Newspapers: Pottsville Register: July 28, 1855 - Explosions in mines 

This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Barbara Welch
dpwelch@erols.com
 

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Article from the The Alexandria, Va., Gazette of Aug. 1, 1855: 
The Potsville (sic) Register, July 28th says: 
"On Tuesday morning last an explosion of sulphur took place in a new breast of the 
Belmont colliery, about four miles from this place. The burning sulphur communicated 
to a portion of two or three kegs of powder standing in the vicinity, the forcible explosion 
of which knocked down a set of gangway timbers, and with them a large piece of slaty rock. 
This mass fell directly upon a number of miners and boys, waiting to commence work. 
Four persons were instantly killed, named Frederick Saumbrey and Jas. Devlin, 
both men of families; and Enoch Silverthorn and David Morgan, boys. James Silverthorn, 
a man of family, was horrible and fatally burned. On Wednesday last an explosion of sulphur 
took place at O.F. Moore's colliery, at Bear Ridge, in this county, whereby three men were 
severly burned. One named James Davis, died on Thursday. We have also heard a rumor 
of another explosion at or near St. Clair, which has proved fatal to several lives, but have 
not procured the particulars."