Year: 1879

The explosion of fire damp by which


five men lost their lives while five hun


dred feet under ground, in the coliery


at Mill Greek, thirteen miles from Scran-


ton, Pa, was terrible affair. The


Mill Creek colliery had given indications


of having a shaky roof. and on the Sat-


urday evening preceding the explosion


there was heavy fall in what is known


as No. 9 lift. A lift is an avenue lead


ing from the main slope, in which min


ing operations are carried on. and ex-


tending at right angles into the cham


bers. The slope Of the Mill Creek mine


is 5000 feet long from its opening. The


men remained at work until twelve


o'clock Saturday night, and everything


seemed to be in good order when they


stopped work. The next morning, at six


o'clock, the mine boss. John E. Cook, en-


tered the slope and discovered one Of the


huge coal pillars between airway and


gangway working or yielding under the


weight Of the roof. He hastened out and


Immediately sent for Zachariah Thomas,


George Forcey, WiIiiam Kenny, Daniel
Rupp and David jenkins, and instructed


them to 60 and make the shaky pillar


secure with stout wooden props. There


was no time to lose. he said, as it was


settling rapidly. The men hastened


down the slope, and exactly in what way


they met their horrible death, will for


ever remain mystery, as no one was left


to tell the tale. The theory is that their
lamps came in contact with the fire.


damp. When the alarm was sounded


from the breaker, the church. bells were


ringing. and the people were preparing
for divine service; but the churches re-
mained empty. Their congregations
crowded around the black mouth of the
dismal pit, waiting to learn its awful
secret. About 1900 persons were there,
many of them wringing their hands in
the agony of suspense.


It was an exceedingly perilous task to
descend the slope, owing to the havoc
which experienced miners knew had
been wrought by the explosion. The
deadly afterdamp, the shaky root, the
possible accumulation of more gas, the
improbability of the mine being on fire.
all these dangers were likely to exist
after such an explosion. At last the
mine boss and a brave gang of men de- j.
cided on going down, hoping against
hope that they might save a Life.
They were lowered in the car. It
was an awful sight with which
they were confronted at the bottom of
the slope. The explosion had wrought
fearful havoc. Pillars and props were
torn away, and thick partition walls Of
Goals rent asunder in ragged disorder.
The threatening roof was robbed of its
support, and every step was full Of peril.
An anxious, silent search for the vic
Tins ensued. The mine boss discovered
three mangled bodies in No. 8 lift. It
was horrible to look upon them. The
exploring party picked the remains of
the victims up, and placing them in the
car, gave the signal to hoist, when the
anxious crowd overhead pressed for
ward to the mouth of the slope to catch
a first glimpse at the victims of the dis
aster. The spectacle was soon pre-
sented, and wives and children tainted
where they stood. Again the car was
lowered and the search for the other
two begun. Their bodies were found
in No. 8 lift. about 300 feet from where
their friends lay. Zachariah Thomas
and David Jenkins were burned to a
crisp, and it was almost impossible to
tell one from the other. The boss states
that the spectacle was the most fright
full he ever witnessed. The work of
placing them in the car was difficult
one. owing to the condition Of the
bodies. At length the signal to hoist
was given for the second time, anu the
car was pulled slowly to the Iaouth of
the slope. A cry of horror greeted the
appearance of the two victims, and the
great crowd sobbed as the remains were
lifted from the car.