Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-06-19
DEATH IN THE PIT.
An Awful Mine Disaster--Ovcr 30
IIIYnh 4 asI-GiRen Hin 10 the ElAnles.

lives L0sg-Given UP 20 the Flames.
[Thirty-two miners lost their lives by an OK.
plosiOn which occurred on Monday In me hlll
Farm mite, near Dunbar, Pa. Fifty-two men
had gone TO work in the mine Tuesday morning.
Eighteen entered The left heading. Ihey were
saved. 1hirty-two went into the right heading
They were lost.l
DUNBuR Pa, June IAN night long the
reseuing parties remained at the mouth OF
the u,anhole at Hill Farm mine, but their
efforts were fruitless, and when daylight
broke upon them they wore no nearer tue
unfortunate mon entombed In the burning
mine.
AT O'Clock last evening all hope OF
rescuing the imprisoned miners alive was
abandoned. Efforts were made TO enter
the burning slope through the Mahoney
and the Ferguson miles. It was found i'm
possible to get near the men through the |
former owing T. the formation OF the slope |
and In the Ferguson pit the air was so bad |
that 1t was impossible to travel any dis
lance. Under these conditions the most |
sanguine OF the workers yielded and It was
then determined to cut of all fresh air and
let the mine burn itself out that the bodies
OF the men might be recovered.
Al the first drift solid wall OF brick,
well plastered, was built across the open
ing, Material was wheeled down the ell
trance TO where the men were at WORK, and
| an air fan was set at work supplying fresh
air to tho reBcuers. Men were working
! like beavers to finish the wall. Through
the interstices OF the wall far on to the left
could be seen heavy cloud OF smoke oc-
casionally pierced by flames. Back OF this
wall of fire lay the bodies OF the workers
relatives and companions.
At 10 O'Clock, this morning, there was
| very little change nc the mine except tnat
the fire was hercer, the smoke blacker and
the despair of the survivors deeper than
ever before. The fight for the dead was
kept up by the living all night, but the
early gray OF morning only found the
retcuing party driven farther back from
the death chambers and they could not PEN
citrate within 100 feet OF the place they had
reached last night.
Early this morning Martin Markey. pit
boss OF the Anchor mines, made daring
attempt to reach the right driftings OF the
Hill Farm mines from the Mahoney en-
trance, II milee across the hills.H crawled
over drifts and fallen slate to within 100
yards Of the fatal chambers and sounded
again and again, but listened for response
in vain. The men were either smothered
or were fighting the fire that was now
steadily encroaohinR on their narrow terri
tory, and MarkeY, cut and bruised, aban-
doned the hopeless quest of seeking an
answer from 100 yards OF solid dumb STATE.
The sight about the pits mouth is ELL the
more pitiable because Of the "a hours OF
anguish that has rolled over the heads OF
the relatives and friends OF the entombed
miners and hundreds stand steadily at the
!. mouth gazing wretchedly ht the black
columns oil smoke that seem to grow
a thicker every hour Indicating that the coal
was now burning instead Of timber and
/ roofing.
Cries for volunteers to relieve the work
ers were constant and responses came be-
fore the sentence had been finished for
there were no idlers.
They are telling sad stories about the
!. mine to-day aud one OF the most touching
Is that OF q man named Kelley and an old
man named Hays. The latter II seems had
safely carried Kelley from the pits In Ian.
o cashire, England, three successive times
Q and Hays bore terrible scars to show the
n fight he had with Ere for the sake OF bis
e friend, When Hays rushed into the mine
70 after the explosion to-day to find his SOL
whose unguarded lamp had set the damp
j. on FIRE he fell dead within stones throw
:. of his boys body. Now there came II
70 crawling after him gaunt, blackeneG
70 spectre who gathered his scorched form
'r tenderly In his arms and Kelley carried al
IS that was N rial OF his three times savior t
B. the open afr and fell burned and blind.
L Later reports say the mine is in the entir'
l. charge OF Mine Inspector Kelghley, and HI
. is making strenuous Efforts to enter iron
the Mahoney drifts. They tell the womei
and children that their people may b
alive IN distant chamber, but the
scarcely hope and certainly do not believe
=, themselves. Colonel Holbrook Ia here thi
:" morning and viewed the two dead bodies
but refuses to hold an inquest or render
verdict until the other bodies are recovered
Oh and no one seems to be able to guess whe
~ that will be.
a. An air fan to furnish ventilation to tn
as mine will be put In operation this after
y. noon In the Ferguson pit, as work will ais
8. be commenced there.
10 Thsre seems to be many Views ae to tn
81 cause OF the fire and the proper place,
III any, for placing the blame. Coroner Ho
w brook has appointed three miners and tw
citizens on the Jury. He placed the miner
as there because they were the greatest su
~ ierers aud because they wanted show
D. the remedy could be applied. The mine
80 located that flooding the fire Is Ia
possible and smothariug 1t means certai
death to the men below provided any al
living. Nearly all the mines In this regio
up are closed down and men, money and pre-
visions are pouring In on every train.
A reseulng party has just appeared |
W. the Ferguson mine and report the chamber
an OF that drift rapidly filling with smok
!, This delays II It does not entirely cut on a
y, hopes OF resculng the imprisoned men fro
that side.
w AMULE ALIVE, WHY NOT THE MEN2
~ Some slight hope was raised at noon
OF the return OF Walter McCeary, one OF Il
nd rescuirg party, who reported that TAR dow
he In the slope he heard mule braying as
ng In great distress. This leads to the bell
%. that the men may yet be living, Gre
.ra crowds are arriving on every train ar
focking to the scene OF the disaster.