The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

Indiana, Pa, February 5.-Ten Hungar-
ians and one American is the death toll
of a gas explosion today in the NO. 2
slope of the Ernest mine of the Jefferson
and C1earfield Coal company. five miles
north of this place. The explosion oc-
CURED in heading where u men were To-
Gated, and one OF these. Andrew Kraezer
escaped by crawling quarter OF
mile on his stomach to evade the noxious
gases His inability to speak English
prevented a lucid explanation of the cause
of the explosion. When he saw the lights
of the rescuers he moaned and tried 10
crawl. He was slightly burned, but suf-
fers chiefly from the effects of the after
damp. He was placed in a car and I'M
mediately taken to daylight.
Someso of the lead were found near the
entrance to the heading, others lay along
the track at short distances from each
other almost at the face Of the coal. The
position of the bodies showed that the
men had lnade desperate efforts to crawl
away from the heading. How Kraezer
escaped cannot be learned. The only In
telligible motions he makes are OF crawl
ing When he recovers from fright and
exhaustion 1t Is thought he may be able
to tell of the accident.
One hundred and ten men working in
the slope escaped through other headings
of the mine, although they were held
back for about 10 hours by the black
damp until rescue party of IL mine
bosses reached them.
One thousand other men working in ad-
joining mines within radius of three
miles who heard tho concussion paid no
attention to It, and did not learn of the
disaster until they came out Of the mines
early tonight. -Four men who were lay
ing tracks Just within the mouth of the
mine slope were knocked unconscious by
the conclusion, but were revived later
The mine has been known as q gaseous
mine and plenty of fire bosses have been
maintained. Tonight it is reported that no
fire boss made any return OF his inspec-
tion this morning and this has been re-
ported to the state mine inspector of this
district.
The rescue party of 12 mine bosses
went into the mine about 9:3o this
norning, shortly after the accident
,.nd when they came out about b
o'clock they brought with them the
bodies and announced that there was
no one else in the mine. The bodies,
blackened by flames. were Immediately
sent to the homes of the unfortunates
and the funerals will be held tomor
row, The inquest will be held Moh.
day.
In the meantime State Mine Inspec-
tors Roger Sampson of Punxsutawney,
Joseph w. Williams of Altoona, The homas
London of Tyrone and Thomas d. Viii
ljams of Johnstown are investigating
The cause.
Michael Harrington, the only Amer
lean among the dead, was son Oh
John Harrington, foreman of the mine.
rhe younger man, acting as assistant
20 his father, was directing the work
of the heading when the explosion
occurred.
The first report of the explosion was
made by seven track repairers, VINO
lad been working at the back of the
main entry. They were hurled from
their. feet, although 125 feet away. AS
soon as they came out of the drift a
rescue party was headed by John Har-
rington. Some Of these were overcome
and were found by a second rescue
party, but all revived shortly after be-
ing taken out.
Two hours after the explosion Fatn-
er Amelio Farri, an Italian priest, with
Michael Sullivan, one of the mine fore
lnen. went into the mine stope to a l.
minister the last rites of the church
to any victims he might be able to
reach. hardly had the priest got well
into the mine when he was overcome
end was with difficulty brought back
to fresh air.
Coroner James M. Hammer. who ar
rived about noon, was not permitted
to go into the mine because of the
~.
HALL w. c. Smelling and A. c. Ram
sey arrived from the government geol-
,cal station at Pittsburg with oxygen
helmets and apparatus, they were ad-
vised to defer any attempt until to-
morrow.