The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-11-17

Pittsburg, Kas., dispatch of the 9th
sags The most dreadful disaster in
the history Of Kansas occurred at 5
o'clock this evening. When the men
we're preparing to leave off their work
Eft shaft No. ,, at Frontenac, a suburb of
I4ttsburg, a terrible explosion was
heard that shook the earth for great
distance and completely shattered the
shaft. Upon investigation it was
l9und that 100 men were within the
ulne at the time of the explosion. Be-
sug ] = feet below the surface, it is al
a.ost certain that all are dead at this
writing, The only exceptions were two
men who were IN a car coming up and
being near the top of the shaft, man.
a-ed to escape. Pittsburg is in the
center OF the coal mines of Southeastern
Kansas and is about 100 miles south of
Kansas City on the Fort Scott & Gulf
road.
The explosion broke windows in this
village, and spread CONSERVATION among
ITS lnhapltants. The violence of The
stock was so great as TO hurl dishes
from shelves and demolish chimnevs.
lia.t an hour after the explosion the
Eliagers who were preparing to 90 to
the mines were startled by a ragged
bleeding man, who almost staggered
into the arms Of searchers. He said
that shaft No. , at Fontenac had been
destroyed by an explosion and that all
9. the men IN the mine at the time ax-
ueFt himself and Dane, whom he left
bleeding at the mouth Of the pit. were
undoubtedly dead. Horses Were quick
IF harnesscd to wagons, and in q few
minutes the villagers were hurrying
through fierce snow and sleet storm
which waa raging.
At the mouth of the mine the tremen-
Jous force of the explosion was appar-
"at. There We're huge seams IN the
aarth and the timbers ofthe hosting an.
psfdtus were shiyered and burned. Foul
.Sdses were escaping. The Dane, who
had escaped with the man who had
alarmed the villagers, lay in the mud
WITH ms lace covered with blood. For q
long time 1t was thought he was dead
bHt he regained consciousness in a few
hours and Is now at his home. He can.
not speak and does not know what
caused the explosion. His clothes were
in ribbons.
The man who reached this village
with the first tidings ofthe disaster. and
who accompanied the rescuers back to
the mine, said the men were about to
cunt work for the day when the ex-
soslou occurred. Together with the
tanc, he had ridden in the car to the
5sp OF the SHAFT when the earth seemed
go snap beneath him, and the next
thlng he realized was the splashing ol
the snow and water upon his face as he
lay with his c0mrade in the Wreckags
from the mine. There were 100 men in
the mine at the time of the explosion.
and as they We're at work l12 feet below
the surface it is believed that not one
survived the shock, as the explosion
must have destroyed everything in the
p,t.
Sig fires were built near the mouth OF
the pit and beside these blazing piles
1ho wives of the entombed miners
placed their children, while thev them
selves tried by all kinds of entreaties to
nduce the miners from the other shafts
t. enter the pit and rescu their rela.
tFes. One rescuing party stated down
the shaft at Z o'clock, but was forced to
turn back, owing to the foul air. An
other attempt was made at 8 O'Clock,
HaJ the plucky rescuers again were
forced to abandon their work. They
could hear no sound from the chambers
tr.0W and this leads old miners to be-
HeEe that all of the men in the shaft
have perished. Other attempts viii be
uade 10 reach the entonbed men be-
laee morning. Those who started down
tie shaft early in the evening say that
the shock has destroyed whole drifts,
and that it is probable that the men in
5aa lower levels are buried beneath
.aas ~ slate. Black damp Is supposed
= have caused the explosion. Most of
tie miners at these shafts came origi-
naiy from Illinois and Pennsylvania.