The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-15
COiOred.

PennsylNanla.
COiOred.
5. II. AmbertOn, Robert Lewis,
Amos Common, Horton Hicks,
James Wittan. John Lamson,
John Maxwell, James Maxwell,
George Maxwell, Penny Richardson,
James Hampton, Henry Steers,
Daniel Johnson, Edward Tucker,
Wade Stuart, Howard QuarleS,
Henry McIver, Henderson Miller,
Charles Wyatt, Larkin Richardson,
James Perdue. Robert Perdue,
Reed Howard, Daniel Wright,
James Wright, Lucas Watson,
James COrnwell, Creek Burrows,
Joseph Young. Pharaoh Bowers,
Joseph Brice, Henry Ilenby,
Benjamin Henbv Riley Austen,
j. w. James, Allen Graves,
Henry Sales, GILES Bacon,
Phil. Ragland, james Campbell,
BuZZard Hay, NATHAN Heath,
Andrew Johnson, Sam. Lawson,
Wade Stuart, Lewis Cockerham,
John Tettle, Andrew Marshall,
William Mort, Booker Wilson.
Additions to this list of men missing and
unaccounted for will swell the number Of
killed to 154.
TERRIFIC FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The scene at the mouth OF the mines
battles description. The hilsides in every
direction are strewn with DEBRIS and
blackened with cOal-dust, blown with ter
rife force from the entrance to the mine {;
trees torn to pieces and limbs scattered
about. Particles Of wreck were blown
clear over the mountain ridge fronting
approaches to the ruins and picked up
more than half mile distant. Even coal
dust was blown over the mountain, and
covers the earth on the opposite side to the
depth OF half OF an inch, and the black
ened End rent oyercoat OF one OF the
miners was picked UP in gulch nearly
half mile away. All OF the laborers'
shanties in the vicinity were more or less
wrecked and those in the line Of the mine
approaches completely demolished. So
terrific was the force Of the explosion that
the Windows in the house OF farmer two
miles off were shivcred. A few minutes
before the explosion occurred train OF
cOal-cars had been backed into one OF the
entrances OF the mines, and the locomotive
had moved q safe distance down the track.
The cars were sent, many OF them, down
the track, and others wrecked and the
debris thrown a great distance upon the
mountain.side, the heavy aXles being twist
ed into all sorts OF shapes, and the wheels
cracked and broken. The gulches in front
OF the mines were filed with car-wreckage.
FUTILE EFFORTS TO ENTER THE MINE.
There are five entrances to the mine,
which are all filled with foul air, rendering
the recovery Of the dead bodies impossi-
bic. Every attempt to enter the mines has
been attended with bad results, and I'm
several instances men have barely escaped
diving from the overpowering effects OF the
gas. The farthest entry effected was by u
Hungarian, whose sons were buried in the
mines. He was nearly crazed by grief.
He could not be restrained, and penetrated
10 considerable distance, but eventually
was forced TO retire. He reported seeing
a number Of bodies congregated indiscrim-
inateIy in one chamber, torn and mangled
beyond recognition.
OPINION OF EXPERTS.
Colonel George Dodds, OF the Midlothian
mines. and other experienced mining en-
gineers visited the mines this morning and
made a careful examination OF the sur
roundinps. After consultation, Il was de-
cided unsafe TO attempt to use the fan, and
orders were Immediately issued to have the
mines closed and sealed as the only means
~ sunpressing the fire, which Is still burn
ing. The regular coal-drifts are not burn
ing. 1t Is the fine coal ut the bottom OF the
mines which Is on fire.