Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-17
LIFELESS BODIES.
All That Are Found in the Fated
Ashley Mine.
NINETEEN DEAD MEN TAKEN OUT.

Six More In the Pit of Death, Mine Boss
Allen Suceumbs to His Injuries and the
Other Two in o Critical Condition-The
Probable Full List of Fatalities Number
Twenty-Eight-The Cause of the Nor
tally the Reckless Lighting of a Lamp.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, May 1I.-Nineteen
lifeless and blackened bodies We're taken
from the Ashley mine yesterday. Thurs
day night the work of rescue was inter-
rupted by heavy flow of gas, but early
next morning resolute men, hoping to find
some of the imprisoned miners alive, be-
gan anew the dangerous task of search
Ing the tunnels under the area which
caved in Thursday. A large party of res
cuers entered the slope and commenced
work upon the cave, beyond which three
men were found Thursday night. They
soon broke through and rushed into the
chamber beyond, where in the semi dark
ness, the men stumbled over yielding
bodies A close search revealed six black
ened corpses near the opening, none of
them recognizable Further along at va
rious places were found thirteen other
bodies, all more or less burned, but most
of them could not be recognized. The
sight was so horrible that two or three of
the rescuers tainted away.
The Bereaved Wives aud Mothers.
When the news of the finding of the
bodies became noised about, a scene ensued
| around the mouth of the slope which will
never be forgotten by those who witnessed
1t. A strong guard of men held back the
women, who pressed madly forward to
snter the mine. Half an hour later four
men appeared, bearing body on a
stretcher. The women tore away the
blanket, but saw only blackened and
charred remains. Other bodies were
brought out as fast as possible, and at
noon all but five of those who were IN the
| mine when the cave-in occurred had been
found. These bodies were conveyed in
ambulances to undertaking rooms and
prepared for burial
Death of Fire Boss Allen.
At O'Clock two more bodies were
brought out, and search for others was
going on The body OF Michael Henry,
known TO be under an immense pile of
debris. may not be found for several days.
John Allen, the assistant fire boss, who
fired the gas, died yesterday morning in
great agony. His face and hands were but
slightly burned, but he had inhaled the ia
| tai after-damp. Anthony Froyne and
| Robert W. Roberts, the men rescued Thurs
day night, are in a critical condition. Ii is
| believed they will also die General Su-
perintendent Phillips says the disaster was
caused by Allen lighting his lamp after
| the cave occurred. He was warned by the
| imprisoned miners. but insisted; the mine
| was full of gas, and an explosion immedi-
| ately took place.
Six Men still in the Mine.
There are still six corpses in the mine, and
at p. m. yesterday operations were aban-
| doned for the day. Their names are Mich
| ael and John Scaly, brothers; Robert Rich
ards, Michael Henry, Richard Jones and
Joshua Williams. Those dead and out of
| the mine are follows: Ellis ID. Will
| Jams, Harry Parry, Owen Parry, Michael
| Henry, Thomas c. Davis, John Scalley,
Michael Scalley, Daniel Sullivan, John
Hassen, John Allen, Harry J. Jones, Rob
ert y. Pritchard, Charles James, John
James, John Williams, Jonathan Will
| Jams, Richard James, William Edwards,
| Thomas j. Williams, Thomas Clauss,
| Owen Williams, John Hempsey, Frank
| Gallagher, Michael Henry, two Hun
| garians named Butts
| Worst Disaster for Fifteen Years.
| The scenes about the mine have been full
of human misery and agony. Since the
| awful Avondale disaster fifteen years ago,
| when over hundred miners were en-
tombed alive, no such calamity has befall
en- the mining district of Pennsylvania