144 Miners Killed in Gas Explosion, Cave In, Nov. 6, 1922

144 Miners Believed to Have Lost Lives in Pennsylvania. . . Gas Explosion and Cave In Take Dreadful Toll at New Shaft Near Spangler—Five Bodies Recovered—Disaster Appalling

By the United Press

Johnstown, Pa., Nov. 6—144 miners trapped beneath the surface in the Reilly Mine at Spangler, Pas., have perished in an explosion of gas and a cavein, according to reliable reports from the shaft this afternoon. Officials of the Reilly Mine are withholding information and are barring photographers. Bodies of five victims already have been located, it was reported unofficially. Rescue crews are struggling through falling timber and dangerous slides of rock to save any comrades who still may be alive. Little hope is entertained that any of the entombed miners have survived the disaster, one of the greatest in American mining history, it was said this afternoon. Shortly before noon rescue workers reached the first dead bodies in the Spangler mine, five being found in one of the workings off the main shaft. It was announced that the dead bodies would not be brought to the surface until 4 o’clock.

One hundred fifth men were entombed in Reilley shaft Number 1 of the Reilley Coal Mining Company early today by a gas explosion. The shaft is located at Spangler.

Reports from Spangler are that some of the men escaped but that little hope is entertained of saving any of the others. Mine officials stated that the number was between 140 and 150, and that they were endeavoring to check up the names of those who had gone into the mine against the total list of men employed to see exactly how many were missing.

New Shaft

Reilley shaft No. 1, located near Spangler, where a large number of men were entombed by a gas explosion this morning, is practically a new mine, the shaft only having been sunk recently.

Rescue Car Rushed

Pittsburgh, Nov. 6—A mine rescue car of the Bureau of Mines was rushed to the Reilly mine at Spangler this morning following reports that 150 miners were entombed by a gas explosion. Reports received by the bureau said that the explosion occurred at 7:45 at a point in the shaft 500 feet from the entrance.

From the front page of the Kinston Free Press, second edition, Monday, Nov. 6, 1922