West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-01-29

gives the friends some grounds for
hope, but it is 90 slight that it is not
encouraged. 1t is believed by some
OF the men, who arc familiar with the
mine that .he rooms in the extreme
portions of the workings are COM
paratively free from gas, and that
they may afford refuge TO those in or
near them.
These CLEANS Of hope are met by
the afflicted families with means of
despair; they do not hope. DR.. T.
Lanham has stood at the shaft all
day, but there is likely to be less
need OF physician, than undertakers.
Tonight the rescue party has got
back in the working about six hun
dred feet, finding only destruction
along the way 1t will keep up work
all night hoping to get out bodies for
the mornings inquest. BY a strange
fscinatiOn crowds stand rooted to the
spot, the glare of the burning coke
ovens Just near the charnal house,
lighting up pale and haggard faces
from which hope has fed. When the
bodies are taken out they will be
viewed by the jury. taken to the I'M
dertakers to be dressed as well as
can be, before friends and relatives
come to claim them, as it is thought
probable that some Of them were dis
membered by the explosion.
The calamity falls with terrible
force on this little town. The recent
cold weather froze out the miners
and they could not work for ten days,
and little if any money is coming to
the men who are on the death role.
Few of them had any savings, and
their taking off will leave their fami-
lies in restitution
Jan. "a Work in the shaft was
kept up all night by reliefs. The
men reached the upper end OF the air
heading and are returning on the
parallel way.
Since yesterday thirteen more bod
les have been found in the bottom Of
the pit.
1t having been thought impossible
to penetrate the mass OF debris in
the headings far enough TO take out
any bodies to-day the coroners jury
adjourned yesterday until to-mor.
row morning. When it was found
that the searchers were meeting with
unexpected succese,the coroner was
notified and the jury soon brought
together
AS the bodies were received at the
top of the shaft they were taken
charge of by the coroner's Jury for
Identification and then turned over
to the undertaken. The bodies when
found were in various positions, some
with arms extended as if about to
pursue their usual work; others with
arms and limbs contracted as if in
awful agony.
The exploring parties have been
untiring in their work, and have sue
ceeded in getting the air passages
in good condition, so that sufficient
fresh air is assured.
The funerals of Daniel Miller, the
eager, Isaiah Timmons, the fire boss,
and his son William, took place this
afternoon from the NJ. h Church and
we're attended by large concourse
of sympathetic friends. Isaiah Tim
mons and his son were buried in the
same grave. This has probably been
the saddest funeral ever Witnessed
here, the awful circumstances of their
death, and the knowledge that thirty.
six more are to follow, lend to the
occasion more than ordinary solem-
nifty.
TimmCns the father was, terribly
burned about the face and head, his
hair, eyebrows and mustache being
singed close. His face after being
washed was the color of raw beef.
The left eye was closed, the right al
most bursting from the socket. The
limbs and ribs we're broken in MANY
places. The finger nails were burnt
black and had curled from the
fingers. The boy Timmons, fourteen
years old and small for his age, was
so badly mangled about the head
that bandages had to be ueed to
make him at all presentable. His
face was little marred and very pale.
Those who were familiar with Miller
said he was easy recognizable. The
bodies in their neat coHins we're
placed on view in front of the under.
takers and a stream of people pour.
ed by.
The State INSPECTOR OF Mines has
arrived. He went Immediately down
the shaft to inspect the pit. His
opinion has not yet been given. Jas.
Little. OF Elk Garden, w. Wier, of
Piedmont, j. II Richardson, from
the CASTOR Works at Fairmont and
Robert Jack, of West Fairmont, ex-
Derienced and fearless mon have