The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-07-12

every recess and every ROOM in the
mine and reported 10 their superin-
tendent, Mr.. f. C.. Pickett. that no man
remained therein. AS Mike Freeman
walked TO the surface OF the mine
shortly before S o'clock and announced
TO his chief that there We're none IN
side, the two men clasped hands.
Mules Came Forth.
Almost as much interest was elicit
ed in the return Of the mine mules 70
the surface is there was paid 10 the
men being brought out. OF course, no
tears were shed when these dumb ami
mails came out, but the miners GER
tainly manifested JOY over their return.
Two of them were badly burned, and
had TO be covered up with cloths to
keep the flies and dirt out Of the
wounds. All were taken 10 their sta
bleS and given immediate care.
Superintendent Pickett's Statement.
AT 1:55 o'clock, last night. about
twenty minutes after the coal cars
had begun to run. the superintendent
gave the following statement 10 rep.
resentative of The lntelligencer:
The explosion is what we men OF
the mines call local one, that is, 1t
did not have far-reachinC results, or
did not do any material mine damage.
II occurred in No. l East, II North,
about 3:15 o'clock, and we were mott
fed about 3:45, the exact time don
remember
My foreman has reported to me
that two rooms had been worked out,
that is. the entry had been driven the
usual distance, and had not been UNI
timbered. The roofs of these rooms
fell, starting a pocket Of foul air cir
culating that had evidently formed
over TOP this roof It so happened that
AT the time the gas was released, and
the displacement of the roof started it
moving, miner with an open lamp,
or it might have been one Of dozen
or more men. was passing near and
this gas was ignited, causing the en-
ploSiOn.
All Men Accounted For.
1T is nothing uncommon for Gns TO
form over the coal roof, hut we always
remove tho :imberS and keep tho miners
out until il has n chance to clear 7ut
out rooms. collapsed even before the
rrops wore removed. Seven miners
werc injured. I am Informed. none al
thorn seriously. although William Radcr
is tho worst burnt. All are in the Glen
dale hospital being attended by our mine
surgeons.
checked into work yesterday morning
and all have hncn accounted for. Since
the explosion there have boon three we
could NOT find. and We feared they may
hav" been hurled into some corner. Mr..
E'rr"man and his party have explored
every crcvic" and hat" found no signs
nr any ono. and just q few minutes ago.
I located tho last man at his home on
Fnrtv-third 81 rect. Wheeling. Hc is a
Foreigner. and although | do not know
his name his check number is 11?3. His
discovery sets az an md all fears that
an: lives were lost.
Tho min" was not injured beyond
SOS The hradishes were not even blown
out and all that was damaged was u
couple ot doors and thes" can easily n"
&c placed Work of making temporary
stop air doors will h" placed tonight.
and tn" mon will return - work fnmor-
row morning as usual There Will he
no night shift tonight
Mine Reported Safe.
Proof that tn" min" WAS safe can nc
found in the bulletin posted by Fire
Eics< Harry Delaney. following his in
50. r"n yesterday morning. TIL" board
shows that Mr.. D"iane! entered TIL"
,iin' at $50 Il m. coming our thrHo
hours later or at so n. m. and that
he had reported it tn hn safe.
Furthermore. III" deputy min" lnsnec-
tor had inspected IN" rIac" just re-
rsr;lv and reported it to he safe.
Some Thrilling Stories.
Thrilling stories of the explosion were
tnld nf men who were down in tn" min"
" hen il happened. n. ". Lewis. machine
man said h. was working in his entry
pitcher nf wafer standing near me. /
soaked my shirt with it and stuck my
face into rho dirt until the fire passed
over me- he said
John Oliver, another machine man.