1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

234 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OP MINES. Off. Doc.down, SO that it was necessary to tighten the batteries above thegangway and to connect pipes to them leading to the outlet airway,to carry the gas oil', so that it would not feed in to where themen were working and make them sick. After the dam had been(roptied on October 8, it was decided not to let any more water inuntil the heading had been driven to the top slate of the vein overKo. 23 breast, which was reached during the forenoon of October 13,and tire was found at that point. Instead of waiting until night torun the water on, it was decided to stop the colliery at noon on thatday, and, after all the workmen had been sent out, except thoseengaged in driving the headings and turning the water in, to runthe water from the dam down the new opening. The water wasti.rned on slowly for about twenty minutes, then the sluice wasopened to its full capacity. The inside foreman, Evan G Evans,V as close to the mouth of the cross-cut watching the water going in,T'hile the other men were scattered along the gangway outside,some getting their dinners, others smoking and chatting while waitingfor the dam to be emptied, so that they could I'eturn to workin the headings. After the water had been turned on full force,there were several slight explosions, of which the men took no notice.Then there was a heavy explosion, which blew out some of thegangway timbei', near where the men were waiting, and also blewout several of the batteries in the chutes above the gangway, andthe lights used by the men. Evan G. Evans, the inside foreman, beingthe closest to the cross-cut, was severely burned on the face andhands. James Powell, a miner, had his collar bone broken, and eightothers were slightly injured, but they all succeeded in making theirway out. When help arrived, it was found that Thomas Smith, fireboss; William Cook, William Reese and John Kanick, miners, weredead, having been smothered by the gases from the fire which droppedquickly onto the gangway after the batteries had been blown out.V>'lien the first dam of water was emptied on the fire, the precautionwas taken to have all the men out of the way for fear of anMessrs. Thomas M. Whildin, the genexplosion or other accident.eral inside foreman, and Baird Snyder, the assistant superintendent,were present with the men at each time the dam was emptied, excepton this one occasion, when they were on their way to the colliery,expecting to get there before the water was turned on. Themen who were killed and injured- were about 360 feet back fromwhere the water was going into the breast from the face of theheading, and as there had been no explosions of any account \\]tto this time, thought (hey were safe at that distance away. na the i»itch to try to get above the fire or find how far the