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VOLUME III —No. 8
27 Men Killed In Mine Disaster
Most Harrowing Accident in the
History of Indiana County
CORONER'S INQUEST HELD
The disaster which occurred in
the Ernest mine No. 2 of the Jef
ferson & Clearfield Coal & Iron
Co, last Friday afternoon, was the
most horrible disaster of recent
years in the bituminous coal dis
trict. Twenty-seven employes lost
their lives and five injured, are
now in the Indiana hospital. Bo
dies of nineteen miners were tak
en from the mine early Satur
day morning and brought to In
diana by special train and placed
in the care of local undertakers.
Seven other were taken out of the
mine later and brought to Indi
ana, making a total of 27 bodies.
The complete list of dead, as
given out by the coal company yes
terday, follows:
J. William Ball, aged 36, fore
man, American, wife and 5 chil
dren.
John Connelly, aged 37, Ameri
can, rock boss, wife and 5 chil
dren.
Norris Allen, aged 32, Ameri
can, wife and one child.
Paul Taggart, aged 30, Ameri
can, wife and small child.
James Herman, aged 19, mar
ried, no children.
Mack Schmidt, aged 36, Ameri
can, loader.
George Bunton, Jr., aged 25.
motorman, single.
Alex Broskin, aged 40, loader,
wife and 3 children.
Ferdinando Vassaneili, aged 30.
wife and 4 children.
Vincenzo Cajnerata, aged .45,
wife and 5 children.
Arturo Rossi, aged 32, single.
Giuseppe Saldari, aged 27, sin
gle.
Agostino Micone, aged 21, sin
gle.
Domenico Ruzzini, aged 24, sin
gle.
Giorgio Guerino, aged 26, single
Giovamni Paolo, aged 23, single.
Pompeo Giorgio, aged 22. single.
Giuseppe Stocchi, aged 28, sin
gle.
Domenico Panei, aged 30 ...
Antonio Fuzzani, single.
Erminio Sigismondi, aged 21,
married about one month ago.
Ignally Valceresky, aged 40,
wife and eight children.
Stanly Valcercusky, aged 22.
single.
Steve Fenis, aged 30.
John Tassick, aged 39, wife and
4 children.
Frank Bonofhoski, aged 30,
wife and 3 children.
Charles Strandquist, aged 35
mine foreman, single.
Investigation of the accident by
the coal company officials and
Mine Inspectors Thomas Lowther.
of this place, and C. 11. Crocker,
of Blairsville, showed that Fire
Boss Charles Strandqust and Aline
Foreman William Ball lost their
lives while making the second gas
test of the day in the mine. Two
examinations of the mine are
made daily. The lirst was complet
ed at 11 o'clock Friday morning
and the second test was nearly fin
ished when the explosion occurred,
killing all of the company men en
gaged in making the test.
The seat of the explosion was
the fifteenth right room of head
ing 3 and 4, about a mile and a
quarter from the entrance. Ordin
arily 43 men worked in this sec
tion, but on account of the funeral
of one of the crew held in Indiana
that day only 30 miners were at
work in the room, which lessened
the loss of life, as every man on
duty in the vicinity of the explo
sion was killed instantly. The three
injured miners in the local hospi
tal were some distance from the
heading when the let-go occurred.
B. AI. Clark, of Punxsutawney,
assistant to President Lucius AY.
Robinson, said that half a dozen
theories as to the cause of the ex
plosion might be advanced, any
of which might be correct, but that
it is doubtful if investigation, as
(borough as it will' be, will ever
reveal the real cause of the disas-
ter. The mine has a tendency to
be gaseous at times, and for this
reason extra precautions have al
ways been taken in regard to the
daily test for gas.
The Jefferson and Clearfield
Coal and Iron Company, with its
allied interests, did not take out
regular compensation, preferring
to conduct an insurance system of
its own. Attorney Henry I. Wil
son, of Big Run, who has charge
of the concern's compensation
work, was here conferring with
the officials in regard to adjusting
the compensation. In commenting
on this phase of the accident Air.
AVilson said the disaster will cost
the company between $50,000 and
$60,000 in compensations.
The greater number of the dead
were buried in St. Bernard's Ro
man Catholic cemetery Alonday.
An explosion occurred in the
same mine six years ago, at which
time 11 men lost their lives.
Coal Company Exonerated.
The Jefferson & Clearfield Coal
& Iron Co. in whose mine at Er
nest the disastrous explosion oc
curred last Friday evening, was
exonerated from all blame con
nected therewith by the coroner's
jury, which conducted the inquest
AA"ednesday afternoon, with Coro
ner Dr. 11. B. Buterbaugh presid
ing.
The jury; also determined that
the explosion was due to an un
known cause. The text of the ver
dict follows:
''That the 27 men came to their
death on February 11, 1916, at
Inspector's Report
about 3:20 p. in. at Ernest Aline
No. 2, Ernest. Indiana county. Pa.
The deceased come to their death
as a result of an explosion of gas
in said mine, ignited by some un
known cause.
The coroner's jury was compos
ed of John F. Clements, Josiah
Xeal. Dr. A. 11. Stewart, J. Willis
AVilson and Hon. Wilmer 11. AVood
The report of the Commission
e f Aline Inspectors, the commis
sion being named by J. E. Rode
rick. chief of the State Bureau of
Alines to comprise Thomas S. Low
ther. of Indiana; C. 11. Crocker, of
Blairsville; Nicholas Evans, of
Johnstown; T. A. Furniss, of
Punxsutawney. and C. B. Rhea, of
Latrobe. follows:
"That explosive gas that had
accumulated on a fall had been
driven down off the fall bv anoth-
tr caving of the strata above on
the open lights of the two men
who were working in No. 2 room
pillar oft' 14 1-2 right entry, said
lights igniting the explosive gas."
Their report also stated that
they had no criticisms to ofter eon-
Cc ruing the work of the superin
t ndent, mine foreman and assist
ants, which includes the fire boss,
as they had done their work in
compliance with the mining laws
of the state.
INDIANA, PA. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1916
©MERICA PAYS HOMAGE TO
HER
gEARCH in the plains
sword of Washington. =llB® *
What find you there? *
Tombs? No; you find a *
world. Washington has
left behind him the. United )A
Slate, „ a trophy of his
battlefields.—Chateaubri
and.
Cherrytree Works Have Been Sold
Pittsburghers Are Purchasers
A Meal has been closed whereby
the property of the Cherry tree Ir
on Works at Cherry tree, Indiana
county, has been sold to William
Brown and associates, of Pitts
burg. The n ew owners, who will
incorporate under the name of
the Cherrytree Alachine Co., have
taken charge. The company, it is
said, has orders for 18 months of
work from an eastern ordnance
Bars Opened
Wednesday
The doors of the barrooms
throughout Indiana cunty were
thrown open to the public Wed
nesday morning, after having been
closed for more than a year. All
the bars in the town were opened
excepting that of the Central ho
tel which is undergoing extensive
improvements. Thousands of dol
lars were spent by Indiana coun
ty hotel men in the last few weeks
in repairing and rebuilding the ho
tels and -cafes.
DIRECTORS ARE WORRIED.
The Indiana board of school di
rectors are in a quandary on ac
count of the crowded conditions
of the two ward schools. Every
room is crowded to capacity and!
the teachers cannot give the time
necessary to each pupil. A new
room is badly needed in the grades j
but necessity will be more pro-j
nounced at the opening of the
may mean the erection of a new'
building. The crowded condition i
in the high school has been allevi
ated to a considerable extent !
through the converting of a room
used as a library into a class
room. The new teacher is Miss
Marian Hunter of Leechburg. and
she is qualified to teach all High !
School subjects.
company, and has also been pro
mised an order for not less than
1000 mine cars. A large extension
to the main building will be con
structed a new cupola and electri
cal crane will be installed and oth
er improvements will be made.
AVilliam Burnside and brother, of
Bellefonte, purchased the proper
ty last summer from the Cambria
Title, Savings and Trust Co., of
Ebensburg.
Men Drowned
In Soft Mud
Philadelphia, Feb. 18. —Andrew
Sural), aged 40; his soil. John, ag
ed 10, and John Carpenter, aged
8. were drowned today in Darby
creek, near this city. The boys
were skating on thin ice when
they broke through and fell into
the water. The elder Surab at
tempted to rescue them, but liK
heavy boots caused him tp sink to
the bottom where he stuck in the
soft mud.
LIST OF LETTERS
Remaining uncalled for in the In
diana office February 12. 191G :
Miss Nannie Black. Mr. Mahlon
Craft, Miss Beatrice Cassidv. Mrs.
A. E. Covade, Mrs. Martha E. Dor
myer. Miss Cora lianna. Miss Em
ma Oravis. Miss Sara Richards. E.
T. Robbins. Miss K. Rummel, Mr.
A. Slater. Mr. Ernest Strandquist.
Mr. Carl Stewart. Miss Xanna
Snyder. Mr. Charlie Weilfert. Mr.
Daniel AY. Williams, Mr. Binghani
Winter.
AYhen inquiring for letters n
this list please state that they
were advertised, giving l date.
HARRY W. FEE, P. M.
Best stores advertise in The
Patriot.
101,208,315 Population Is
the U. S. Census Estimation
Bridge Regarded
Unsafe by Countians
Citizens residing in the vicinity
I of the Conemaugh river in Indiana
and AVestmoreland counties are
; backing a movement asking for
the construction of a joint county
bridge to take the place of the
one now spanning the river at
Blairsville. The present bridge is
i regarded unsafe and is the sixth
' bridge that has been erected in
that vicinity.
Ullil K Ml N
i GIVEN FINES
The cases of officials of the Eb
! c n sburg Coal Company at Colver,
; charging with having assaulted
union officials who visited the
place to organize the field, were
finally disposed of in court at Eb
ensburg, the men having been sen
tenced to pay the costs when they
entered pleas of nolle contendere
at the December term of court. J.
|E AVilkinson paid $25; E. F. Sax
man, $200; E. S. Saxman, $5O; R.
F. Sweixele, $25, and Leo F.
Crouse. $25. In the second ease
tlie defendants were ordered to
i \ ay the costs and further sentence
i was suspended.
Another New Building
Plans are completed for the new
three-story brick apartment and busi
ness block, 50x59 feet, which Mrs.
D- H. Tomb will have erected on the
corner ot Carpenter Ave. and Gomp
ers Alley. Bids will be asked for
the erection at once, as it is planned
to start the erection March 1. One
of the storerooms on the first floor
will be occupied by the E. R. Lums
den Company.
Punx'y Hotel
Recently Sold
A deal has been consummated
whereby Dr. J. P. Benson and W.
P. Wehrle become the owners of
the Whitney hotel building in
Punxsutawney. The room former
ly used as a barroom, which is be
ing remodeled, will be occupied by
the Rowbottom Bros.' shoe store.
The room, formerly the hotel of
/ice, lias bee n rented, but the own
ers are not at liberty to divulge
the name of the renter. It will be
opened the first of April. E. E.
Shaffer will continue to live on the
third fioor of the building. No dis
position has been made of the sec
(nd fioor and the barn has not
1 cen rented. —Punxsutawney Spir.
it.
New Town in the County
A new town in this county lias
been started across the river from
Seward and it will known as Robin
dale. A school has been started and
has an enrollment of 20. H. George
is the teacher.
Invitations, Reception
and Visiting Cards
CORRECTLY AND PROMPTLY
PRINTED
Send to This Office For
Samples and Prices
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Washington Bureau's Figures Al
low Pennsylvania 8,453,004,
On January 1.
Washington. Feb. 18.—The Cen
sus Bureau estimates the popula
tion of the United States oil Jan
uary 1, 1916. at 101,208.315.
The estimate for July 1. 1916, is
102,017,312.
Both estimates are based on the
assumption that the rate of annu
al increase since 1910 has been as
great as it was from 1900 to 1910.
The government estimates of the
population of the different states
on Jan. 1, 1916, includes:
Pennsylvania, 8.453,004; New
York, 10,179,971. The government
estimate for July 1, 1915 is 10,-
086,568, as against 9,687,744, the
revised estimate of the state cen
sus taken for June 1, 1915. Illi
nois, 6,110,888; Ohio, 5,119,491;
Texas, 4,386,638; Massachusetts.
3,690,748; Missouri, 3,401,241,
Aliehigan, 3,035,148; New Jersey,
2,914,928; Connecticut, 1,234,031.
Train Citizens
For the Navy
As Many as 2,500 Ca" Cruise in
Warships for $3O Each.
AVashington, D. C., Feb. 17—
Secretary Daniels decided today
to inaugurate a system of eifiJ/nn
r.aval training similar to that on
which military training camps
have been established at Platts
burg and elsewhere| It is planned
to use six battleships to take 2,-
500, if that many present them
selves, for training for a month's
cruise, beginning about August 15.
The plan, which was drafted by
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, pro-
I oses that the cost to the mem
shall be sufficiently low, not ex
ceeding $3O each, to enable those
in moderate circumstances to join..
The only compulsory requirement
is that each volunteer declare his
intention of giving his services to
the navy in case of war.
The object of the plan is to es
tablish a naval reserve of vivilians
Injured Man
Has Chance
to Recover
*Altoona, Pa., Feb. 18. —Lugi Cia
fcello, 38 years old an Italian min
er of Indiana, was struck by a lo
comotive at Kittanning Point west
of here. Friday. He is in the Al
toona hospital suffering from a
iractured jaw, fractured clavicle,
| fractured skull, fractured nose.
; crushed right arm at the shoulder,
lacerations of the face, forAead
; and scalp, lacerations of the chest,
contusions and lacerations of th<
legs and numerous minor contu
sions.
The right arm was amputated.
Despite the multiplicity of hurts,
he seems to be getting along nice
ly and doctors believe he has a
fair chance' to recover.
COMMITTEE IS NAMED
Chairman 11. C. Christy has nam
ed the following persons to com
pose the committee who will ar
range for the program incident to
the celebration of Indiana's cen
tennial: Frank L. Neff, A. I.
Reese, Ira A. Myers, J. R. Rich
ards, D. M". Simpson, H. AV. Thom
as and H. C. Christy. The commit
tee will get together at once and
will report at another mass meet
ing to be held in the near future
FTVE CENTS