The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-27
THE WELLINGTON EXPLOSION.
Progress of the Work Of Recovering the Man.
gled and Blackened Bodies of the Dead.

WELLINGTON, b. c., Jan. 26.-The exploring
party at the Dunsmier collieres worked all
Tuesday night divided into three shifts, and
that under Foreman Haggert penetrated into the
east slope. They located number of bodies of
whites and Chinese. It was not until about
o'clock this afternoon. however, that the work
of bringing the bodies to the surface was begun.
and as one cage was in working order, after the
start was made this proceeded very rapidly. In
a little hours time the bodies of
seven white men and eight Chinese had
been raised to the surface. The bodies
were all mangled and blackened beyond
recognition, and the only means of knowing the
unfortunate victims names were the stalls and
points at which they found. The bodies
were carefully wrapped in blankets and tied SO
as to screen them from head to foot and as one
reached the surface it was placed on stretcher
and two men carried this to sleighs in waiting,
which conveyed them to whore they were laid
ont for reclamation or burial. The bodies of
the white men were placed in the carpenters
shop of the railroad company, while those of the
Cinnamon were laid in the store-room of the
blacksmith shop. Every possible assistance was
rendered by Mr.. DunsmuIr who was present, In
order that the work of recovery might be has
tened, while his officials did all that in their
power to assist in the work. There were not more
than 100 men and women around the shaft
during the afternoon, and the melancholy task
proceeded with regularity and quiet. The re-
port in circulation during The day that many
more perished than those named In yesterdays
telegram is happily untrue. The dispatch sent
Tuesday night is about correct Every individ
ual in the east slope when the explosion oc-
Cured was killed. In the west slope the
plosion did not penetrate further than to make
a severe Conclusion. which affected some
verely, but the after damp rushed in. However,
by the presence of mind exhibited in mme-
diatey repairing the fan, the ar-current was re-
stored and many lives saved. This is attested
prostrated by the after damp. but who eubse-
quently recovered consciousness and came to
the foot of the shaft The inquest will be held
by DIR. Walker.
wire rope and been killed is incorrect. Samuel
Davis aid let go his hold when part way up. but
old. killed in the East slope. Great praise
is due the manager and his efficient staff, each
of whom had charge OF searching party The
resstless force OF the explosion is proved by the
manner in which the eight-inch pipes were
snapped. Heavy timbers reduced to
sp.inters, while one of the iron cages was blown
completely out of the shaft. A Belgian miner
stripped of every vestige OF clothing, while
the mutilaton of the bodies proves that the ter
rible force played with them as with feathers.
Al 8 tonight Wednesday, after the change of
shift eighteen white aud twenty-five
Chinese had been taken out of the pit, while
seven more bodies had been found and taken to
the bottom Of the shaft. There yet remain
thirteen whites and nineteen Chinese in the
mine. James Morrison was omitted from the
former report. making the total number OF
white men who perished in the east level thirty
one and Chinese forty-one. The following are
the names of the eighteen white men taken out:
Robert Williams, R. Greenwell. Alex Ross. r
Mcdonald. John Stuart John Ness, John Mar
SHALL John Wall, all unmarried; John Jones,
who has a wife and two children; John Baogna,
wife; VIM. Harm, wife: Jacob Kienn, wife; VIM.
Wilkes, wife and four children; Frank Mccoy,
unmarried; Valera, and two Beleans. complete
the number
The bodies of the white miners ar being
washed and prepared for burial. Those belong
ing to the Masons, Odd-fellows and other soci-
cites have been taken in charge by those orders,
whils other will be taken to their late homes.
All the collieries of the Vancouver Coal Com
pany and the Wellington colleries have been
closed since the accident.
AT 1890 p. NJ. four moro white men were
brought up