This post is part of a series of articles on the explosion that occurred at Bear Valley, No. 1 Shaft, Summit Branch Colliery, near Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1908, in which six men were killed.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, July 15, 1908:
POSTSCRIPT
A MINE DISASTER
By Associated Press
Pottsville, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1908 — One of the worst catastrophes which has ever visited the lower section of the anthracite coal fields occurred shortly after noon to-day at Williamstown, in which twelve men are reported to have been instantly killed and as many more so badly injured that it is thought that several of them will die. The accident is believed to have been caused by an explosion of gas, but those who have thus far been taken out have not been able to give a connected story of the disaster.
The known dead are:
James Bowman.
Charles rickert.
John Whittle.
—– Beverly.
—– Stakum.
Arthur Hawk.
Ten others were removed from the mine badly burned and torn by the force of the explosion, and it is feared several of them will die.
Six bodies are still unrecovered.
It was with great difficulty that rescuing parties could go down into the shaft and six are known to be still in the burning gas-laden workings with little hope of being rescued alive, even if they were not killed instantly.
The Williamstown colliery is operated by the Susquehanna Coal Company, and the employees who were in the ill-fated workings were all residents of Williamstown and immediate vicinity, almost all of them Americans.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, July 16, 1908:
CORONER BRAVES ILL-FATED MINE
Coover and Jury Will Go Down Shaft to Make Investigation
WILLIAMSTOWN IS STUNNED
Calamity Puts Business at a Standstill — Workingmen Gather In Groups and Discuss Disaster — Arrangements Are Being Made For the Funerals of the Victims, Which Will Be Held at Same Hour on Saturday.
By Associated Press
Williamstown, Pennsylvania, July 16 [1908] — Mine Inspectors C. J. Price, of Lykens, J. J. Curren and M. J. Brennan, of Pottsville, with Superintendent Auman, of the Williamstown colliery, and Coroner H. B. Coover, of Harrisburg, this morning made an inspection of the ill-fated workings at Williamstown in which several men lost their lives yesterday afternoon and a cozen others were badly injured. The inspectors will testify before the coroner’s inquest which will be held Saturday night or early next week as soon as some of the injured are recovered sufficiently to be able to be present and testify.
Coroner Coover is empaneling his jury, and they will be taken down into the shaft where the fatality occurred and also review the remains of the victims. That section of the mine, while not considered particularly dangerous, was of a gaseous character and safety lamps were required. The gauze coverings of these lamps keeps the gas from the flames, and it is supposed that one of the men killed lifter this gauze to either obtain more light or to make some adjustment and the gas was instantly ignited. The interior shows that a vast volume of gas had accumulated as the force of the explosion was unusually great while the mine timbers were charred.
Williamstown is still stunned by the calamity which has overtaken it and business is practically at a standstill, with workmen gathered in groups about the town discussing the explosion and the disaster of a few years ago when ten miners were suffocated while riding through the tunnel at the same colliery. Arrangements are now being made for the funerals of the victims, and it is probable that they will be held at the same hour on Saturday, when all places of business will be closed for a half day.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
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