Year: 1874

An Explosion OF Fire Damp.


Four men. strangers, desiring to see
the interior workings Of coal mine,
entered the Columbia tunnel, near
Rough and Ready mine, Pittston, Pa.
Some distance from the entrance the
passagewsy diverges, leading in one
direction into the working part of the
mine, and to large unused chamber in
she other. This chamber has been
abandoned some time, and, as a con-
sequence, has become filed with fire
damp and other noxious gases arising
in coal mine. The visitors, being
without guide, found their way along
the dark and Shiny passage by means
of lantern, carried by one of the
party, and took the tunnel leading into
this infested chamber. Entering it,
they walked about until they began to
feel the effect of the poisonous gases.
Aware of the prevalence of fire damp in
mines, they knew at once the cause of
the peculiar sensation, and endeavored
to find the way by which they entered
the chamber, in order that they might
escape. Before the entrance could be
found three of the party were obliged
to succumb to the influences of the fire
damp, and fell to the ground. The
fourth, carrying the lantern, found the
passage, and succeeded in reaching the
outside gallery in a weak condition.
He soon recovered after coming in con-
tact with the purer air, and at once set
himself about the rescuing, if possible,
of his companions. He was fearful
that if he left the mine for aid they
would be dead or beyond the hope of
resuscitation before he could return,
80 he determined to re-enter the nox-
ious chamber and drag his friends
forth into the air himself. fastening
in, he discovered by the dim light cast
by his lantern the prostrate bodies of
his three companions. Hanging the
lantern on one of his arms by the large
carrying ring, he grasped two of the
senseless men by their collars, and
being a powerful man, and nerved to
still greater strength by the circum-
stances, he pulled them out into the
main passage. Pauslng q second for a
breath of fresh air, he again rushed
into the chamber and drew the remain
ing man out. Losing no time, he
dragged his senseless friends toward
the mouth of the entrance to the mine,
taking one several feet forward, then
going back and bring the others, one
at a time, until he brought them to the
fresh air at the entrance. Before he
got them out, he was rejoiced to notice
signs of returning consciousness in
them all. It was some time after reach
ing the mouth of the mine before the
three men were able to comprehend
their situation and to realize that their
escape from the very jaws of death was
almost miraculous. Aid was procured
for them, and they were taken to one
of the hotels in the place and their
remarkable adventure made quite q
sensation in Pittston.


In the same chamber fearful tragedy
was enacted. Westley Willis, young
man who had just hired out to work in
the mine, while awaiting orders,
thought to take look at things inside.
Unfortunately he was not aware of the
fire damp chamber, and followed the
passage directly into it. No sooner
had he entered the foul place, when the
gas was exploded by Willis mine lamp
on his hat, and the young man was
hurled out of the chamber against the
jagged side of the gallery. The re-
port was heard for a great distance
round, and the passage was soon filed
with startled miners. Willis body was
found mangled and mutilated SO as to
be almost unrecognizable. His face
burned black, and nearly every bone
in his body was broken. He was the
only support of widowed mother and
crippled brother.