The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-03-22


whsi = tlili tu SO sfsss nssssia fks ~
tfsnesf ~ ihs Hiae sfaied 70 ~ - onii
assNa ~ HmaihsflHn mo Hasias tlfss
wHi,ln ~ fH4fls NJ heeHssfiHa ~
fiedlfs ~ the tistima Nistsssflif tbahi
aaasd,
rufHmfts. W. HiHh "A
tlili ~ ihf mlnea ihla matHlhH pft
seniod W. lhs FstH q spectacle that millra
oil aiiempti ii description frmmuun
tain pfak umountlinbi veW evidences
oi triahlln hayoo wrought Nv Ne "a.
pl1slpns llilsldoa IN cgcft dlfettlon
wcfr alfoWn with delfs hisctOnr with
eoal duat blown wlihierfl0c iufer irUm ilir
entrance IA the mines The scene NJ de-.
siluctlnn, anaihllailun and desulailun u
APPALLING ~ the last degree When nitrn
tim " attracted ~ The hlaekenpd and
smoking entrance 70 The mines and unu re'
fleets upon The horrible fats Of The lii
human bclnHs whose ohafrod aud mauRlcd
remains are buried aud amouidurlng In
that charnclhuufe, onr nrod not b. M.
tonlahcd II thr stonlest hearts quail and
people shrink from rrappfuach 10 The
awful sccnc
The vofy trees on the mountain slides
that have wllhstpod The storms ot ages
wrfr riyen, torn aud blasted, and their
branches scattered In every conceivable
direction, Portions ut the wreck were
blown clear over the mountain ridge
fronting the approaches ~ the rulns AMI
picked up mora than hall mile Ills.
Ant Even coal dust was blown oyct
ils Al la attI ltst a. an lta
opposite side to the depth of half an Inch,
aud the blackcncd and rent oycrcoat Of .
dead miner was picked up In n gulch
nearly half mile awny, Al the labor
ors shanlIes IN the vicinity were more OF
less wrecked, and those on the lluc Of
the nlnc approaches completely dcnoh
ishrd. SO terrific was the force NJ the
explosion that windows In the house
Of farmer two miles on were shlycrrd.
A few minutes before the explosion a
trnln Of coal ears had been backed Into
one entrance to the mine and The lorom0'
tive had moved some distance down the
track. Many ot the ears were hurled
down the tracks aud wrecked aud the de-
brls thrown great distance upon The
moiihtnin sides. Heavy axles wer,
| MIunE NNN ANANA'h llNV M FVihT WV
shapes Wheels were cracked and bro
ken, The gulches In front Of the mlncl
were nllcd with the wrcckagc. .ssfs.
The pocahontas niue EMBRACES al
area Of twenty-five mllcsi that IN 10 say
person travcrsIng the chambers IAN,
galleries of the mines would have COY
cred that distance. There are i've en-
frances, every ono Of which seemed a
though q penl-up fury was within, Tn
entrances were all filled with foul air
which renders the recovery oi dca'
bodies impossible Eycry attempt mad
10 enter the mines has been attended wit
bad results, and IN several instances th
men barely escaped dying from the ovel
powcring gns. Physicians were kcr
busy yesterday mlnlsterlng 10 such casc'
The farihest entry was by u Hungarian
whose son was buried In the nilnc'
Nearly craled by grief, be couldnot be n
: strained aud penetrated 10 consldcrabl
, distance, but was eventually forced 10 n
! tire. lie reported seeing number (
bodies In one chamber, torn and manglc
beyond all scmbancc Of recognition
, Onc was that Of youth aged thlrtcei
employed as a door boy, who was the n
! of the mining camp. The little fcll0
. had Just entered the mine when the 81
, ploslon occurred.
Colonel George Dodds, Of the MldIot
! ian mines and other experienced mimi
engineers visited the mines this mornln
: aud made an examination. Itwas decide
that II was unsafe 10 attempt 10 use u
, fan, and orders were Immediately issu'
10 have the mines closed and scaled as u
only means Of SURPRISING the fires WIKI
; are burning. The higher coal drifts a
not burning. IL Il the hne coal at u
bottom of the mines which Il aiire. III
/ entrances will be- tightly sealed ~ as
smother the FIRE. IN one otthe cntranc
a tube viii be inserted 10 permit the q
cape Of gis.
! Most oi the miners killed wnre unmarlc
The night force was mainly composed
= the youngest and most vigorous me
Hampton, the night foreman, leaves
invalid wife aud several helpless childrc
One of the young men Killed was the on
u son of a widow whose husband perish
I In the mines several weeks ago.