the shaft, a distance Of 31E
feet. Several of the men are expected
to die from their injuries.
To add to the horror Of the acct
dent, the cage going up became fast
when the cable got entangled in the
overhead pulleys, and a period of an
hour elapsed before a rescue party
could be sent to the bottom of the
mine.
confesses to Big Theft.
Green Bay, Wis, June 26.-Willian
Rage, an employee Of the United States
i Evnrooo Nornnorv ~oclar+- 49, ~