Year: 1878

Pottsville, Pa. Jan. I6,-The fatal
mine accident of the year occurred last
evening at Locustdale Columbia county,
a miuing community situated about the
center Of the Mahoney coal-held, and ff-
teen miles from this point. The coal in
that region is of somewhat softer char
acter than that found in the southern
part ofthis county, and generates an i'm
mense quantity Of gas, necessitating the
exclusive use Of safety lamps. The scene
of the latest horror was the Potts colliery
owned and operated by the Philadelphia
and Reading Coal and Iron Company.
The shaft is over 300 yards in depth and
east and west gangways have been driv-
en- to distance of mile. At the time
of the explosion a gang of men was enS
gagged in driving monkey.gangway,a and
it is supposed that feeder" was struck
in the face of the gangway, whereby the
gas was forced downward until the men
we're enveloped in it and compelled to
flee for their lives. In case of this kind
it is usual to extinguish the lighted safe
ty>lamps by drawing down the burning
wicks in such manner that the fame
has no means Of reaching the outside at
mosphere. This was done by the miners,
who in the confusion and terror of the
moment kept their wits about them, but
an English miner named Boskett, new
hand, lost his head and attempted to ex-
tinsuish his light by blowing it out. 1t
being a strong one unfortunately did not
blow out, but forced its way through the
wire-gauze netting that protects it and
ignited the gas, which instantaneously
exploded and with horrible effect. George
Guyer and Joseph Kinney, two boys,
were driving along the gangway on
wagon when the explosion occurred. The
wagon was hurled against the side tins
bers with terrific force and the boy Guy
er instantly killed. His brains were dash,
ed out and bespattered the wagon and
the timbers. Almost by miracle Kin
ney escaped being killed. After being
thrown from the wagon he was enabled
to make his way to where assistance could
be obtained in spite of the terrible after
damp that filled the gangway subsequent
to the explosion. The boys story at once
aroused the men within hail to a sense of
the imminent danger in which their
"butties" were, and an effort was at once
made to effect rescue. Cuyer's body
was first found, and alongside of him lay
the dead body of his mule. When within
100 yards of the face of the gangway one
OF the rescuing party hallooed, as there
any one inside" and was overioyed to
hear, in feeble tones, Eyes; for God S sake
take me out!" A rush was made for the
spot from which the voice seemed to pro-
ceed, and lying upon his back, with
scarcely stitch of clothing upon him, his
flesh burned and blackened, was George
Scheubelhut. He was carefully taken to
to the rear and drawn to the surface;
but the poor fellow died this morning,
after suffering eXcruciating agony during
the night, In the course of couple Of
hours the gangway was cleared of the
men dead, dying and alive, when it was
discovered that the following persons
had perished in the explosion: Harry
Jones, a man fifty years of age, married
and the father Of two children; William
Boskett, aged forty FIVE, married and the
father of four children; George Guyer,
aged nineteen; Sheulbelhut, who died
this morning. The boy Kinney was only
slightly injured.


The damage done the colliery was
small. The greatest excitement existed
last evening and to-day in the vicinity of
the mine, people from all parts of the
surrounding country pouring in to visit
the mine and witness the effects of the
explosion, which in its results was the
most fatal that has occurred in the region
for almost year.