Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-01-25
KILLED IN A MINE.
ArrALLrs. rinr pAap ExrLusroS
Finy-seven workmen In Colorado Coa'
Mine I,ose Their IIvcs-Soarohng for
tha Vutied Dead,

Mine Lose Their tiNcs-Se"OhnE wv
the buried Dead.
Ats o'clock Thursday morning n terri
BILE explosion occurred at Crested Butte,
Col, in the coal mine of the Colorado coal
and iron company. Thcrc were O. mon IN
the mino Mt the time OF the explosion. OF
these IL, who were just entering, wore
thrown back by the force OF the explosion
and rescued. OF this number ono has
since died and all tho Others are badly
injured. There are 56 men yet in tho
mine and as the entrance to the mine Is
blocked up they cannot be reached. They
are all supposed to be dead. The oxplomon
was OF such force as 10 wreck tho engine
house, which stood fully 100 feet iTom the
entrance to the mine.
The explosion was one of the most ap-
palliug in its consequence that ever
occurred in u coal uuO IN this country,
Crested Butte. near which tho mine is
located, is q coal town about thirty miles
north of Guunison, on the Denver and Rio
Grande railroad The cause Of the cxplo-
sion is not known, but is supposed to have
been from fire damp. Il occurred in c'tncr
chamber ! or just half an hour after the
day force of 81 men had gone t. work.
Ten were at work in the chamber. All #
these escaped uuhurt, eIccp: ono man,
John Angus, was In the passage way just
outside the chamber. lie is badly burned
but will recover.
Fifty seven men wego Ig work in cham
bers one and two. These are all thought
to have perished. Tie explosion was ot
such force as to completely blrTicadc the
main entrance and tho appliances fox sup
plying air located near we're badly wrecked
and the roof Of the tramwhy was blown
of. The men at work On the anthracite
mesa, the night fOrJo CG the Colorado coal
and iron company 5 mine aud the citizens
generally worked al day Thursday TO res
cue the men, although It is thought that
none OF them can possibly escape alive.
The town hall has been prepared for the
reception of the dead. As soon as possible
the fan was repaired aud put 70 work
pumping air into tho thine, AMI men were
set TO work to remove tho Ohs.tuCtOEs, So
as to reach the chambers md sc: the
bodies out as soon as possible.
Many Of the dead axe married men and
leave families. \ nGmbCr OF the families
reside in Denver. At present everything
is in such confusion tina, it Is impossible
to give details. A special train left Gun
nison at = O'Clock Thursday afternoon
with surgeons and number Of citizens to
render all the aid possible. The town OF
Crested Butte is in mourning. Crowd:
Of women cluster about the entrance e
the mine, wringing their hands and crying
piteously, presenting most heartgendiug
scene. 1t is said tha; q. tho time of the
explosion there wero ten kegs Of black
powder in chamber | and 2, where the
men were working and where the explo
sion Is supposed to have taken place. The
mine has three miles Of drifting, Consc.
quently it is impossible to definitely locate
the accident, 1t least until reScI!ng plr
ties can gain admittancC.
The mine has long been considered dan.
gerous By those acquainted with it. While
one OF the best producing mines in the
country, its operation has Locn attended
with more or less apprehension aud rea
danger. ut is a fire damp mine" said
Superintendent Cameron, who is now in
Denver, ''aud seems to constantly generate
the most deadly gases. They seem 70
generate in the coal or under il and pour
out of the seams in the walls of the tunnel,
aud shafts. Yet the mine Is one of the
most perfectly ventilated in the world.
The air is forced il along shat; by ma
chinery, aud no less than 56, 900 cubic feet
Of fresh air Is forced into the miuo every
minute" At ten o'clock Thursday nigh
no bodies had been recovered