The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-11-17

mines. ulld lOfAl lndIageTc, Win gang oil men
went down the shaft aud made a short explora-
tioa. They found the atmosphere little clearer
than during the day, and the party were enabled
to penetrate further along the main railway to the
soHthyfi They found the bodies of three men
and a number of dead horses. Two OF the bodies
they were able TO take with them to the surface,
but the third was so tightly jammed into a heap
of fallen timber and rubbish that an attempt TO
extricate it would only be mourning danger use
lessly, as the danger woald certainly fall any
one touching il. The choke damp was still too
thick 10 allow the party 10 carry their explora-
tions very far, but in one OF the boards or starts
and Si a Signify warmer afmosphere could be de-
tected which showed thai IL WAS not improbable
that fire still remained in the mine! When the
party came TO the surface crowd had collected
To hear the latest news. q. The two dead bodies
were carried into temporary dead-house; one
was identified as that OF McGill1ray bnt The
as to be unrecognizabe. One miner,
who oeseaped unharmed, says that in trying to get
TO the shaft he stumbled across the prostrate
form of an old man. He stopped, and calling
some others running by to his assistance, got him
into the cage to 60 to the surface, and then
looked about. He found a little boy apparently
dead. He only iHsensible, and he got the lit
tie fellow and old man TO The surface, and then
found he had rescued his own son and his poor
old father. brother was still below. In
the morning James Hudson Greener and two or
three other picked men went down into the shaft.
The party were able To go further into the galfer
les than on the previous night, as the choke damp
was clearing away. The man who the night be
fore thought he detected signs of fire. again inves
tgated the same place and going further into the
passage with Greener soon found unInistakable
indications that he was right as little further
another unused passage, was found, and
here a dense black smoke COM
ing out with roar like escaping steam. Two
men at once back to the rest of the party, and
as all now were in the greatest danger they rap
idly got to the pit bottom and assembled to the
surface. The Local Manager, Government In
spector and several of the overmen and old min
ers were called to meeting in the Companys
office and the plan of the mine was spread ont Oh
possible and the best means of action discussed.
IL was determined to flood the portion of the
mine where the fire seems To proceed from II
prompt means were not taken, further explosions
wcrenot unlikely any moment with a consequence
which might be serious on the surface. All night
a ceaseless tapping of small hammers was heard
in one of the carpenter shops and the sS,ene OH
returning from the mouth of the pit Is not
often seen. The place had been converted into an
undertakers shop. Collins were being made by
scores 50 that no delay might be occasioned. The
number lost might be as high as high as fifty.
recovery or the bodies impossible for many days.
and perhaps weeks. In the dead house hinge
platform is erected, breast high, so that there
would be ample room for the bodies as fast as
found. An old man viewed the body which
cauld not be recognized the night before and he
at once identified it by the clothes as that OF his
legs are charred one hand roasted,
face burned black and the top of the head crushed
to Jelly The body of Nc(iillewray is but little
disfgured. death having evidently been caused
by choke damp. An inquest will be commenced
BY DR.. Murray at u O'clock, in the village.
William Dunbar is in bed in a. semieonsci0us
who iwas seriously injured. lie was
lamp-cleaner, aud had q cabin at the
to speak long enough TO tell his story, but his
wife SAYS, as far as she can gather from what he
said he was In his cabin at the time me OF the ex.
plosion. He saw the fire burst in the back door
and he rushed out to the front and fell on his
face His oilsoaked clothing had, however,
caught fire, and was burning when his son, In
PonluQ the nit bottom found him and X
tinguished his garmentS,and with some assistance
got him TO the surface. The old man is badly
burnt on the back and tight side, in one spot on
the chest and nose, and one arm was so badly
burned that the skin peeled down over his hand.
He did not complain of suffering much, which is
considered u bad sign. He has frequent periods
of delirium. His recovery is considered very
doubtful. He was seventy years old, and had
been in the mining business iorty-seyen
with With him. i'm % One us is lost tS All The other
rescuedmen are out of danger and able to CON
They had been suddenly struck down and know
nothing of the cause. Some OF the escapes were
entrance to the south sidewere jdmmed in heap
against an arch by a coal box aud
were found d.. there insensibllei - where ss1s
completely roasted the body Of the horse and the
coal box had kept the force of the explosion from
the lads. The flame which was but momentarily
seen, jumped several yards inside of the south
entrance right across the pit bottom, and killed
and roasted u number of horses several yards
inside of the north gallery a+ yet there there
two points. There is great mourning
among the cottages. blinds are down in every
third or fourth place. Those suddenly made
widows have large families of young children.
and ii the generous assistance is not extended
them their suTerings this winter will be great,
indeed Work has been almost wholly suspended
I'm the mines since the disaster. Measures are
being taken to flood that part OF the pit where the
fire is supposed TO be raging. .'f'. l' i''
THREE MORE TERRIBLE EXPLOSIONS IN THE
MINES. .., ~ 49,, H..
srELLARroS, n. s., Nov. I4.-At 10 O'clock last
night another very, heavy explosion Occurred,
bers, brick, etc, high into the air. The de
scending debris fell ON the work
shops which are in the vicinity, and the
roofs of the carpenter shop and boiler-house
are riddled with holes, some OF them OF immense
size. The noise of the explosion was heard for
though Ross, the engineer of the fan, and two
others were working close by. and with difficulty
escaped the talltns debris Nee e-S,2sions were
clouds OF smoke are issuing from the fan shaft
ncsnfrk more occurred. At l0o'clOek this morning
considerable smoke was coming from the shaft
aud US the blacksmith shop. carpenter shop, saw
mill and machine shop aud f0undry-au wooden,
buildings except the latter~-aTe clase by, The
services of a New Glasgow Steam fire engine was
obtained, to try, If possible IN save these build
ings in case of fire, and also pour stream OF water
into the burning pit. A large number Of people
were standing about the works looking on and
position, when just at l230 another explosion
occurred, and immense volumes of smoke rushed
from the far shaft high into The air accompanied
with sticks, etc. The spectators scattered in
all directions Fortunately, no one was hurt
Up to this time all seemed quiet about the
hoisting and pumping shafts, which are about
80 yards from the far shaft, but at II 80 another
immense volume of darker col0red smoke came
from the far shaft aud also from the BATH hoist,
ing aud pumping shafts A few minutes later the
smoke from all the shafts had ceased and the air
Appeared TO be drawn down. and as this sinking
in gave symptoms of another explosion,
the people ran and put themselves into
place of safety. In few minutes another dense
volume of smoke. came, forth, but accompanied
by no noise IL is fully expected that the fire,
which now must be immense III the mine. will
show Itself from the mouth of the shaft.
when nli the buildings in the vicinity will
be an the greatest daBger.is Very great
fears are entertained that the whole workings
of the Foold pit viii be destroyed though efforts
are now being made by large gang of men, who
are at work digging trench. to let IN the mine
water from the river which Is close by. This Is
the last resort and it will take good while for
ffcient water get in to drown the fire. 1t is
hoped the iire may be confined to the Foond pit,
and prevented from extending toward the work
ing Ci the cage pit, situated half mile west of
Foond pit The former is connected With the
after lg- a tunnel. ~ SHOULD these works,
be destroyed the effect on the working
classes conhected with the mine Will be terrible.
Great misery must result. The employees Of the
Company number over 550Lo Other aud more SEM
| expioSi0ns occur at any time. The