The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-01-31
ENTomBED ALIVE.
Terrible Explosion OF Fire.Damp In =
Coal Mine ut Crested Butte, Colo.
Fifty-seven Men at Work in One OF
the Pits Chambers Buried Alive.
ETC, Ero., ETC.

Photographic DisrAtch from Gunnison. COL
terrible explosion, hy which over sixty
persons were almost certainly killed, oc-
Cured In the anthracite coal mine af Crestei
Butte, a small mining village about thirty
miles from here. The explosion blockahei
the entrance of the mine. entirely wrecked
the cngnehouse, which stocd leo feet from
the mouth OF the mine, and buried awe
ffty-sescn miners. besides killing six more.
The news WIS tccgiaphcd this sfss NJ once.
and two special trains. with hundfcas ~
strong men and all the doctors, start2o Tor
the scene of the disaster.
The cause OF the explosion cannot he dan-
nitely learned. but 50 far ~ can hc discov-
cred was caused by the ignition Of III damp.
which had given great trouble III tines pas'.
and against which the Coora6c1oal ana iron
company, that worked the mine had strlvcn
increasingly. The explosion occurred either
I'm chamber or 2 just half IN hour after thc
day force of sixtysevcR men had gone 70
work. Ten men were working IN the HTsI
chamber. Three of these escaped unhur.
John Angus. who was in u pissae eway just
outside the chamber. was badly burnett. nut
will recover. The other six ani the hffy-
seven men who We're mt work In chaIibers@
aud 3 are thought to have perishcd Tho
explosion was of such force as To completely
harricade the main entrance. The appliances
for supplying mir, located near. were tally
wrecked and the roof of the tramway blown
of.
The men working on the anthracite NEST.
the night force OF the Colorado Coal ana IL, -
Company's. mines. and citizens generally
worked hard NIL day To rescue the men. al
though IL is thought none can possibly escape
alive. The town hall has Leen prepared for
the reception of the dead. As soon as possi-
BILE the fan was repaired and put 10 work
pumping mir into the mine The men then
set to work removing the ohsirnctions. 80 as
as soon as possible.
At this hour everything is in such c0nfi-
sion that il Is impossible 10 give details.
Crowds Of women cluster about the entrance
to the mine, praying wringing their hand.
and crying piteousy, presenting scene me
most heartrending.
II is said that AT the time of the explosion
ten kegs of black powder were in the cham
bers and two where the men were WORKING.
and whore the explosion IL supposed to nave
taken place. The mine has long been con
sidered dangerous by those acquainted with
IL. While one of the best producing mines II,
the country its operation has been attended
with more or less apprehension and real
danger.
.It's fire damp NINE" said Superintcnd-
ent Cameron, eand seems constantly 10 gens
crate the most deadly gases in the coal or un.
der il. These gases pour out of seams In tho
walls OF the tunnels and shafts. Fresh air u
forced in aong the shaft by machinery NJ tho
rate of no less than $4,000 cubic feet every
minute. This is quite sufficient to fully SUR
ply the wants of the miners and keep the air
perfectly pure unless something happens To
cut or or interfere with the supply. We
have always sent a mine-siewer through
every chamber each morning before any OF
the men were allowed to 60 in. He musk
have returned this morning before the work
men started in. and everything must hayo
been all right when he passed through tho
workings"
John Mcneil. the State Mine Inspector, says
he has no doubt that every man In the mine
at-the time Of the explosion was instantly
killed.
ICrestcd Butte is a small mining town
twenty-eipht miles north OF Gunnison. on the
Denver and Rio Grande railroad. Ii Is head
quarters for Colorado anthracite coal inter-
csts, being on the extreme southeastern or
eastern edge OF the only anthracite deposits
In Colorado. The Colorado Coal and Iron
company. who own the mine where the dis.
aster occurred are the principal operators OF
/ the coal mines in this region. This company
4 is closely allied to the Denver and Rio Grandc
Railroad company.