Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-01-28
THE NINE DISASTER.
BODIES of the Victims Recovered-The
Excitement Subsidins.


DENyER- Col. Jan, 20
Sipce the arrival Of the State mine inspect
or n the scene of the disaster. which occurred
in the mine of the Colorado Coal and Iron
COMPANY al Crested Butte, on Thursday, no
one has been allowed to enter the mine
except those employed in searching Tor the
bodies.
The bodies recovered were brought out
during the night and placed in blacksmith
shop. where they will remain until the others
are found. when all will be brought to town
and placed in the City Hall. Workmen VIII
explore chamber No. 3. But few women
we're present yesterday and they were merely
sight-seers.
The INQUEST will begin today. Fifty nine
coffins have been ordered by the company and
are now on their way to the mine. There Is
a large crowd of men yet at the mine. out
there are no signs of any disturbance Mine
Superintendent Gibson's house was strongly
guarded last night and the streets were pa
| trolled. The excitement seems to have en-
tirely subsidized.
Right thinking men hold that the officers of
the mine are blameless and anticipate no Sc
rious trouble with the Molly Mcguire ele-
mept Inspector Mcneil is still in the mine.
Twenty-three more burned bodies have
been recovered from the Crested Butte NINE,
making 81 in all. They were all found IN
chamber No. 2 and immediate vicinity. Many
have arms and legs broken and skulls crushed
in. and their clothes so burned that they
would drop off IN rags when the body was
moved. The hair was burned from their
heads and all the skin was burned off the face
and other exposed parts of the bodies, leaving
literally an unacceptable mass of raw flesh
The appearance of these bodies were horrible
beyond description, and it is not likely that
6 IL, ha cd
| faces have coal dust ground into them until
thev are as black as the coal itself.
Today the company began the erection OF
| a large frame building, where the bodies will
be placed and the funeral services held.
| Crowds are coming on every train and on
| snow shoes from surrounding camps The
company will bear all the funeral expenses
| and make ample provisi IN for the needy fam
| lilies of the deceased.
1t is thought that the other bodies can be
got out of the mine by midnight The inquest
was begun at noon today. The coroner s
jury, after viewing "a of the bodies, adj
| journed. Since then the hearing of evidence
has been going on in the parlor of the Elk
Mountain House, and will be continued to-
night and tomorrow. The witnesses exam
ined so far have been DR.. Cockrell of Gun
nison, DIR. Gorham of Crested Butte, DR..
| Corwin, chief surgeon of the Colorado Coal
and Iron company, Col Cameron, the COM
pany's coal superintendent, James r. Robin
son, superintendent of the mine, Fire Boss
| Luke Richardson and Engineer Robert Glib
son. Col. Cameron testified as to the ventil-
lation of the mine. which he claimed was
from five to six times as great as was re-
| quired by law.
| Richardson, the fire boss, testified that he
| had found on the afternoon of the accident,
two boards broken from the brattice in room
| lS second entry, and considerable gas in the
| head of the drift. and had given man who
was to work there orders not to enter until
he returned and repaired the brattice. He
came out to get tools, but before he got back
| the explosion occurred
| Witnesses who heard the orders will testify
tomorrow. When room 10 was reached to
| day no body was found in it, but in front OF
1t, as though blown out, one body was found,
and although unre cognizable, it is supposed
| TO be that of the man who was forbidden TO
| enter.
Last evening Nine Boss Gibson ran into
the hotel at Crested Butte where the investi-
CATION was held in regard to the recent dis
aster, and said he was in the mine when a
miner rushed in and gave him pistol,
| snatched his lamp and told him to run for his
life, as party of men were coming up from
| town to lynch him. No hostile demonstra-
tons were made, however, and it is thought
that none will be made, the excitement hav-
ing entirely subsidized.