Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-03-15
Woe and Destruction on Every Hand
Cars Thrown Four Hundred
Feet.
Business Entirely Suspended-The
Churches and Houses Draped
in Mourning.
LYNCHsUR6, Va, March IA.

LfNCHbUkG, va, Marcn II.
Words could not convey the faintest idea
of the destruction that was wrought in few
short seconds. Signs of it were visible on
every hand. The entrance to the main shaft
WAS entirely torn out and scattered pell NELL
for hundred of feet The little train track
was torn and twisted, and shapeless timbers
and ties were mixed in confusion all around.
Cars were taken up bodily and torn in part
and their iron wheels shivered. They were
three or four hundred feet away. The
searching party found pair of shoes that
had been blown to the summit of the ridge
and a mule was found at the same place
twirted into an indescribable shape.
The second entrance to the mine presented
a similar appearance to the fret. At this
point lived Hungarian family named
Gossee, whose house was shivei ed to atoms,
but wonderful to relate, the inmates of the
house escaped without serious injury. At
the entrance of Fan Tunnel stood the COM
pany's large ventilator, which, with the house
around it, was swept entirely away, leaving
the engine standing on the foundation, shat
tered and broken, with the pipes twisted and
forced as indicated. The force of the ex-
plosion was terrific. Rocks were thrown
through the workshops and every object that
stood in the direct course of the forced air
was demolished. Several workmen in the
shops were severely injured. The shop as
well as the locomotive house were levelled
to the ground. OF the $50 men who were in
the, mine at the time of the explosion not one
has returned to the surface to tell the fate of
their companions, and there is no probability
that one of them has survived. Parties that
yentured into the mine this morning discov-
cred several mangled bodies. Carpenters
and lsborers, after much suffering and sick
Ha1 los in
fan and it is hoped that the removal of dead
bodies can be accomplished today, although
the smell from the mine is still sickenng
and suffocating. About 35 Hungarians are
among the victims. The others are colored
men and white miners from this State and
Pennsylvania, 1t is generally thought the
explosion was caused BY fire damp, but it is
inexplicable how horizontal coal vein above
water level could contain so much explosive
gas The churches and houses at Pocahon-
tas are draped in mourning and business is
entirely suspended.
PoCAHoNTAs, Va, March Ia.
The mines are still on fire and. the only
means of extinguishing is to close and seal
mines will remain sealed up for probably two
weeks. None of the bodies have been re-
covered.
The legislature today passed resolution
requesting Governor Cameron to ascertain
at once the necessities of the families and
dependents of the 155 miners who were
killed by the explosion at the Laurel Creek
coal mines at Pocahontas yesterday This
is done with a view to making appropriations
for the sufferers. special messenger will
at once be despatched by the executive to
the mines to obtain the desired information.
PHILADELPHIA. March IA.
An officer Of the corporation operating the
Pocahontas mine said today that the COM
pany never suspected the presence Of fire
damp in the mines. There was no oder, and
men were in the habit of going through the
mine with naked lamps. No cause can be
assigned for the explosion. In the future,
however, covered lamps will be used. The
following dispatch from the superintendent of
the mine was received today.
We will make desperate attempt to get
in tonight Have a temporary fan up, and
the indicatcations are that the mine is on
fire. We will know in a few hours, and if
such is found to be the case, will seal all the
openings and fill the mine with steam. We
have five boilers placed ready, and the pipes
will be on hand at ii o'clock this afternoon.
No lives were saved, and no one can live in
the atmosphere inside.
CENTRAL. Va, March IA.
The news of the explosion in the Rochester
coal mines spread rapidly throughout the
surrounding country. A visit to the mine
this afternoon presented spectacle battling
description. From the mountain peak to the
base could be seen evidences of the frightful
havoc that had been wrought BY the explo-
zion. The hilsides in every direction we're
strewn with debris and coal dust. All of the
miners shanties were more or less wrecked.
1t is instanced that so terrific was the force
of the explosion that windows in houses two
miles off were shattered.
The first entry effected was by a Hungar-
ian whose son was buried in the mines.
Nearly crazed by grief he could not be re-
strained, and penetrated to a considerable
distance. but was forced to retire. He report.
ed seeing a number of bodies congregated in
one chamber. torn and mangled beyond rec
ognition. Most of the killed were unmar-
ried, the night force being mainly the young
est and most vigorous men.