Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-05


with their lives except those who sue
ceeded in submerging themselves in the
streams in the tunnel. Those who sur
vived the explosion itself fell victims
Of the flames, which converted. the mar
row passage into furnace.
Thomas d. Sheridan, an old miner,
who was on the train and who escaped
without serious injury, said:
~ saved my life by rolling in the
water. l was hurled from the train. |
saw the water and the flames were upon
me. 1t was a living hell. About me
were dead and dying. ! could hear the
cries Of many, but could not help them.
When the rescuers came they fought the
flames hard and quickly put them out.
Then was able to join them in the work
of rescue.
Powder was carried on the train.
That was not unusual. This is in viola :
tion of the law, but the men did not
complain. I do not know what caused
the flames, but believe the trolley wire
broke and ignited the POWDER
Some of the bodies were brought to the
surface with the clothing still burning.
Water had to be poured on them to put
out the flames. Such sights as these
drove back stout hearts.
Ironic in the light Of this great
tragedy, the slogan, Safety First
was painted in great white letters over
the mouth Of the tunnel
1t is generally accepted that the acci-
dent was due to violation of the law,
in that powder was transported with the
men.
Water Only Refuge
Thomas Dougherty, another survivor,
was thrown out of car by the blast,
and saved himself by jumping into a
ditch. He said:
I'VE were riding along about fifty
feet in the tunnel. There was blind
ing flash. l was thrown from the car.
saw the water and | hurled myself
into it. Bodies were all about. Many
of the men. l know. were dead others
were crying in terror. The flames were
terrific. They were all about. We
were in veritable hell. No man could
possibly hope to escape with his life
unless he got in the water. buried his
face and rolled over and over, as
did.
There was powder in the car. There
were about ten kegs, besides other
kegs carried by the men. Of course, |
do not know what set them off. but
believe the trolley wire broke and
that sparks ignitcd the powder"
John Common. who was on the motor
when the accident occurred, said:
The train forms at the mouth of the
tunnel each morning. Today it formed
at 6:25. John McGroarty was the
motorman and Jimmy Kehoe the brake
man. I was riding on the head end and
the cars were filled with men. In the
last car were several kegs Of powder
I do not know whether any men were
in this car.
THE last car was just inside the
mouth of the tunnel when McGroarty
the motor runner, noticed the wire
hanging low. He stopped the train and
started ahead on foot few hundred
feet to ascertain the cause of the low
wire. He had Travelled few feet wher
he again stopped and told me to go out
and tell another motor car runner or
the outside. William Williams, to pul
the train out again, McGroarty also
shouted to the men in the cars that
they had better get out and walk.
saw some night shift men going ou
and ] told them to notify Williams Il
pull the cars out. They said they
would.
Smoke Delayed Rescue Work
"The men in the cars were in tn