The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-11-27

A Frightfui Accident I'm Sullivan County
Terrible Fatality and Suffering.
TBy Telegraph to the sentinell

Terrible Fatality and Suffering.
BY Telegraph to the Sentinel.l
isULLIyAN, Ind, Nov. 2l.-Tbis afternoon
the citizens of this place were horror
stricken by terrible explosion in the Sulli-
van coal mine, situated ON the railroad
about 300 yards north Of the depot. A large
crowd at once congregated at the mouth of
the i'll fated mine. Thirty miners were
working in the mine at the tiIue of the ex-
plosion. The distance to the FIRST vein is
one hundred and eight feet, and
the second vein is sixty feet
lower. The noise from the explosion
could be heard for miles. This was no doubt
caused from the explosion of eight kegs of
powder that were slowed in the mines. A
volume of flame issued from the mouth
OF the shaft that rose to a height
o. over one hundred feet \ large
and excited crowd soon gathered around the
mouth OF the mine, but it was some time be-
fore the miners were able TO descend. Men,
women and children relatives of
those working below, and Others
who. believed that their friends
we're killed, ,swarmed around the shaft, utter
ing cries that were heartrending, and beg
gsrS description.
THE ATTEMPT TO RESCUE.
Several miners were at last enabled to
enter the mine, but it was with great diff
Guilty that they could proceed on &C
count Of the smoke and gas The bodies
ware found before many feet had peen tra-
yersad From THAR eaarraI
II the miners had eDdeavored to escape after
the explosion, but had fallen exhausted from
the effects Of gas.
RECOVERY OF BODIES.
At IL o'clock tonight IL bodies have been
brought TO the surface, but the miners who
were not in the mine at the time
OF the explosion are using every
exertion to recover those that
remain. 1t is impossible for those remain
ing to be alive, for judging from the oondi-
,ion of those brought to the surface, they
must be terribly mangled. The following
are the dead: Albert Smith, Patrick Duun
John Bulger, Thomas landlord, samuel
Haudford, James Smith, Jackson Ludon
aud William Vail, badly wounded. Els
worth KrOutZ, badly burned; James Harper,
leg broken and skull fractured badly and
burned. Ellsworth and Harper will both
die, There are six dead bodies yet in the
shaft, but they have been identified by the
miners at the bottom assisting to bring
the bodies to the surface. When the bodies
were removed they were surrounded by the
anxious crowd, and when one badly
mangled and burned was identified
by some mother, wife or child, the cries that
rent the air were horrible to listen to. The
brave men who are are hunting for
bodies are nearly exhausted, but
are being relieved by fresh supplies of men.
They are still at work at this time, l a. m,
bringing bodies to the surface. Thomas and
Samuel landlord, who were both killed,
were proprietors of the i'll. fa,ed mine.
This is the first explosion that has ever oc
Cured in any of the mines in this section.
This mine was never regarded as dangerous,
and but little trouble has ever been expert
enced from gas, which was the immediate
cause of the explosion.
Sullivan is a town of 1900 inhabitants,
situated on the Evansville and Craw-
fordsyille Railroad, and is the county
seat of Sullivan county. 1t is p miles south
of Terre Haute. There are ten shafts lead
ing to coal mines, which is one of the princi.
Pile interests of this section.