Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-11-15
TEE NINE MASSACRE.

Detailed Accounts Of the Horrible Ex.
plosion - Hundreds Of Children OF.
phaned.
SrELLARroN, y. S, November Is. AT
1880 last in Gilpin the government in.
spector OF mines and the local msna2er
with gang OF men went down the ahaft
and made q short exploration. They
found the atmosphere a little clearer
than during the day, and the party were
enabled to penetrate further along the
main railway to the south. They found
the bodies of three men and number
OF dead horses. Two oi the bodies they
were able to take with them to the sur.
face, but the third was 30 tightly jsmmed
into a heap of fallen timber and rubbish
that an attempt TO extricate II would
only be incurring danger uselessly, M
the rubbish would certainly fall upon
any one touching il. The choke damp
was still too thick To allow the party TO
carry their explorations very far, but in
one OF the boards or starts from the
main railway a faint smell Of smoke and
slightly warmer atmosphere could be
detected, which showed that it was not
improbable that
The Fire st II Remained
in the mine. When the party came 10
the surface crowd had collected Ia hear
the latest news. The two bodies were
put into q temporary dead-honse. One
OF them was identified ss that OF Nc.
Gilvray, but the other was 20 charred
and dis6gured a. 10 be unrecognizsble.
One OF the miners who escaped un.
harmed in trying to get to the shalt,
Stumbled Across the Form
OF an old man. He stopped and calling
some others running by TO his aid and
got HIM into the cage to 90 TO the sur.
lace and then looked about, he found
little boy apparently dead. lie WAS
only insensiblc and ne got the little fel-
low and the old man to the surface and
then found he had rescued his own son
and his poor old father. A brother was
still below
In the morning, James Hudson
Greener and two or three other picked
men went down into the shalt. The
party were able to go further into the
galleries than the previous night, as the
choke damp was clearing away. Tho
man who, the night before, thought he
detected signs OF fire. sgain investigated
the same place, and gong further into
the passage with Greener soon found
unmistakable indications that he was
right. A little further of . brick stop.
ping closing another unused passage was
found, and here q dense black smoke
,,,a, M N
ing steam. The two men at once ran
back to the rest Of the pIrty, and as all
were now in the grealeUt danger they
rapidly got TO the pit bottom and ~.
cended To the surface. The local manager.
Government inspector and several other
men and old miners were called TO q
meeting in the company's Office, and .
plan OF the mine Was spread out on
table, the location of the fire hTsJ ~
well as possible and the best means Of
action discussed. II was determined ~
food a portion OF the mine where the
ire seems to proceed from ~. IL prompt
means were not taken,
Further Explos ons Were Not Ualiksly
any moment, with consequences winch
might he serious on the surface. All
night ceaselVss tapping Of small ham
uers were heard IN one OF the csrpeE-
ter shops. and on returning from the
mouth OF the shaft tie spectacle wss one
which is not often seen, the place had
been
Converted lotto an Updertsters Shop.
Collins were being made by scores 40
that no delay might be Occasioned. The
number of lost may be ~ high NJ fifty
The dangerous state oi the mine will
render the recovery Of the bodies In.
possible for many days. perhaps weeks
In the dead house a nuge platform has
been erected breast high, 10 there would
be ample room for the bodies N fast ~
found. An old man viewed the holy
viii. IN conld not be recognized last night
He at once identified il by the clothes -
that OF bis son.in.law, job skinner. The
boots and legs we're charr-'l. one hand
roated' face burnt black, and the top of
his heal crushed 20 j~Ily. The body
Of Mctiilvay 10 but little duff fxured, death
having evidently been caused by choke
damp.
The inquest xill he commenced by
Dr. Murray at i2 oc.ock, in the village
WIN. Dunbar is in led in q scni.un.
conscious state. lie 10 the only man
rescued Who was s~riously INJURED. lie
WAS q lamp cleaner. and had . cabin st
the bottom ot the pit He 10 unable 10
sp-ak lorg enough to tell his story, bot
his wife SAYS that from what she can
gather from What he has said he ~as in
his cabin ut the time Of the explosion.
He ,ax the FIRE burst in at the back
do1r. and he rushed out at the front and
fell on his lace. His oil soaked cloth.
ing had. however, caught fire and vas
burning wien his son. in coming " the
Dit bottom. fou nd him and extingu sh ID
the hames, and ~ith some aid
got him TO the suhare.
tn. old man 10 badly burnt on the back
and right side, in one spot on the chest
and nose. One arm vss % badly burn.
ed that the eklp peeled down over bis
hand. He did not complain of suffering
much which 10 considered . bad sigh.
He has frequent periods OF delirium.
lis recovery 10 considered very doubt.
fol. lie xas seventy years Old and bad
been in the mining bushes Ior iorty'
seven years. He had tso sons 10 the
mine with him, one u lost Al the
other rescued men are out of danger and
able TO con verss about their escape. All
tell the same ta!.-they had been sud-
denly struck and knew nothing OF the
cause. Some ol the esap<s were
very narroS. Three little boys
working near the entranee TO
The south sids were Anusd In . hsaP