Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 February 1884 — THE DEADLY COAL-PIT. [ARTICLE]

THE DEADLY COAL-PIT.

An Explosion of Gas in a Pennsylvania Shaft Kills Nineteen Hen. The Awful Scenes of a Sudden Death Which Were Revealed Below* {Telegram from Union town, Pa] The.little mining village of West Leisenring. four miles north of here, was this morning the scene of the most terrific explosion ever known in the coke region. The Connellsvill© Coal and Iron Company, of which Judge Leisenring of Mauch Chunk, is President* have 200 coke ovens here which have been in operation about a year. The works give employment to about one hundred men, and quite a little town has sprung up named after the President of the company. The coal for the ovens is obtained by means of a shaft* which reaches the coal at a distance of 400 feet from the surface. This morning a. part oU the force who had worked all night left the mines a little after 3 o’clock, and seventy others took their places, making the usual morning shift. About 6.80 o’clock, while the men were digging, suddenly, without warning, there occurred an explosion that oonvulsed the mine in every apartment and threw the men into* the utmost consternation. The scene of the explosion was in one of the apartments, fully 800 feet distant from the bottom of the shaft, and therefore about 1,200 feet from the surface opening, yet the report was heard on the outside for a considerable distance, and caused such a Jar that the top of*a derrick 100 feet high was knocked off. Two mules were standing at the bottom of the shaft, 800 feet from the explosion, and the rush of air blew one of them through &. wooden cage, shattering it to pieces. The other mule died of suffocation. The awful scene that ensued among th© terror-stricken miners cannot be described. All of their lamps were blown - out, and theywere left in darkness and confusion. Tbey had nut time to recover from the shock before they found themselves unable to breathe. The explosion of the fire-damp—a term which the miners apply to the light carbonated hydrogen or coal-gas that issues from the crevices in the most of the mines—left the min© filled with after damp, which oontains no oxygen and renders it impossible for life to be sustained for any time. This after-damp was densest in the upper part of the mine, and th© men hovered near the bottom, but even there they did not long find relief. Of all the men who were in the heading where the explosion occurred, Dick Balsley alone escaped to tell the awful story. When, the explosion came, and all the lights were blown out, Balsley was just changing his, clothes. He at once wound part of his clochestightly around his face and mouth to keep th© foul air from choking him, and gave the rest of his garments to a companion with instructions to take the same precautions. H© then started for the main entrance, biddinghls companion follow. They ran overthe bodies of men, and over shattered, wagons. They could see nothing, butcould hear the groans of dying men. Presently Balsley's companion protested) that they were not going in th© right direction, and turned back. He perished. Balsley pushed on until finally he saw a light, and was taken put. His escape is regarded by experienced miners as one of th© most marvelous on record. He says that som© men kept their heads under water as long as> they could, and were forced to change from water to and at last they gave upthe unequal struggle. When the news of the explosion flashed around, the families of the men gathered about the shaft, ana were crazy with suspense. Balsley's story gave them little ground for hope that any oould be got out alive. So dangerous was the after-damp that it was fully two hours before any volunteers could enter the mine. Many were on hand ready to make the search, but were unable to do so until the hope of rescuing the unfortunates alive had quite fled. It was about 8 o’clock when the first body was brought out. It whs that of Michael Ripko, a Hungarian*, whose wife and two little children were waiting and weeping at the shaft. The face boreno marks of violence, and the man bad evidently died of suffocation. The work of rescuing the men went on rapidly by willing volunteers, and at noon nineteen bodies had been carried out. The company’s books wer© then examined, the roll called, and, it was announced that all the men had been accounted for. Work proceeded in quiet and order amid the sobs and subdued weeping of the stricken famines. The bodies were taken to th© homes near by and laid out. Coroner Batton* of this place, with many citizens, went from here, and the inquest began at 3:80 o’clock. No testimony was taken exoept that which) identified the dead, nineteen in number. Most of the dead bore no visible marks of violence, but had died of suffocation. Their faces were generally very black, smoke and dust having been blown Into the skin. The last man taken out alive was Henry Wilson, who had managed to subsist on the air in th© very bottom of the mine till rescued. He was almost gone. Many of those who were in other parts of the mine suffered severely. Dick Balsley reports that the men acted" much like horses in a burning stable. They were bewildered, and, not knowing which way to go, refused to move in any direction. Some of them were so burned that the flesh dropped off them in places when removed. The scene at the afflicted homes to-night is heartrending beyond description. In Hackney’s house Re two corpse, himself and May. In the house of the Hungarian, Ripko, is perhaps the saddest sight of all. This family seem advanced far beyond their averag© countrymen in civilization, and their home was cheerful and attractive. The dead husband and father lies upon a bed; bis weeping wife sits at his head kissing and caressing him, while two little - children stand by and call him in vain. After identifying the bodies Coroner Batton adjourned the inquest until Saturdaymorning. The company will bear all the expense of the funerals, which will take place-to-morrow and next day. The accumulation of so much gas in this mine as to cause such an explosion is a matter of much surprise. No accident ever before 'occurred here, and it - was regarded as a very safe mine. Th© fire boss, with a lamp, made the usual examination last night, and pronounced everything all right, Men had left other mines that were regarded as unsafe and come her© to work because there was no danger felt.