Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-27
HORRORS OF MINE WORK.
AT LEAST 100 PERSONS KILLED BY THE WELLINGTON EXPLOSION.

Choked by After Damp-Alexander Ross
 Gives His Terrible Experience When
 the Disaster Occurred - Narrowing
 Scenes at the Mouth of the Pit.
 VICTORIA, B. C., Jan. 27.-A train sent out from here Wednesday to the relief of the sufferers by the Wellington mine explosion returned yesterday, bringing twenty-five of those rescued and about fifteen bodies of whites and Chinese. There were from fifty to seventy five more persons ill the mine than at first estimated, and it is feared they have all perished.
 An exploring and rescue party descended, and after an absence of an hour or more came back and reported that they found fifteen or twenty bodies. They searched diligently for survivors, but failed to find one. The after damp in the mine was still terrible, and they were unable to remain as long as they would like to have done. They found the fifteen bodies all in one place. The poor fellows had piled up timber, coal and debris in hopes of keeping out the fatal after damp from the recess in which they had taken refuge.
 Alexander Ross, che of the survivors, says: ''I was working in No. ? level, about 400 yards from the shaft, when an explosion oc- cured, which seemed as if it had happened ip the west portion of the mine The shock was terrible, and completely deafened myself ard seven companions who were working in my gang. We at once realized our terrible position, and in few minutes were thrown into utter darkness, as our lights, which were extinguished by the shock, could not be relit Presently we heard cries coming from the other end of the drift in which we were working
 ''Fearing something very bad had happened took companion, James Vincent and we groped our way down the drift in the direc- tion of the cries. Soon they grew more dis tinct, and in few minutes we came upon poor fellow pinned to the ground under a heavy truck which he had been in the act of dumping when the shock occurred. We suc- ceeded in Hitting the truck from him and dragging him out. He had an arm broken and was terrif' bruised d--
 ''There were only two of us and we spoke of hurrying away to save ourselves, but the pTor fellow pleaded so hard we could not leave him, and so, half dragging, half carry ing him, we retraced our steps. We at last reached the shaft, and were very much sur Urised to find our companions had not reached tl Nere before us. After waiting some time and get, tng refreshed With air impeiled down by the ans we started to find our companions.
 "A earch of fifteen minutes, during which we sho, ted and haIcoed, was fIutIess The after dal ID became so bad we had to give up the search and return to the shaft. am quite sure they a "a all dead. From the very closest estim lte C. VI make l am convinced that from 80 to 105 have met death in the mine. No Gre seemed to follow the explosion, but the after damp was very bad, and seemed to have overpowered the men much more quickly than in the terrible explosion in the Nanaimo mines last May, which l was in"
 A message has just been received by the secretary of the company owning the mine, which asks that twenty-five collins and goods for shrouds, etc., be sent down to Wellington at once Ten more white and thirteen more Chinese bodies have been taken from the pit, and d rescue party just mp from the mine says that a number of more bodies have been re- covered.
 The scenes at the mouth of the shaft as the bodies aie brought up arc beyond description. Although the weather is raw and cold anx- ious mothers heartbrolien wives and weeping ,children sand around hour after hour eagerly scanning tho contents of t1e cage each time it is hOated. Occasionally a piercing shriek breaks tue sti'ii.es5 q mother or wife recog- niZcs C,.e dust issgri,ned and rigid cou,telIance ,of dear one rOltgh hands nit him tenderly from the cage allG lay hi.l upon the platform provided for the Ge,sd,
 In the village Lack of the shaft all is dis lnay al,u Giooo. Grape dangles from many d door. AS I,asses mp the street he can liear the di.Hsa! vail of weeping women and children. iequ,~',s will be made for assist a,i4;'y i&, many t;..3ilics whose support has ,,eu;. cut off are in deep want. Such tempo iar., relief ;s neighbors can provide is being =,tTuI':!cd, but it is, of course, entirely made -rlatc All work has been suspended in the viitaeu: people seem unable to do anything
 but uang around the mouth of the shaft il
 norDid curiosity.