Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-14
DEAD IN THE NINE.
Fearful Loss Of Life by an Ex-
pIosiQn
IN TAzEWELL COUNTY. ,WReINII
From One Hundred and Twenty to One
Hundred and Fifty Miners Thought
to Have Perished in
the Disaster.

tIOm AOSduOutdS ILLS boys
about one o'clock this morning an explo-
sion occurred in the coal mines there and
that 80 far as could be sscei tanned from l2o
to $50 men lost their lives. No particulars
have been received as yet, but it is under
stood that the disaster occurred about the
time that the midnight shift of men was
being made. No attempt had been made
to explore the mine when the news OF the
calamity was sent out, and therefore it is
impossible to say whether all in the mine
perished or not, or how great was the dam.
age done to the mine. The excitement OF
everybody in the place was so great that
but very poor account of the calamity
could be gathered in time to send out with
this dispatch.
A SpeciaI Train with Surgeons
and ph ysicians has been cent to Pocahontas,
supplied with everything necessary for the
occasion.
The company operating mines at Poca-
bontantas is the Southwest improvement
Company, Of which P. Iirey is President,
and w. Lothrop General Manager. The
field is known as the Fiat Top field. At
tuc COdl NClh 10 upONt
feet thick, and from the coal is made foe
quality OF coke, used at the Lynchburg
turpaces. Between $50 and 800 men are
employed at the works.
Pocahontas 10 about q hundred miles or
more from here, and is reached from Roam.
oh g by the Norfolk and Virginia rail way to
Central Station and then over the New
River Branch.
The train with surgeons left here at half
al l. fF,lt data lie nj
The disaster are not expected until the
correspondents accompanying the train
reach the scene OF the disaster, which will
be late this evening.
Tie mines at Pocshontas have been
opeped within the last year, and unit! this
decision there has
Never Been A Serious Accident
OF any kind reported from them, and the
mines were not known to oe dangerous on
account of fire damp. The company mas
be,n careful OF the lives OF its men, and
tsken all the precautions which the oc
c. sion demanded
A dispatch from Petersburg, Va, says:
intelligence Just received confirms the
story of the terrible explosion at the coal
mines at the Southwest Virginia Improve
ment Company at Pocahontas, Tazewell
county, this State. The explosion occurred
at o'clock this morning. The particulars
are very meagre. Nothing can be learned
as TO how il occurred, but over one hundred
men are known to be killed.
The miners own stock in the company,
which is composed mostly OF Northern
capitalists.
Further intelligence from Pocahontss
represents the work OF destruction at the
coal mines ss horrible and complete. There
wsie one hundred and fifty men in the
klo ~ ho oxntnsiOn mt
OF whom is believed to have escaped. Those
not killed outright by the terrible force OF
the explosion, most likely
Perished from After.Damp.
The cause Of the explosion is not yet def.
nitely sscertained as entries TO the mines are
all full of bad air, but the presumption is
that one miner struck fissure OF gas.
Several parties ventured into the mines
this morning but could not long endure
the foul atmosphere. A number OF bodies
discovered are horribly mangled,
some of them with heads torn
from the trunks, and Others
with limbs ell gone, presenting an appsl-
liz e spectacle. The work Of destruction
Was not confined entirely TO the interior
mines, but houses two or three handred
feet removed from the mines were over.
turned and in several instances entirely
demolished. A large ventilator OF the
Southwest Improvement Company was
blown to atoms and the mines cannot be
entered until another is constructed Tor
ihe purpose OF freeing the atmosphere OF
sulIccatipg fumes This work is now pro.
crossing speedily. A large force is engaged
or the outside OF the mines constructing
coifins and perfecting Other arrangements
f the interment OF the dead miners most
OF whom are foreigners.
A later dispatch states that
The Mine in which the Disaster DC.
is known as the Flat Top mine, and is situ-
a,ed IN the northeast portion Of Tazswsll
c. unity, at the base of the Flat Top noun
tsins, which divide that section OF Virginia
from West Virginia. The company work
irg the mine is known as the Southwest
Virsinia Improvement Company, but the
mines are really under the control OF the
Norfolk ard Western Railroad Company,
who have branch road (the New river di'
vision) running from New river to P1cs-
hontss, about sixty miles. John llsey.
Of Pepnsylys is President Of the I'm
proyement Company, VIM. Lathrop, su'
peIintendent. The mines are compare
lively new, having been in sctiye opera
ton but little over year. From five to
six hundred hands are employed, and
large quantity Of coal is being taken out