The Portland daily press., 1884-01-28
THE MINE CALAMITY.
Work of ReseuiBg Bodies stiIi in Pros
gress-siclkening Details-The Coroner's
hnGuest.

ON~~@A~
Inquest.
! DENVER, Jan. 26-Since the Srrival OF the
| State mine inspector at the scene OF the disas-
ter which occurred in the rnine of the Colorado
| Coal and Iron Company st Crested Butte, on
| Thursday. no one has been allowed to enter
the mine except those employed in searching
for the bodies. The 81 bodies recovered were
| brought out duri1g the night and placed In the
blacksmith shop, where they will remain until
the others are found. Forty-nine cofins have
been ordered by the company, aad are now on
the way to the mine. There is large crowd
of men yet st the mine, but there are no signs
of any disturbance. Mine Superintendent GiD-
eons house was strongly guarded last night,
and the streets were patrolled. The excite
ment appears to have entirely subsidized Right
thinking men hold that the officers OF the
mine are bameless, and anticipate no serious
trouble with tho Molly Msguire element. In
| spector Mcneil is still in the mine.
LATER.
| DENVER, Jan. 27.-T webty-three more burn
| cd bodies have besn recovered, making 81 in
| all. These were all found in chamber No.
and in the immediate vicinity. Many have
! in. and their clothing SO burned that it drops
| off in rags when the body is moved, hair burn
| ei from their heads and all the skin burned off
the iaces and other exposed portions OF the
bodies, leaving literally an unacceptable
mass of raw flesh. The appearance Of these
bodies is horrible beyond description, and it is
not likely that any Of them can be recognized.
Many of the faces have coal dust ground into
them until they arc as black as the coal itself.
Today the company oegan the erection of
large frame building, where the bodies will
be placed and funeral services held. Crowds
are coming on every train aud on snow shoes
from surrounding camps The company will
bear all the funeral expenses and make ample
provision for the needy families OF the de-
ceased.
II is thought two other bodies can be got out
of the mine by midnight.
The inquest was begun at nooa today. The
COR ner's jury, after viewing the 81 bodies al
ready brought out, adjourned Since that
time the hsaring Of evidence has been going
on in the parlor sf the Elk Mountain House,
and will be continued tonight and tomorrow.
The witnesses examined so far have been DR..
Ccckrell OF Gunnison, DIR. GorhAm Of Crested
Butte, Dr. Corwin chief surgeon Of the Col
orado Coal and Iron Company, Cot. Cameron,
the company 3 coal superintendent, James h.
hODtDsOu, 6upGF1nI6nOeDb OIL INC miubi uko
boss Luke Richardson, and engineer Robert
Gibson.
Col. Cameron testified as to the ven tiation
of the mine, which he claimed was from five
TO six times as great as @as required by law.
Supt. Robinson explained the working OF the
mine, and said that he had given positive or
ders thai miner should so into the mine
without having received a report from the fire
boss So as to know positively that there was no
danger rom gas, and when gaB was found the
n cal TN lan VIC ireia fQd nm
Richardson, the fire boss, tsstised that he
had found on the morning of the accident two
bUards broken from tue brsttico ia room IS,
second entry, and considerable gas in the bead
of the drift, ard had given mau, who was at
work in there, positive orders not to enter un-
til he returned and repaired the brattice. He
came ont to get tools, but before he got back
the explosion occurred. Witnesses who heard
these orders given will testify tomorrow.
When room 10 Was reached today no body
was found in IT,, but in front of it, as IL blown
out Dy the concussiou, ons body was found and
although unrseogDizabie, it is supposed to be
thet of the nlan, Svede, who was forbidden
to enter.
Last evening mine boss Gibson ran into the
hotel at Crested Butte, where the investiga-
tioB Pas being held in regard TO the recent
mine disaster, and said he was in the mine
when miner rushed liz, gave him pistol
snatched his lamp and told him to run for his
lie, as parry OF men were coming up from
the town to lynch him. No hostile demonstra-
tions were made, however, and it is thought
none will be attempted, the excitement hay-
ing entirely subsided.
OF the bodies discovered yesterday il cham
ber No. 2, twents-oBe we're brought out at 10
O'Clock last night and placed in the black
Smiln shop With Tie others. An hour later The
nine was closed Tor the night Two bodies
were brought ont tonight, and two still remain
in chamber No. l, but covered up, and 1t
may be days before they are found. A number
OF bodies will be buried tomorrow. All saloons
will be closed today, end will remain SO until
alter tne funerals Two undert4kers arrived
today, and are preparing the bodies for burial.