St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-31
Thirty-One Dead Bodies Taken
From the Mine at
Rich Hill.
Seven More Known to Be Yet
Buried in the
Mine.
Heartrending Scenes as the
Bodies Were Brought to
the Surface.
Mine Inspector Wolfe Cen
Suped for Gross Care
leSSneSS.

RICH HILL, Mo-, March 3O.-The
scenes around the shaft where the
great mine explosion occurred yeSter-
day were heartrending during the day.
Up to noon to-day twenty had been
taken out, five of whom were dead.
Four of the living when taken out have
since died, several others are dangerous.
Seven more dead miners have been
taken out since noon and seven more
are known to be yet in the mine, but
are at points hard to reach, and it is
difficult to find volunteers to go down
and make the search. Those miners who
have rlsked their lives to rescue the
buried living and bring to the surface
the dead are from the mines of the
Rich Hill Coal and Mining company,
under charge of Supt. Joseph L. Reav-
ley, who Yesterday, after Supt. George
Sweeney, of the Keith and Perry Coal
company, was so seriously burned,
volunteered his services, and has since
been in charge of the exploded mine,
and to whose careful work, good judg-
ment and courage is largely due the
success of
THE RESCUING CORPS.
All night last night men were at work
in the search for the living and the
dead, Notwithstanding the mine was so
filled with gas that it burned above the
regular blaze of the one safety lamp
used. The lower end OF the cage shaft
had been crushed in at the bottom, leav-
ing it in wedge shape, point down, and
six feet or more of slate and clay had
fo1 OF or
crib reaching the bottom. This was all
removed this forenoon and one crib is
running to lower the reScuing corps
and bring out the dead. The only
air shaft the mine had was a
section of the main shaft partitioned
off about SKI feet, this was blown to
pieces or into the south crib, necessitat-
ing the converting of the south half of
the crib shaft into an air shaft, by use
of tar bradish tackled into the plank.
This done, for four hours Supt. Reavely
kept the engine forcing two sprays of
water into the air shaft, at the end of
which time it was only possible for any
one to enter the mine proper. There
seems to be no question but the eX
plOSiOn was
CAUSED FROM NATURAL GAS,
which aboundS in the earth at and
below the depth of this mine in large
section of country south and west, fire.
quent explosions and great damage and
loss of life having occurred heretofore.
State Mine Inspector Wolfe, though
having reported the mine i'll excellent
condition, knew of the existence of
large quantities of natural gas, and has
frequently and unofficially so stated,
and so great is the Indignation
l;x,;,, af M
that it would have been dangerous for
at the mine yesterday Or to-day. Had
there have been separate air shaft,
experienced miners say the explosion
could hardly have occurred, or if it had,
the consequences would have been
much less disastrous. DR.. Rice, county
coroner, was at the mine to-day, but the
inquest will not be held until to-mor-
row. The large blacksmith and car
penter shop close by is being
USED AS A MORGUE,
and at this place will the inquest be
held. The rescued dead are mostly ter
ribly burned. and present a horrible
sight and sickening smell of burnt hui
man flesh, ready to drop from the bones.
In some cases, past recognition except
by some other than personal evidence.
A half mile away the Rich Hill Gas
company's natural gas well, now down
a depth of 800 feet, brightens up the
darkness of the night with its livid
flames reaching heavenward, as if in
mockery of its deadly work under
ground, so short time since and at so
little distance away. From 800 to 1000
people visited the scene of the horror
to-day and saw the dead brought forth,
and the anguishing cries of mothers,
wives and daughters, and many tear
was wiped away from manly eyes. All
the victims will be buried at the ex-
pense of the owners of the mine, MesSrs.
Eoith and Parry of Kansas CITY.