The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-05-13

) DIE IN NINE FIRE
Employees of D. 4 h. Go.
Are SuffOCated.
RESCUFRS DID GOOD WORK
Thev Pouoht Thar WaV Through
They Fought Their Way Through
Smoke and Saved Three and
Recovered Bodies Of
the Victims.

Wilkes. Barre, Pa, May II. - Five
lives we're lost in the Boston mine OF
the Delaware & Hudson Sompany at
Larksville. near here, by suffocatIon.
The dead are George Feeder, aged
twenty years. driver; John Melodeckl.
aged seventeen. door boy; jacob
Kenulla, aged thlrty-nine, miner. SIN
gle; Charles Kermuski, aged twenty
five, lober, married, and William
Adamke. laborer, aged twenty-five
single
Fire started In a section OF the mine
where a number OF rock miners were
,mployed, but It was gotten under
control without much difficulty. Eleven
men were at work in that section.
After midnight the odor of smoke
was detected and the alarm was given.
All the employees in the inside work
ings made their way from the Ross
vein to the main gangway, but the
smoke had become so dense that near
Is all were overcome.
Several rescue parties at the risk
Of their own lives then entered the
workings end succeeded In taking out
John Morrissey, Patrick Lloyd and
John Bendims. When brought to the
surface they were quickly revived.
The rescuers returning to the gang
way stumbled over bodies OF the dead.
The latter were brought out as soon
a. possible. Several Of the rescuers
were overcome by the smoke and one
of them was Frustrated. He was res.
cued by a fourth rescuing party.
so far as the investigation has gone
as TO the cause Of the fire. II Is said
that a workman left a naked Hight In
the shaft which fired the timbers. The
blaze worked its way down the shaft
timbers, sending the smoke into the
various chambers. The men were
trapped in one OF the inner gangways
The flames and smoke drove them
forward, and all avenues Of escape
were cut on
John A. Jones. day foreman OF the
oolliery. was the first TO enter the
workings from the surface. lie at once
called for rescuers. John MOrrissey,
who was first 10 discover the fire. out
lined a plan 10 his companions as to
how they could all be saved. Morris
sev and one of his fellow wOrkmen
went to the rescue of Feeder and Me
lodicka. but the walls Of dense smoke
drove them back and they had to give
up the task Morrissey and his com
panions then made a dash for the
main air course. only to have their
way cut on with a heavy brattice
work.
Summonng all their strength. they
hurled themselves against the brattice
and broke il down Then they made
their way quickly to the foot OF the
shaft and were hoisted to the surface,
where they received medical attention.
The rescuers, with the use Of dyna'
mite. blocked the air current, and In
this way entrance was gained into the
chambers where II was known the five
missing men were at work. The bod
les Of Feeder and Melodicka were
found together. They had started to
work their way to the foot OF the
shaft. but we're overcome by the dense
smoke. An hour later the bodies Of
the other three victims were found, a
hundred yards from the chamber
where they had been working.
The fire continues to rage in the
mine. but the company officials state
they expect to have 1t under control
in a short time.
A strike was inaugurated at the col
liery on Tuesday and only a small
number Of men we're at work. Had
the full force been engaged the loss
of life would have been much greater.