The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-18
MINE FOREMAN
WAS RECKLESS
Clayton Fatal Explosion Was
Caused by Carelessness Of
William Donnelly
JURY ADVISES AN INSPECTION
Urge That Report BE Made on
Causes of Fourteen
Casualties.

Looseness In the inspection and
overhauling Of mines N the state was
fixed as d factor in the Gaytou mine
explosion hy the coroners jury that
Yesterday Investigated the dcutn OF SIX
men ana the wOunding OF three others
IA the catastrophe of Tuesday after
noon The jury pronounced the deaths
the result Of burns and asphyNtutlon
from an explosion OF gas, and added
thc further reprlmand that in CON
sequence of numerous fatalities and
serious accidents this jury strongly
urges prompt and thorough state
Investigation by mine experts into the
nitthods OF Nentilating and inspecting
these mines
Coroner ). Fuimer Bright arrived at
the facts in the d!suster bv an ex-
pluration into the innermost reccsses
Of the mine. Descending with Deputy
oheiiii webb SAdnor, he made
minute scrutiny OF the walls and APP
paratus OF the minc and came TO the
conclusion that ia spite OF the appar-
ent precautions observed by the own
ers. a systematic and careful method
inuous m!shaps that nave caused at
least fourteen deaths and many in
julies during the current year.
Dunnciy itccklcss.
The coroner's inquest nf,cr the In
vestgaton was held In the office or
the Old Dominion Development Com
panN. The recklessness OF William
Dourclly. the foreman OF tho gang
that was nearly wiped out of existence.
still stands out as The inducing cause
of the disaster IN. survivors OF the
frlghtfully burned. testified that Just
before The firing OF the fatal shot"
Donuelly remarked This is dan
the risk" Almost immediately there
We're TWO detonations and the death
dealing fumes and flames cnveloped
pipe near the scene of the explosion
suggested the theory that the first re-
port was caused by gas explosion
from tho lighting Of "A match. and
that the second was tho report OF tho
exploding mine. This was the opinion
OF the survivors of tho accident
The dragging OF the six dead miners
to TIL surface was grucsomc IN the
eNtreme Sinking 1000 feet in coal
chute TO the end OF the line. the res
cuers froped their way through murky
cave where the men met their death.
The first rcscuing party had laid the
bodies apart. but had awaited the APP
pearance or tho coroner before bring
ing them to the surface. The cavern
was transformed by the explosion. and
The position Of the bodies told nothing
Gicated that some one else had fred
tho shot but witnesses did not bear
this out.
No Mine Inspector.
Superintendent :. G Mcgowan tes-
t,n-d that he had Inspected the mine
on July 10. but had not again entered
II until after the explosion. george
Lewis said that he had made the
rounds the morning OF tho disaster and
had discovered some gas bnt not
enough to cause alarm. and John Amos.
tho mine foreman. also testified 70 the
presence OF gas. Howard y ili!ams
the fifteen-year- mule driver. who
was badly burned, said that ponneNN
detected the presence or ga. but
nevertheless took the chance and nred
the shot Isaiah Florence. another sur
Vlor. corroboratcd this statement.
Superintendent Mcgowan said that
he was aware or the hill passed by
the last Legislature reqnirng the up.
polntmcnt o. a mine Inspector, but
stated that no action had been taken
in the matter. He said that every pre-
caution had been taken by the com
pany to prevent explosions.
The three negroes who escaped
from the nine are badly burned. but
ihelr Injuries are not fatal with tho
Possible exception ~ those OF the
mule driver. Howard Williams The
bov is fifteen years old. and has hcen
working I'm the mine for five wears.
His mule. a dwarfed animal was killed
bv the fumes. and was yesterday
trundled to the surface.
i.abor conditions at the mine arc
seriously affected BY the explosion
The onicials expect difficulty in re,
tanning the men after they are paid
off tomorrow.