Helena weekly herald., 1888-04-05
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.
Sixty Men Killed in Mine at Rich
Hill, Mo.

KANSAS CITY, March 29-The follow
ing dispatch has just been received from
Rich Hill, Mo-: About o'clock this after
noon there was rumbling sound in mine
No. 6 at this place, and q moment after
there was fearful explosion that entirely y
wrecked the mine and buried in the debris
over 100 miners, who were cut off from all
means of escape. Forty bodies have al
ready been taken out. The superintendent
of the mine was taken out badly injured,
but will survive. In the terrible excite
ment and confusion it is impossible give
list of the names or even an estimate OF
the full extent of the damage, but it is
now thought that over fifty men were
killed. The mine is situated six miles
distant from the town. There were two
explosions, and it is said that the total loss
of life will reach sixty men.
Rich Hill is located in Bates county,
about sixty-five miles south of Kansas
City.
KANSAS CITY, March ga Journal
reporter called at the residence of the mine
Superintendent at II o'clock and found
him propped up in chair with his face
and hands bandaged and scarcely able to
talk, but he made the following statement:
At just seven minutes after noon L was
telephoned that an explosion had occurred
at No. 6. l went out as soon as possible
and found the south cage, on which the
men always ascend, stuck in the shaft. l
went down on a tub covered with ropes,
and found all the men badly burned and
in frenzy. In fact, they were crazy.
Some were shouting and others singing.
We finally managed to be hoisted by
means of ropes and pulley in fainting
condition, and it was then ascertained that
the north cage could be worked. l then
called for volunteers to 60 down with me
to the bottom to see if any of the poor
fellows could be got out. Robert Brick,
George Henry, Charles SmallwOod and
Matt. Dulhand responded. When we
reached the bottom looked into the entry
and saw light ard asked who was there.
A voice responded, Gray and l told him
to put out his light. 1 then asked him to
crawl to me, but he was so exhausted he
could not do so, and 1 reached
through small aperture and
dragged him on to the cage. Just as this
was done the wind rushed with the veloci-
ty of cyclone up the entry, putting out
all our lights but one. This was followed
by two loud reports and seething flame
of fire came with deafening roar, COM
pletely enveloping US and shooting out of
the mouth of the shaft 240 feet above our
heads. We were all horribly burned and
thought our time had come. The flames
decreased as suddenly as they had come,
and we had to abandon the attempt to save
the others. l yelled to the men on top to
hoist away, and after what seemed hours
we were started up and taken out in safety,
though badly burned and greatly ex-
hausted"
Probably all who were in the mine at
the time of the first expulsion are dead.
About eighty-fve miners are employed in
this mine. They are mostly negroes who
came from Sprinfield, ILL.,, when the mine
was opened-less than year ago.
KANSAS CITY, March 30.-The Times
reporters sent by special train to the scene
of the Rich Hill mine disaster returned to-
night, and from their information the
situation may be summarized as follows :
The dead list has reached twenty-one and
nine of the injured are expected to die,
making the probable loss of life by the ex-
plosiOn thirty. Some claim that natural
gas was the cause of the explosion, while
others contend that accumulation of foul
gases without proper ventilation was the
real cause The State mine inspector in
spected the mine March 9th and pro-
nounced it safe. The Rich Hill Herald
this evening strongly denounces him and
demands his immediate suspension from
office.
RICH HILL Mo-, March 30.-Only thirty
five men were in the shaft when the explo-
sion occurred yesterday. Thus far five
have been taken out dead and fifteen alive.
Most of the latter have suffered intensely
from fire and suffocation and their recov-
cry is very doubtful. Fifteen now remain
in the mine, and it is believed the most of
them will be taken out dead. The work
of rescue proceeds very slowly, being at
tended with great danger