11 Jul 1912- MOUNDSVILLE

Moundsville, WV Coal Mine Gas Explosion, July 1912
Posted April 28th, 2012 by Stu Beitler

EIGHT PERISH IN MINE.

THREE OTHERS INJURED AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO LIVE.

GAS STOPS RESCUE WORK.

ORDER FOR GOVERNMENT CARS COUNTERMANDED, AS NO HOPE IS ENTERTAINED THAT ENTOMBED MINERS ARE ALIVE — EXPLOSION HAPPENS WHEN MEN ENTER SHAFT, WHICH HAD BEEN IDLE SEVERAL WEEKS.

Moundsville, W. Va., July 11 — A gas explosion at 9 o’clock this morning in the Panama mine of the Ben Franklin Coal Company of West Virginia, said to have been caused by an open lamp carried in by one of the victims, killed eight men and injured three, probably fatally.
The dead are:
JOSEPH MARSCHILLA.
MIKE REDENNA.
JOSEPH MARKENO.
ALVY HURLEY.
LESLIE WILSON.
ANDREW CHESKY.
WILLIAM CHESKY.
JOSEPH CANNALIE.
The injured are:
WILLIAM HUPP, fire boss.
DAVID BROOKS.
JOSEPH MANTIELS.
All of the dead except HURLEY and WILSON were foreigners.
Rescue parties headed by General Foreman C. E. McCabe entered the mine and succeeded in finding the injured men. Later the fan was started, and when the mine entries were cleared of gas another attempt was made to find the missing. McCabe was overcome and brought to the surface, but others took his place and located the bodies of the men who had been killed. Finally the work of rescue was halted until the mine could be cleared of gas.
Officials of the coal company late today countermanded the order for the United States bureau of mines rescue cars, declaring the entombed miners are dead. They say it will be days before the mine can be cleared of gas.
The Panama shaft had been closed for several weeks until today when ten men entered the workings for the purpose of loading coal. They had been in the mine only a short time when the village was alarmed by the sound of a loud explosion, and great volumes of smoke poured from the shaft. The seventy other employes of the company quickly assembled, and General Foreman McCabe quickly organized a rescue party.
The Panama shaft was recently taken over by the Ben Franklin Coal Company it having been operated a number of years by another company.

Washington Post District of Columbia 1912-07-12
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!

MOUNDSVILLE/PANAMA
July 11, 1912

“Gas Explosion at Panama Mine Kills 7 and Terribly Burns 3,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-11-1912
“Story of the Sad Day,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Cause of Accumulation of Gas,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Brooks Seems to Recover Nicely; Hupp and Manileis Less Encouraging, Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Gaumont People to Reproduce Mine Explosion,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Coroner Begins Investigation of Mine Disaster,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Take Brooks Testimony at the Hospital,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Funerals of Mine Victims,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Cause of Accumulation of Gas,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Triple Funeral,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-12-1912
“Panama Mine Disaster Will Claim Another Victim Before Morning,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-13-1912
“Panama Mine Disaster in Motion Pictures,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-13-1912
“Prepare to Reopen the Panama Mine,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-15-1912
“Inspectors Are Making Complete Investigation of Panama Mine Disaster,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-15-1912
“Hupp Funeral Held Today,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-15-1912
“Condition Unchanged,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-16-1912
“Relief Fund Night at Theatorium,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-17-1912
“Relief Fund Nears the $1800 Mark,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-17-1912
“Manileis No Better,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-18-1912
“Relief Fund Contributors,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-18-1912
“Thorough Probe in Panama Disaster,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-18-1912
“Complete Investigation of Panama Mine Disaster Late This Evening,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-19-1912
“Criminal Negligence Was Responsible for Panama Mine Disaster, Coroner’s Jury Says,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-20-1912
“Sketch of Affected Part of Panama Mine,” Moundsville Daily Echo, 7-?-1912