, 1884-01-26
Fifty-Nlne Persons Known TO
Have Been Killed.
Bodies Being Recovered from
the Fatal Pit.
Heartrending Details of the
Terrible Affair.
The Mine Exnlnslnn.

%,'
thirty-six hours a force OF from twenty
to thirty men have been constantly al
work searching for the dead bodies OF
the miners buried In the Crested Buttes
mine. The work is necessarily very
slow, as the mine is badly choked up
with piles of displaced timbers, heapes
of coal, rock, and other distractions.
At noo to-day ten bodies had been
found. These were all In the main
entry, and being subjected to the full
force of the blast. were terribly burned
and blackened. In several cases the
arms and legs were found to be broked
and the bodies otherwise mutilated.
In this entry were also found carcass
of mine mules and a large number of
empty coal cars which had been bat
tered out of all shape.
The workmen gained entrance to
chamber Nc. l this morning, but found
no bodies there. Searching further,
eighteen bodies were found almost in a
heap in the air passage leading TO the
up cast, neal the entrance. The men
were alarmed but not injured by the
explosion. They had evidently at
tempted to reach the furnace room and
were overcome by the afJer damp when
within two hundred feet Of 1t. Fifty
feet further back six more bodies were
found. All had evidently been suffo-
Gated. Some had tied handkerchiefs
over their mouths. This makes a
total Of thirty-four bodies found up to
this time. and includes all who were at
work in chamber No. l. These bodies
are now being brought out to the main
entry, and will soon be brought to the
surface. The workmeu will then be-
gin the search In chamber No. 9. This
chamber Is further into the mine, and
is undoubtedly where the explosion
took place. 1t is expected that the
bodies there will be badly burned.
1t is now known that there we're
ffty-nine men and boys in the mine.
To the list Of names sent last night
may be added David Thomas, John
Thomas. and Miles Roach, which
makes the list complete except one.
Among the killed were two boys,
Tommy Lyle and William Meath, each
about IL years of age, and Morgan
Meath, IL years old. The two former
were gate keepers and the latter a dri-
yer.
The cause Of the accident cannot be
defnately told at this writing. AS be-
fore stated, the mine might be subject
to gas, but the proprietor5 have done
everything possible to overcome this by
the use of all the latest and most ap-
proved appliances for mine ventilation,
and 1t was considered one of the best
ventilated mines In the country. 1t
was examined by an inspector about six
weeks ago and In his report he stated
that 1t had the worst air and the hest
ventilation of any coal mine In the
state. The owners claim that the air
supply was more than four times the
amount required by law.
The fireman made bis regular rounds
yesterday morning before the men went
to work and found a small quantity of
gas in three rooms. In two Of these
the men were warned and given safety
lamps. A miner who belonged in
the third chamber was told not to go
into 1t until the break in the brattice,
caused by the letting down of a car the
night before, could be repaired. The
carpenter came out of the mine to get
material to mend the brattice with and
just as he reached the open air the ex-
plosion occurred. 1t is thought that
the miner disregarded the order and
went into the room with a lamp. caus-
ing the explosion.
OF the men killed but eight or nine
have families. but quite a number OF
others have families in the east.
AS fast as the bodies are brought out
they will be taken to the city hall.
where the inquest will be held to-mor-
row. Many of the unfortunates be-
longed to the Masons and Odd Fellows,
and the unclaimed bodies will probably
be buried by these societies.
A new danger was discovered last
night. 1t seems that there is an Or
gsnization Of Molly Maguires.
Through some means, q mine boss,
John Gibson, appears to have earned
the enmity of these men and last nigh
threats were made against his life
The trouble does not appear to be be-
cause of any blame attached to hin
regarding the accident OF yesterda.
morning, but rather an old grudge, ant
the Mollies appear to think the presen
occasion presented a good opportunit,
for getting even. However, no at
tempts at violence, 80 far, has beel
made. The more timid ones fea
trouble tonight. r
General Palmer, president of tn
Crested Buttes Coal Mining company
sent a personal donation Of one thou
sand dollars to-day for immediate re
lief of the families Of the unfortunates
l O'Clock g. m.-The work Of rsmov