Anthracite Mine Accidents - Centralia/Conyngham Twp - 1869-1908
Contributed by Thomas J. Dempsey

ANTHRACITE MINE FATALITIES IN CONYNGHAM TOWNSHIP AND CENTRALIA PART ONE-1869 TO 1908

CONTRIBUTED BY THOMAS J. DEMPSEY



ALTHOUGH THE SURFACE PLANT OF BIG MINE RUN COLLIERY WAS LOCATED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY,

THE MINE WAS LOCATED MOSTLY IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, THEREFORE THE FATALITIES FOR THIS 

COLLIERY ARE INCLUDED.  DATE IS ACCIDENT DATE, NOT NECESSARILY DEATH DATE.



DATE       NAME               AGE WIDOW CHILDREN COLLIERY     DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT



9/1/1869   David Davis                           Union        Fall of coal.



7/14/1870  William Connelly        M             Hazel Dell   Fall of chute.

9/3/1870   Peter Reichwein         M      4      Locust Dale  Crushed by mine car.

11/7/1870  John Shoemaker                        Union        Fall of coal.

12/5/1870  Michael Crane                         Centralia    Fall of coal.

12/6/1870  M. McMannon                           Union        Crushed in rollers.



1/21/1871  Andrew Drehr            M      1      Centralia    Missing

6/2/1871   Benjamin Lovell                       Locust Run   Gas explosion.

   "       Alfred Lovell                            "    "     "      "

           Walter Wyatt                             "    "     "      "

7/3/1871   Martin Schlitzer   Boy                Centralia    Killed in rollers.

9/5/1871   A. Mann                               Hazel Dell   Dropped dead.

10/15/1871 William Davis                         Continental  Killed by mule.



4/17/1872  Jenkins Crannage                      Locust Dale  Gas explosion.

    "      George Crannage                            "        "      "

4/27/1872  John D. Bowen           M      4      Locust Dale  Discharge of blast.

5/29/1872  Michael Corcoran                      Locust Run   Run over on dirt plane.

6/10/1872  Paul O'Neill                          Locust Dale  Fall of a trestle.

7/1/1872   Patrick Kelly                         Locust Run   Killed by wagon.

8/22/1872  John Huffey             M      2      Hazel Dell   Car tipped over in slope.

10/7/1872  Dennis Dougherty                      Union        Fall of Coal



1/23/1873  John Neiman             M      4      Locust Dale  Explosion of gas.

5/26/1873  J. Monaghan             M      6      Big Mine Run Explosion of gas.

9/22/1873  Frederick Marsden       M      4      Coal Ridge   Explosion.

12/2/1873  Patrick Farrell                       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.



4/4/1874   Edward Monaghan                       Big Mine Run Explosion.

4/25/1874  Jacob Honnicker         M      6      Eagle        Explosion of gas.

5/25/1874  Edward Hackey           M      6      Big Mine Run Unknown cause.

10/16/1874 Lewis Munhal                          Continental  Slope rope breaking.

11/28/1874 Michael Whalen          M      2      Big Mine Run Prop fell on him.

No Date    Thomas Harris  boy                    Union        Run over by wagons.



4/12/1875  James O'Brien                         Union        Died at work.

9/17/1875  John Cleary                           Union #2     Fall of coal.

10/18/1875 Patrick Kelly                         Locust Dale  Breaker machinery.

11/18/1875 John Durkin                           Locust Dale  Died when powder

    "      Alfred Steeley                           "     "   chest on which they

    "      Mordecai Jones                           "     "   were seated for dinner

    "      Robert Payne                             "     "   exploded.

11/28/1875 A. Hunsicker                          Hazel Dell   Fall of slate.

12/4/1875  Anthony Lec    boy                    Big Mine Run Fell into rollers.



3/24/1876  Michael Monahan                       Continental  Explosion of gas.

9/26/1876  Chas. McGillan                        Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

12/21/1876 Daniel Malloy                         Continental  Killed by an 

    "      Thomas Daley                               "       explosion of

    "      Thomas Monahan                             "       4 kegs of

    "      John Verlin                                "       powder.



2/5/1877   Thomas Flynn                          Centralia    Run over by mine car.

9/10/1877  Patrick McGinley 42    M              Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

12/7/1877  James McAllister 32                   No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

12/21/1877 Thomas Connor    18                   No. Ashland  Overcome by gas.



1/15/1878  Henry Jones      45                   Potts        Explosion of gas.

    "      Hugh Wilson      50                     "              "     "   "

    "      William Basket   45                     "              "     "   "

    "      Geo. Shivelhood  30                     "              "     "   "

    "      Jacob Guir       18                     "              "     "   "

4/1/1878   James Hughes     38                   Locust Run   Run over by gunboat.

8/13/1878  Joseph Seltzer   25                   Big Mine Run Fall of slate

9/14/1878  William Cawley   34                   Big Mine Run Fall of rock.

10/9/1878  Edward Sweet     50                   Continental  Struck by coal from shot.



2/11/1879  Philip Schaum    51    M      3       No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

5/10/1879  Henry Bernsteel  39    M      4       No. Ashland  Fall of rock.

7/4/1879   Henry Conner     37    M      6       Potts        Crushed by rocks.

9/11/1879  Dan'l McAllister 45    M      1       Locust Run   Fell into well.

9/15/1879  Wm. Geading      40    M      3       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.



1/29/1880  Michael Hines    42    M      7       No. Ashland  Rush of coal.

6/15/1880  Wm. H. Price     44    M      6       Hazel Dell   Caught in breaker rolls.



1/20/1881  Christian Bader  28    M      2       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

2/28/1881  James Kane                            Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

3/22/1881  Edward Wagner    21    S              Logan        Crushed between cars.

4/20/1881  John Mitchel     46    M      3       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

7/13/1881  William Horan    16    S              Big Mine Run Caught in breaker screen.

11/30/1881 John Connor      45    M      3       Hazel Dell   Fall of coal.



1/3/1882   Thomas Williams  35    M      2       Logan        Fall of slate.

1/5/1882   Martin Kane      65    M              Locust Run   Smothered by coal dirt.

4/12/1882  Samuel Smith     37    M      4       Centralia    Fell down traveling way.

6/15/1882  Patrick Quinn    38    M              No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

7/13/1882  Andrew Powiek    19    S              Morris Ridge Crushed by cars.

10/17/1882 William Geraghty 19    S              No. Ashland  Crushed by car.

11/21/1882 John McNally     22    S              Logan        Fall of coal.



1/13/1883  John Smith       49    M      8       Centralia    Caught in breaker rolls.

2/7/1883   Theo. Muscovitch 38    S              Logan        Fall of coal.

2/13/1883  Wm. Grosenoskie  31    M      1       Logan        Fall of coal.

3/15/1883  Thomas Ruddy     19    S              Centralia    Crushed by dirt dumper.

3/23/1883  Frank Eckert     52    M      6       Logan        Fall of coal. Died 26th

7/29/1883  Peter Collihan   39    M      4       Continental  Fall of rock.

8/30/1883  Wm. Muldowney    42    M      3       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

10/6/1883  John Shearn      15    S              No. Ashland  Kicked by mule.

12/3/1883  Michael Kennedy  17    S              Big Mine Run Struck by dirt dumper.

12/16/1883 Thomas McCay     50    M      4       Big Mine Run Fall of top slate.



2/5/1884   Patrick Harley   50    M      3       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

   "       Michael Naughton 27    S               "    "   "    "   "   " .

3/19/1884  Anthony Yarigan  27    S              Centralia    Killed at slope bottom.

4/24/1884  James Laughlin   29                   Potts        Killed starting coal.

5/2/1884   Richard Hoolihan 27    M      1       Continental  Collar fell on him.

5/13/1884  Henry Keller     19    S              No. Ashland  Crushed by car.

11/14/1884 James Monahan    35    M      5       Big Mine Run Fall of rock.

11/29/1884 Thomas Gallagher 45    M      8       Hazel Dell   Fall of coal.

12/2/1884  Lawrence Barrett 37    M      5       Centralia    Fall of coal.



1/26/1885  John Doyle       47    M      4       Logan        Fell in cross hole.

4/2/1885   John Sproats     28    M      4       No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

3/11/1885  Martin Lavelle   14    S              Centralia    Run over by RR cars.

5/13/1885  Chas. Dougherty        M      4       No. Ashland  Rush of mud.

    "      Michael Hede     30    M               "     "       "   "  " .

    "      James Ennis      31    M      5        "     "       "   "  " .

    "      Martin McKurns   19    S               "     "       "   "  " .

7/2/1885   Michael Cuff     34    S              Morris Ridge Fall of slate.

11/25/1885 Lawrence Cannon  18    S              Big Mine Run Fall of coal on 20th.

12/7/1885  Ralph Kirby      44    M      1       Logan        Fall of coal on 16th.



2/14/1886  Daniel Miller    22    S              Bellmore     Killed on slope bottom.

4/14/1886  Isaac F. Kluck   32    M      3       Bellmore     Rush of coal.

5/11/1886  Owen Monaghan    30    M      1       Centralia    Killed in fall.

7/15/1886  Patrick Welsh    26    M      1       Logan        Fall of coal.

8/13/1886  Patrick Langon   48    M      8       No. Ashland  Struck by coal from shot.

8/18/1886  James Andrew     18    S              Hazel Dell   Kicked by mule.

10/19/1886 Charles Bickel   40    M              Bellmore     Starting battery.

12/8/1886  John Alexander                        Hazel Dell   Struck on head by chain.



3/14/1887  Hugh Breslin     31                   Bellmore     Explosion of powder.

4/5/1887   John S. Wert     16    S              Logan        Caught in machinery.

6/2/1887   Martin Deane           M      9       No. Ashland  Crushed by mine cars.

7/20/1887  John Donahue     40    M      6       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

8/30/1887  Adam Rajas                            Morris Ridge Fell on the 20th.

10/20/1887 Wassyl Zubrus    29                   Bellmore     Crushed between cars.

11/1/1887  David B. Morgan  27    M      1       Bellmore     Struck by timber.

11/26/1887 John Beagle      32    M      3       Big Mine Run Fall of rock.

12/25/1887 Wm. Monaghan     29                   Hazel Dell   Crushed by mule.

12/31/1887 Charles Phillips 24                   Logan        Crushed between props.



1/6/1888   Edward Carey     59    M      8       Hazel Dell   Hit by car at bottom.

1/26/1888  John Hane        25    S              Logan        Fall of slate.

2/8/1888   Thomas Munchan   23    S              Logan        Fall of slate.

2/17/1888  Michael Foley    34    M      6       Centralia    Explosion of gas.

2/29/1888  Christ. Horn     35    M      5       Big Mine Run Struck by cylinder cap.

5/17/1888  P. Bradley       67    M      4       Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

8/8/1888   William Murray   16    S              Centralia    Fell down hoisting slope.

8/14/1888  Lewis Bartles    22    S              Big Mine Run Fall of coal.

9/3/1888   George Mati      40    M              Bellmore     Crushed between cars.

11/26/1888 John Hennessy    48    M      5       Hazel Dell   Fall of coal.

12/15/1888 Frederick Brown  27    M      3       Big Mine Run Fall of rock.



2/7/1889   David Buchanan   28    S              Morris Ridge Badly injured, died 10th.

6/3/1889   John Badskil     27    M      2       Big Mine Run Fall of slate.

8/8/1889   August Zindock   25    S              Bellmore     Explosion, died 14th.

9/6/1889   Jacob Ruman      32    M              Centralia    Killed by falling collar.

10/5/1889  John Brown       26    M      2       Logan        Fall of slate.



3/31/1890  David Hower      27    M      1       Logan        Explosion of steam boiler

5/30/1890  Moses Smith      15    S              Logan        Crushed on May 23rd.

7/22/1890  Joseph Lipinski  24    M              Logan        Fall of coal.

10/15/1890 John McAndrew    14    S              Logan        Struck by flying coal.



1/3/1891   Michael Reddy    38    M      5       Centralia    Explosion of fire damp.

1/31/1891  Thomas McGovern  27    S              Centralia    Run over by mine cars.

3/13/1891  Samuel Cook      52    M      6       Morris Ridge Rush of coal.

3/23/1891  James Fogarty    30    S              Centralia    Crushed by elevator.

4/29/1891  John Webster     16    S              Logan        Squeezed by mine cars.

9/1/1891   Thomas Edwards   42    M      1       Logan        Fall of coal.



1/11/1892  Frank Brady                           Midvalley    Run over by mine wagons.

3/10/1892  George May                            No. Ashland  Crushed by buggy.

5/10/1892  Edward Grant                          No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

7/26/1892  Henry Meyers                          No. Ashland  Fall in breast, died 8/15

8/10/1892  John Larkin                           No. Ashland  Fall of coal, died 9/2.

11/5/1892  Frank Webster                         Logan        Fall of coal.

12/1/1892  Anthony Welsh                         Hazel Dell   Premature explosion.



1/20/1893  John Sangor                           Logan        Explosion.

1/27/1893  William Rushon                        Centralia    Burned by paper.

9/4/1893   Thomas Nichols   35                   Logan        Fall of slate.

9/20/1893  Martin McIntyre  35    M      4       Logan        Run over by wagons.

11/13/1893 Charles Price    30    S              Logan        Fall of top coal.

11/25/1893 Edward Miller                         No. Ashland  Fall of coal.



1/9/1894   Chas. Dougherty                       No. Ashland  Fall into monkey rolls.

5/16/1894  John Gehres      40    S              Morris Ridge Fall of rock.

5/19/1894  Charles Greif    25    S              Logan        Crushed between cars.

6/2/1894   Michael Monaghan                      No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

6/7/1894   John Stark       36    M              Logan        Fall of top rock.

9/21/1894  George Alexa                          Centralia    Explosion, rush of coal.

12/4/1894  Gwylam Evans     41    M      7       Centralia    Killed by blast.



2/18/1895  Charles Grazor   20    S              No. Ashland  Fell down frozen bank.

3/28/1895  Joseph Jones                          No. Ashland  Premature blast.

6/28/1895  James Mahan                           No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

7/10/1895  Nick Boyak                            Midvalley    Explosion, died 7/18.

9/13/1895  James Ryan                            Centralia    Fall of top coal.

11/22/1895 Wm. Boscavage    30    S              Centralia    Fall of coal.

12/6/1895  Owen Owens       45    M              Logan        Smothered by clay.



1/4/1896   Harry Hadesty                         No. Ashland  Fall of top coal.

1/8/1896   Anthony Brezitus                      Logan        Fall of top rock.

2/24/1896  Mike Roveack                          Centralia    Boiler explosion.

    "      Anthony Socaski                           "           "       "    .

7/8/1896   Anthony Bressus                       Logan        Fall of rock.

7/20/1896  Clemans Bilvan                        Logan        Fall of coal.

7/24/1896  Anthony McDonald       M              Logan        Fall of top slate.

9/22/1896  John Simon                            Logan        Dirt dumper fell on him.

10/24/1896 Peter Gulick     26    M              Midvalley #1 Struck by derailed truck.

11/7/1896  Matthew Lesher   50    S              Midvalley #2 Explosion of powder keg.

11/7/1896  John Saunekey                         Centralia    Boiler explosion.

    "      And. Munchock                             "           "       "    .

    "      Joseph Cupid                              "           "       "    .



7/12/1897  Patrick Campbell                      No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

11/15/1897 Samuel Adams                          No. Ashland  Fall of coal.

12/11/1897 Alfred Peters                         Potts        Squeezed by mine car.



6/8/1898   George Uhl       36    S              Potts        Squeezed by mine cars.

9/30/1898  Andrew Collesor  17    S              Midvalley #2 Run over by mine car.

11/3/1898  Edward Tolan     31    M              Midvalley #1 Fall in breast died 23rd.

11/22/1898 David Griffith   45                   Midvalley #1 Fall of top clod.



2/11/1899  John Call        30    M      2       Midvalley #2 Fall of top coal.

2/16/1899  Samuel Whiting   35    M      3       Logan        Fall of top slate.

5/12/1899  John Koko        22    S              Centralia    Smothered by rush of dirt

    "      Joseph Standchek 40    M      4           "            "      "   "   "   "

    "      John Conyock     35    M      2           "            "      "   "   "   "

    "      James Gaughan    37    M      2           "            "      "   "   "   "

8/26/1899  Patrick Judge    35    M      2       Centralia    Rock fell in shaft.

11/16/1899 Thos. Carlovitch 30    M      1       Midvalley #2 Premature blast.



1/10/1900  John Hanley      38    S              Centralia    Fall of top rock.

6/27/1900  John Houdek      26    M      1       Midvalley #2 Fall of top coal.

7/13/1900  George Ballah    40    M      5       Big Mine Run Rush of gob and rock.

8/28/1900  Charles Steel    19    S              Midvalley #2 Fall of top slate.

11/28/1900 Frank Savidge    37    M      1       Midvalley #2 Hit by coal from shot.



1/11/1901  Jacob Omlor      38    S              Potts        Burned by powder.

    "      Thomas Lynch     30    M      1         "             "    "    "  .

3/6/1901   Nicholas Spader  42    M              Potts        Premature blast.

8/5/1901   Arthur Grayson   13    S              Potts        Falling in breaker.

8/7/1901   Matt Rozencranty 41    M              Potts        Rush of coal in manway.

10/8/1901  Paul Push        34    S              Midvalley    Fall of top slate.

10/26/1901 Mich. Gallagher  23    S              Logan        Fall of slate.

12/4/1901  Albert Trout     29    M      2       Midvalley    Rush of coal.



1/18/1902  Joseph Murton    23    S              Centralia    Falling lumber from car.

3/22/1902  Charles Dulk     22    S              Midvalley #1 Flying coal from blast.

4/12/1902  Patrick Burns    40    M      6       Centralia    Loose coal in breast.

4/13/1902  John Cosgrove    31    S              Centralia    Smothered by loose coal.



2/15/1903  Peter Gibbons    36    S              Midvalley #1 Fell under trip of cars.

6/23/1903  William P. Doyle 28    S              Centralia    Caught by descending cage

8/4/1903   Isaac Larzelere  21    S              Midvalley #1 Scalded. Crash of loco.

8/7/1903   Frank Ferenze    33    M      3       Midvalley #2 Caught between mine cars.

10/16/1903 John Pereney     33    M      1       Centralia    Explosion of dynamite.

     "     Henry Wenk       53    M      3           "            "      "     "   .



1/20/1904  John Tuefel      17    S              Potts        Falling timber.

8/4/1904   John Zitheney    40    M      4       Centralia    Fall of coal.

   "       Jos. Hofshanes   24    S                  "          "   "   " .

6/3/1904   Henry Carved     21    S              Midvalley #1 Fell under cars outside.

9/7/1904   Jas. Brassington 38    M      5       Midvalley #1 Fall of rock.

9/17/1904  Pat'k Gallagher  30    S              Centralia    Fell down slope.

10/6/1904  Thomas Finlan    47    M      4       Centralia    Starting coal in battery.

10/27/1904 Anthony Rowan    40    M      3       Midvalley #1 Fall of coal.

11/18/1904 Richard Tovey    53    M              Centralia    Blast in stripping.

12/2/1904  David Watkins    48    M      2       Midvalley #2 Fall of coal.

12/10/1904 John Norosky     48    S              Centralia    Fall of rock.

12/13/1904 Michael Lepole   35    M      3       Centralia    Runaway car on slope.



1/19/1905  John Rissinger   19    S              Potts        Fell down slope.

1/28/1905  Edward Curley    30    S              Potts        Fell down manway.

6/17/1905  John Reilly      35    M      1       Potts        Explosion of dynamite.

6/21/1905  Dennis Gaughan   24    M      2       Centralia    Fall of coal.

7/17/1905  James Carr       16    S              Centralia    Killed by electric motor.

8/26/1905  John Balabosky   35    M      5       Midvalley    Fall of rock.

12/4/1905  Anthony Reilly   33    M      3       Potts        Rush of coal.



3/29/1906  William Weist    30    M      5       Potts        Fell down slope.

5/28/1906  August Bushpics  16    S              Potts        Twisted on jig shaft.

6/30/1906  James Malarkey   28    M      1       Midvalley    Premature blast.

7/24/1906  Thomas Shulski   21    S              Midvalley    Injured by cars.

11/7/1906  Edward Gallagher 36    M      5       Potts        Fall of coal.

11/7/1906  Morgan Watkins   17    S              Midvalley    Explosion of gas.

11/21/1906 Anth. McAndrew   25    S              Midvalley    Fall of coal.

12/11/1906 George Hudock    40    M      4       Midvalley    Fall of slate.



2/11/1907  John Sartis      17    S              Potts        Squeezed between cars.

4/22/1907  Alex Laveski     25    S              Midvalley    Fall of rock.

7/9/1907   Dominick Comri   24    S              Centralia    Coal pocket in breaker.

7/20/1907  Francis McCann   24    S              Potts        Rush of coal.

10/19/1907 John Kulick      19    S              Midvalley    Lump of coal in breaker.

11/8/1907  Anthony Bridgon                       Midvalley    Premature blast.

11/21/1907 Joseph Oranick   31    S              Centralia    Explosion of dynamite.

  

1/24/1908  Geo. Kashitsko   25    S              Midvalley    Fall of coal.

2/17/1908  Frank Orluskie   46    M      1       Midvalley    Rush of coal and water.

5/5/1908   James Flanigan   19    S              Centralia    Head crushed by cars.

5/29/1908  Peter Raker      65    M     11       Midvalley    Killed by locomotive.

6/20/1908  Michael Buckshon 30    M      1       Centralia    Head crushed by car.

7/13/1908  Michael Bubies   38    M      4       Midvalley    Fall of rock.

7/28/1908  Wim. Rogarrish   30    S              Centralia    Head crushed by buggy.