Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-02-05
srE OF A DAY.

Boiler Explosion at Terre Haute, Ind
Fatal Railway Accident.
WHEELING, w. Va, Jan. 22.-An explo-
sion OF fire-damp occurred in the shaft OF
the Newburg Oricl Coal Company, New
burg, w. Va, yesterday afternoon. I'M
mediately following the sound OF the ex-
plosion a flame OF fire arose far above the
mouth of the shaft, and debris of all kinds
was strewn around. Great excitement en-
sued, and crowds OF people hurried to the
spot.
The shaft in which the explosion occurred
was sunk about two years ago, and has
reached a depth OF three hundred and fifty
feet. From the base OF the shaft the main
theory advanced as to the cause Of
the explosion is that %ire.damp had
accumulated in one of the rooms
and was accidentally ignited by q
miners lamp, but nothing positive has yet
been learned. The force of the explosion
blocked the air so close that no one would
venture into the main heading to ascertain
the fate of the imprisoned men until an air
passage could be established. The work is
being pushed vigorously.
Up to midnight no bodies had been re.
covered. 1t is supposed that thirty-seven
men are imprisoned. The prevailing opin-
ion is that all are dead, although a few ex.
press the hope that some of them escaped
the effect OF the explosion, and have been
able to reach a place free from the fatal
black-damp, which always follows an ex-
paosion Of this kind.
The scenes at the shaft were heartrend-
ing. Fathers, mothers, wives and children
linger in groups with pallid faces anxiously
waiting some tidings from their loved ones
which will either bring them hope or end
their suspension. Every effort is being
made to rescue the unfortunates, but it is
thought that there is no prospect of reach
ing them soon
DEATH IN THE AVALANCHE.
ASPEN, Col, Jan. 22.-Freighters who
arrived yesterday state that twenty-seven
snow-slides occurred in the n~eighborhood
of Maroon Pass during the past three
days. On Tuesday a party OF men with
eighteen mules started from Aspen to clear
out the pass, since which nothing had been
heard from them until yesterday morning,
when news was brought here that an ava
lanche three days g had buried the men
and mules at the mouth of the canyon.
Two Hoskins boys, Marion Stewart and
Charles Miller rescued themselves. Their
clothing was torn from their bodies, and
they were terribly bruised. After a
nights strugglingin the snow they reached
Spoilers cabin, and gave the alarm. A
party started to the scene Immediately and
succeeded in rescuing twelve OF the eight
cen mules, but at last accounts had
not oun the remains OF the men.
The victims are Albert Sloper, Ira
Hall, James Hungerford, David Pat.
tenhall, and two others unknown. A six.
mule team and driver went over Independ.
ence Pass, between Leadville and Aspen,
yesterday afternoon, falling and sliding
nearly a thousand feet. The driver was
uninjured, but the mules were killed.
SALT LAKE, Utah, Jan. 22.-The first
fatal snow-slide in Utah this year took
place at Park City Wednesday night about
eight o'clock. Asmall slide, not over fifty
feet wide, caught a miner named Thor.
strom, who was passing, and buried him
under six feet of snow, The bodv was re-.
covered.
At $3.50 yesterday morning another slide,
higher up the gulch. caught up an empty
cabin on the side OF the mountain, and
hurled it dow on the cabin of A. O. Pat
terson. Patterson and wife were asleep.
Logs, debris and snow rushed through the
Ioof, burying them ten feet deep. They
were dug out later, both dead. This is the
first slide that ever took place in that
gulch. The families are all moving out.
HURRICANE AT SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jam. 22.-One OF the
severest storms that has ever occurred on
this coast began Sunday, and reached it's
height shortly after noon Wednesday,. It
extended from the northern boundary of
Washington Territory to the southern
boundary OF California, and from the Rocky
Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. An
almost continuous fall of rain and snow
was accompanied by wind, which, from five
miles an hour, gradually increased, until it
blewa hurricane OF eighty-two miles an hour.
The bay inside the harbor was very rough,
n passengers ON the ferry-boats were
made seasick. Considerable damage was
dore throughout the city. Houses were
unroofed, sheds, fences, trees, awnings.
signs, church spires and numerous smoke
stacks were blown down. Huge plate win
doWs were crushed, easements flooded,
sewers broken, cars lifted from the track
and covered wagons floated away.
When the wind was at it's height the west
wall OF Mechanics Pavilion was blown in,
and a few minutes later about eighty feet
OF the ROOF was carried away. The damage
done the pavilion mounts to several thou
sand dollars One OF the most unfortunate
disasters was the collapse OF q two-story
building corner OF Mission and Thirtieth
streets. Mrs. Annie Humbert, Mrs. Coyle
and John Carroll were in the building,
The last named rushed out in time to es-
cape harm, but both the women were
buried and severely, perhaps fatally, in
jured.
The most serious result OF the storm was
to cut off San Francisco entirely, for the
first time in its history, from telegraphic
communication with the outside world. n
was resumed yesterday.
DOWN TO DEATH.
ALBANY, Mo-, Jan. 22.-The Des Moines
and St. Joseph express on the Chicago.
burlington d Quincy Railroad was derailed
about six miles from here at $40 O'Clock
Wednesday morning. Two coaches and a
sleeper went dow a twenty-foot embank.
ment and were piled up in an indescribable
mass. One person was killed and twelve
badly wounded.
FATAL EXPLOSION.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. CAT Terre
Haute, Ind, at $50 o'clock yesterday
morning a terrific boiler explosion occurred
at the distillery OF Fairbanks e. Dunewer.
Frank McNellis and George Otterman were
killed. Their bodies nave been recovered
.om under a heap OF debris frirhtiullv
mangled. Tn entire engine house is torn
down. The damage is not estimated. The
cause OF the explosion is not known.
Frank Buckingham and Charles Xyalkar