The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-17
TWENTY-ONE ARE
KILLED IN Mine
BY AN EXPLOSION
Six Companions in Another
Shaft Are Saved by Res
cue Party
RELATIVES ARE FOUND
IN A DEATH EMBRACE
pennsylvania State Police
lake Charge and Pre-
serve Order at Pit
During Search

DUBOIS. PA, July 1s.-An ex
piosion in she shaft of the Cascade
ooai and Coke Company at Sykes
Flile lats., last night caused the death.
" twenty miners. most OF them
peing Killed almost Instantly. Among
the DEAD are nine Italians. eight
oiaVs one L-thunain and three Amerl-
cans.
The dead:
George Hook, aged "a. single. John
HOOK. 20, single; S. Grassi 1s' sin-
gie; ralph Marian. %. single: Con
Snick'ei. 81, married. Marriott GiJlia.
"a married; Frank Pateavich. SO.
single; Nick Pavelick, IS. married.
Andy Pavelick, Is. son of Nick. Mit.
sun. motorman. 20. single: John
Mississock, IS, single Plena SANDY.
o. married; George Shoesley, 20. sim
gle; Grover kuarod "a single: Nick
Jasper, II single, Rock Casper %.
married. Joe knfta. 40. married: Will
nam Spencer. IS, single; John MesIa.
married. Andrew kFiHak, married. ms
known Slav
IWenty-seFen men were at work in
Inc mines a. the time. twenty-one OF
them being in the s. s and 8 headings
south. This Is where the explosion
occurred and whether the twenty
one men were killed by the explosion
or died as the result Of inhaling tho
deadly after damp Is not yet known.
A Few of the bodies, recovered to-day.
show that they were killed bv the ex-
plosion. but the majority had their
dinner pals with them and were maxi
ing their way towards the main en-
trance when cut down presume bly, by
the after damp.
In Death Embrace
There were two sets OF brothers
and a. father and son among those
killed. George and John Hook.
brothers. were found clasped in each
others arms. while Frank Pavelick
and hfs ffteen-year-old son were
also found in death embrace
There was no external disturbance
at the time of the explosion and it
was not known that there was any
trouble until the safety door of the
ran house blew open. 1t was then
realized that something had happened
and rescuing party was immediate-
~ formed. The scene OF the explo-
sion was over one and one-haif miles
from the foot OF the shaft and it took
several hours to reach there, as the
track had been torn up and the roof
caved In. Six bodies were first found.
Later eleven bodies were located. but
1t Was decided not to bring these
up until help had been secured. The
four bodies not yet recovered are In
a heading that has caved in There
is no question, however, but they are
dead.
Mine Inspector Elias Phillips. OF
Dubois ana Inspector yatTs ByTna,-
of Punxsutawney, were early on the
scene 9.ld entered the mine with the
rescIing party. II cannot yet be de-
teImincd what caused the explosion.
nut 1T Is believed some of the men
struck small pocket of gas. Every
man in that section was killed. there
being no survivor to tell the tale.
superintendent G. G. Gard was in
Buffalo at the time of the accident
and did not arrive to take charge
of the work until late this afternoon.
Six Are Rescued.
Six men who were in the north
ehading of the shaft knew that some-
thing was wrong when the COM
pressed air failed them and they were
deafened. but they did not know the
extent of the accident until rescuing
party came after them.
There was great curiosity manifest-
ed on the part Of the hundreds In
the town and surrounding country.
but there was little actual excitement
at the scene OF the tragedy. Some
trouble was encountered in keeping
back relatives just after the accident.
but the State police took charge and
esta blish ed rigid police lines.
The special rescue car OF the bu-
rean Of mines reached Sykesville from
Pfttshurg at o'clock this evening".
but was not needed as all In the
heading had been killed. and the air
in the shafwt was preventing the
rescue work to go forward without
the Use OF oxygen helmets or other
special devices.
The Cascade Coal and Coke Com
pany IL a Buffalo corporation and
gives employment to about 500 men.
The shaft Is $50 deep and 1t Is the
first time In its history that II has
had a serious accident