The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-03-20
BLEW THE TOP OFF.
The Summit of q Mountain Lifted
by an Explosion ut POca.
hOntas, Va.
Sinking Back, It Imprisons One Hun
Hundred and Fifty Men in q
Coal Mine.
Fire Breaks Out, Adding Horror Il
the SituatiOn-Thrilling
Scenes.

Located In Tazewell County, at the terminus Of
the new river division Of the Norfolk and West
ern Railroad, is the villige Of Pocohontas. a
comparatively new settlement. Here are located
the mines of the Southwest Virginia Improve
ment Company. a joint stock corporation COM
posed Of Northern capitalists. These mines
were opened about year ago.. and from them
Northern markets. The mines gave
employment to some Ave or six hundred
men mostly foreigner s,;ct !, On the nigh.
the mines to take their turn at work. About
midnight the people OF the locality for miles
around were startled by terrific explosion and
sound was sufficient to inform every one that q
frightfnl calamity had befallen the midnight la
borsrs. In an instans the streets were filled
with q crowd OF crsaming women, children,
and men, all rushing for the mouth Of the prin-
cipal mine In the southern suburbs Here q
dense volume OF smoke was found pouring from
the shaft, and scattered around within radius
Of quarter Of . mile were broken timbers.
shattered cars, pullcys, and machinery. On all
sides were to be seen fragments OF human bod
ies, some Of which were lodged In tree-tops,
and others on roofs OF houses and sheds
For more than an hour wild shrieking and the
louder manifestations Of grief from desperate
men filled the air. No one seemed to have any
idea rs to what should be done, and oil rushed
hither and thther. seeking frantically for some
evidence OF the fate of relatives below. Atin.er-
walls more than ordinary shrek of anguish
would tell That some SearelCr Had 1Guna token
which realized his or her worst fears. The scene
was terrible in the extreme. Miners LOuses,
buildings, and trees several hundred yards away
were completely tor to pieces. showing conclu-
sivcly that the force OF the explosion must have
been remarkaIls.
II was not until two hours had passed in
fruitlcss lamentations that any effort was made
by the lanc-stfickcn crowd to ascertain the
condition OF affairs. Then CHASTITY faced man,
whose night-clothing was not altogether con-
cealcd by an immense blanket which he had
Htstf~a y cIrNY @ary nm n
stump and cried out: "lor Gods sake. men,
lets stop this. We all have friends and rela-
tions down below, and maybe we can help
them Let's see about it. and let the women folks
do the crying"
Every one Of the officials OF the camp was
below ground, and there appeared to be no
one competent to lead except the man re-
terred to, who at once called for volunteers.
There was hurried movement 10 the mouth
OF the mine, and led by the mnn in the blanket,
and amid the shrieking Of frantic women. some
of whom pleaded with the men to remain out OF
danger. the little band disappeared in the q ON
and smoke around the mouth OF the mine. They
soon reappeared. however. and 1t was announced
thai all attempts - get into the mine were
ruthless dense volume OF fam" soon COM
menced to shoot upward, and Illuminated the
scene for half mile. rendering the 1hastly
spectacle, which lad hitherto been viewed only
by torchlight, ten times more impressive. The
crowd had gathered, helpless, in LITTLE groups,
either discussing the situation or iamcnting
that the explosion had taken place It Flat Top
mine and had leen caused by fire-damr.
The situation remained unchanged until day.
glaringly apparent. The men who still retained
their composurc Iegan to gather the fragments
of humanity seattle ed about. These we're evil
identity the limbs OF those miners who had been
working near the bottom of the shaft at the
time OF the accident, and had been blown up
ward. Not one of these unfortunates, number
ing about fifty, survived, as their shattered limbs
lying around broadcast testified.
party of miners Fl ON Coalteld mines under
Col. George Dodds arrived during the afternoon
and took charge of the camp The residents
were compelled to retire from the vicinity OF
the mine, and the newcomers then gathered
all the fragments of humanity and placed them
in adjoining houses. The callccti was ghast-
~ one, and the 500 population re naming Above
ground seemed to have lost all reason. Not one
In the crowd Tut had lost relation, and all
seemed to have little hope of ever seeing any Of
around aimlessly, many OF them covered with
!. blOod-stafns received In their CHASTITY search
Men sat on logs or lay PROSTATE on the ground,
staring solidly around, their pale features testi-
flying to the terrible mental strain.
About every half hour body OF men would
proceed to the mouth of the mine and make
determined effort 10 force an entrance. Again
and again the great PAL Ct smoke and the burt
ing flames from below would force them back,
and some OF them would be borne half faintin2
into the fresh air.
be had, as the smoke showed signs OF decreas-
ing. party of men attempted to get in, and
had gone below ground, when a volume Of flame
shot up, and they were hurriedly assisted to the
surface. One of their number, an Italian
named Carlo Franchi, waa missing, and had
evidently dropped from the cage. All
Of the party were badly burned, and
this showed l ow fruitlcss were any hopes OF
rescue The shaft at 8 =. III. was roaring fun
mel Of fame All the oustu!ldings In the vicinity
ignited, and the fan house, which had been
looked to "a the salvation of any of the men who
might De alive below, caught also shrek OF
despair went up again at this catastrophe.
which was regarded as fatal to all hopes OF
rescue. The men fought manfully to save the
building from destruction, but without avail,
and IL was socn mass of cinders. Ii became
evident at this hour that the whole mine was
ablaze. and it IL doubtful whether it can be ex-
tinguished for weeks. ii ut all. This settled the
fate OF the $50 unfortunates Ielow the ground
The explosion was 20 great that 1t blew OF the
entire top of the mountain. which, settling
back. filled up the mines and buried the un-
fortunate men. The mountains for mile
around the scene OF the disaster are covered
with the debris from the wreck The summit VI
the Iark was covered with coal-dust. Onthc
topmost summit, 400 yards away from the mouth
OF the Inflated shaft, a mules head and child's
foot we're licked mp. The child from which. the
after was torn was killed in the cottage Of its
father, near by. The house Vas blown 10
pieces. and all OF its inmates crushed to death
by falling ;mbers. Trees in the neighborhood
we've up. ootcd and carried to distant points OF
the mountain.