This story from the Lykens Register, June 14, 1900:
TERRIBLE MINE ACCIDENT
Seven Men at Horrible Burned by an Explosion and Injured by Flying Rock in the Mines at Williamstown.
One thus far dies from Injuries received.
The most serious accident that has ever befallen a body of men in the mines at Williamstown, occurred between 3 and 4 o’clock, Tuesday morning. Tramping their way up the mountain to the colliery seven men left either their families or parents behind, the former no doubt with a parting kiss on the lips of wife and children; going from home enjoying excellent health, unmarked and with a heart that beat for the welfare of their families, and the knowledge of the forth-coming working hours was to aid father or mother or provide for the sustenance of the family. They returned home not as they left, but burned and bruised, to be laid upon a bed until either life or death should be the conqueror. Such is the scene that followed a terrible mine explosion, and which put the inhabitants of our sister town in an excitable and the community in a sympathetic state.
So terrific was the explosion that men, lamps, caps and in fact everything that came in the path of the explosion was hurled aside. The seven men were sent a distance of from fifteen to twenty feet, and the shirt of Ralph Crump entirely torn off him, leaving only the wrist bands and a horribly burned body as an example of the velocity of the explosion. Making their way to the surface the men were carefully attended to and removed to their respective homes, where their injuries were dressed by Drs. Stites, Mason and Enders. The cause and result of the accident is better told in the following statement which the Register‘s representatives received from one who was so unfortunate to be among those injured. Lying upon a bed of suffering the injured man told how he left home, toiled at his work and finally with the others, brought home in the condition he presented. Between the exhausted breathing he told how his companions must suffer, not mindful that he was seriously hurt.
Peter Elm and Leo Flynn went on the 5 o’clock shift Monday evening, followed by Joseph Richards, Ralph Crump and Jacob Wagner at 11 o’clock, and John Crozier and John Lewis at 12 o’clock. They descended to their work at their respective shifts, not mindful of the experience they were to pass through in the course of several hours. Mr. Crozier and Mr. Lewis, assisted by Mr. Elm, began to bore a hole in the rock from the gangway to the old breast, which eventually was accomplished. The gas began to back up upon them whereupon the remaining four men close by, were told of it, and warned to blow out their lamps. All obeyed except one and the gas coming in contact with flame caused the explosion, which cost the life of Mr. Crump and horribly burned the rest. The injured men, all except Mr. Flynn and Mr. Wagner, finally made their way out through the darkness until they reached the plane when Mr. Elm lit his lamp and all ascended to the surface. None realized how much they were injured. Finding that Mr. Flynn and Mr. Wagner were missing, fire boss David Samuels was notified, who eventually brought them out.
Death ended the sufferings of Ralph Crump who was a young man of about 21 years of age. He was a son of William Crump. Young Crump was horribly burned from the waist up and the suffering he must have endured is untold. Peter Elm was also badly burned about the face and hands, besides being injured by flying rock. He is married. Leo Flynn, a boy of 16 or 17 years, was severely burned about the head, face, neck and hands, and part of his scalp burned off. Although his injuries are bad they may not prove fatal. Joseph Richards, also a married man with a family, was burned in various place from the waist up. Jacob Wagner was also burned badly about the head and face as was also John Crozier. john Lewis was more injured by flying rock than burned. At last accounts all the injured men are getting along as nicely as can be expected, except young Flynn, who suffers much.
___________________________________________________
Obtained through Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.