The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-26
SEARCHING FOR THE DEAD.
Thirty-FOur Bodies Recovered from
the Crested Butte Coal Mine.
The Disaster Due to the CareeSsness Of a
Miner-Wreck on the Il. E. & W.
ROad-0ther Mishaps
THE CRESTED BUTTEs EXPLOSION.

Thirty-FOur Bodies Recovered from tho
Mine-The Search Being Continued
DENVER, Jan. 25.-For forty-six hours aforce
of from twenty to thirty men have been con-
stantly at work searching for the dead bodies of
the miners buried in the Crested Butte Nine
The work is necessarily very slow, as the mine is
badly choked up with pile of displaced timbers,
heaps of coal, rock, and other distractions. At
noon to-day ten bodies had been found These were
all in the main entry, and being subjected to the
full force of the blast were terribly burned and
blackened. In several cases arms and legs
found broken and the bodies otherwise mutilated
In this entry were also found the carcasses Of
nine mules and large number of empty coal
cars, which had been battered out of all
shape The workmen gained entrance
to chamber No. l. this morning, but found no
bodies there. Searching further, eighteen bodies
were found almost in heap in the air passage
leading to the up-cast near the entrance. The
men, alarmed but not injured by the explosion,
had evidently tried to reach the furnace room,
and were overcome by the afterdamp when
within two hundred feet of it. Fifty feet
further back six more bodies were found All
had evidently been suffocated. Some had tied
handkerchiefs over their mouths. This makes a
total of thirty four bodies found up to this time
and includes all who were at work in chamber
No. l. These bodies are now being brought out
to the main entry and will soon be brought to
the surface. The workmen will then begin to
search for the bodies in chamber No. g. This
latter is further into the NINE and is undoubt-
edly where the explosion took place. 1t is ex-
pected that the bodies there will be found badly
burned.
1t is now known that there were fifty nine
men and boys in the mine. TO the list Of
names sent last night may be added David
Thomas, John Thomas, and Miles Roach, which
makes the list complete, except one Among
the killed were two boys, Tommy Lyle and VIM,
Meath each about twelve years old, and Morgan
Meath, seventeen years old The two former
were gate keepers and the latter driver.
The cause of the accident cannot be definitely
told at this writing AS before stated, the
mine had been subject to gas, but the owners
this by the use of all the latest
and most improved appliances for mine yentila-
ton, and it was considered one Of the best veu-
tilated mines in the country. 1t was examined
by the inspector about six weeks ago. and in his
report he Stated that it had the worst air and the
best ventilation of any coal mine in the State,
The owners claim the air supply was more than
four times the amount required by
law The fireman made his regular
rounds yesterday morning before the men went
to work, and found a small quantity of gas in
the three rooms. In two of these the
men were warned and given safety lamps Tho
miner who belonged in No 8 was told not to go
into it until the break in the brattce
caused by the letting down last night
could be repaired. The carpenter came out
of the mine to get material to mend the brattce
and just as he reached the open air the explo-
sion occurred 1t is thought that the miner dis.
regarded the orders and went into the rcoRg with
lamp, causing the explosion. Of the men
killed but eight or nine have families butquite
number of others have families in the East AS
fast as the bodies are brought out they
will be taken to the City Hall, where
an inquest will be held tomorrow. Many of the
unfortunates belong to the Masons and Odd
fellows, and the unclaimed bodies will probably
be buried by these societies.
A new danger was discovered last night. It
seems that one of the organizations of Molly
Maguires exists here Through some means mine
boss John Gibson appears to have earned tho
enmity of these men, and last night threats
were made against his life. The trouble does
not appear to be because of blame laid TO him
regarding the accident of yesterday morning,
but rather old grudge, and the Mollies ap-
peared to think the present occasion presented
a good opportunity for getting even. However.
attempts at violence, so far made. The
more timid ones fear trouble tonight.