New-York tribune., 1922-11-07
Rescuers Working Along
Body Strewn Passages
for Survivors of Explo-
sion in Spangler Shaft
Women, Children
Keep Vigil in Rain
80 Gassed and Injured
Brought Up as Fans
Suck Out Deadly Fumes
sy.e,s, Dsspatch to The Tribune

SpANGLER, Pa, Nov. 6.-Between
AGy and sixty miners are believed to
hare been killed here to-day, fifteen
sre seriously injured and more than
twenty others entombed at the bottom
Of the shaft in an explosion of gigantic
proportions at No. l mine of the Reilly
Colliery Company.
This Is by all odds the greatest mine
disaster that has occurred in this dis
tset in recent years.
The explosion occurred at 7:15 this
morning. just after the start Of work.
About 100 miners had entered the pit
when terrific detonation, due to the
explosion of black damp, came from
between the fourth and fifth headings,
500 feet from the shaft of the mine.
The big ventilation fan of the mine was
disabled by the blast, and it was near
ly two hours before it was repaired and
set to drawing off the deadly gas.
Relief Train Rushed
Rescue parties were Immediately
rushed to the spot, and the local relief
workers were augmented by ]. J.
Bourquin, Assistant Chief of the Unit
ed States Bureau of Mines, who was
dispatched to Spangler in a special
train with staff of assistants, and is
row in charge of the rescue work. The
Red Cross has also sent contingent,
and has set up temporary hospital
in the scale room Of the mine.
Rescue parties which entered the
workings more than one hundred feet
below the surface tonight had re-
covered thirty of the miners who were
either injured or gassed, most of them
young men. Late tonight Assistant
CHIEF nourquin said that at least
twenty Of the men entombed at the
bottom of the shaft were probably in
good air and safe.
the bodies of dead miners are
ttrewn all along the entries down
there he said, as he emerged from the
shaft Tonight. Nothing is being done
withthe bodies of the dead as yet. All
Efforts are being concentrated ON get
ting out those in whom a spark Of life
may be left.
"a good deal OF the mine remains to
be explored" said Mr.. Bourquin to-
night. t.if there are any live men in
those sections it won't take us long to
Get them out"
Partial List of Rescued
Among those rescued were Joseph
Glinski, Thomas Welch, Allen Hughes,
Michael Welch, Peter Galloway, Fran
cis A. Wyland, Albert Schrenkel,
Joseph P. Lovich, Max Chernisky, Max
ehernisky jr., son; Joseph Chernisky,
a son; Abe Craig and James Craig,
brothers; Rudolph Korforta, Reuben
Sehlereth. Jay Fox, Samuel Tronse,
George Popevich, Emaral Shopo, John
Minaresh, NJ. j. Christoff, Arthur
Larnevence, George Linarish, NJ. j.
Ponnink, John Ostrander and Craw-
ford Nelson, member of the rescuing
party
Referee Jacob A. Snyder, Of the
Pennsylvania Workmen's Compensation,
Board, arrived here on the heels of
tie Bureau of Mines contingent and
the Red Cross. Under orders from
Harry A. Mackey, head of the board,
he has opened headquarters here to
be able to rule on all compensation
claims at once. The Reilly company
has compensation insurance covering
every workman. it : said, with Balti
more casualty company.
~ Is raining here tonight, and
while lights fash through the darkness
and IRON the impromptu hospital the
sun dazed rescued men, pallid faced,
stare out at the scene about them. The
tbourq1ln and Snyder headquarters are
oelhg beseged with wan-faced women
saG fnghtened, large-eyed children,
seeking news. All Spangler and vi
ssinity has gathered at the scene of the
disaster. During the day the crowd
was kept IN check by strong force
81, 81 coal and iron police, but at night
taH L SIX state troopers from the Green's
sug susg barracks took over the patrol
Canaries Sent Ahead
Inc rescuers, which include all the
sh physicians and nurses, as we'll as
mahy qualified volunteer workers and
s.eWs from the Cambria Steel Com
rshy rrshy and the Pennsylvania Coal and
sooAe Company, went about their work
ssauipped with oxygen helmets, while
we canafies of the Bureau of Mines
5 were taken along to test for gas fumes.
contnusd on page thlrteen)