Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-01-31
THE MINE DISASTER.

MAMMOTH, Pa, Jan. 2S.--One
hundred and ten bodies have been
taken from the Inflated mine No. j !,
of the FL. G.. Prick Coke Company
up to this evening. 1t is estimated
that the remains of at least dozen
more victims of yesterdays explo-
sion are still in the pit. Nobody
slept at Mammoth last night. In
every home in the little mining ham
let there was mourning, yet there
was no demonstration. The little
one-story houses. scautily furnished,
were illuminated with tallow can
dies. A mother, wife, sister or
sweetheart sobbed in silence. They
only knew that the mysterious acct
dent had,, befallen them. They can
not see the gdead. They have little
care for the liyirg. Their grief is
deep and keen.
LOOKING FOR LOVED ONES.
Within an incredibly short time
the entrance to the shaft swarmed
with an eager, anxious crowd of
men, women and children, some of
whom could only with great difficult
ty be kept at safe distance. As
the bodies of the victims, mangled
by the terrible force of the explosion,
burned almost out of human SEM
blance, were brought to view from
the yawning depths, the crowd of
watchers pushed forward to the pit
for a. glimpse of recognition. Hearts
of wives and sisters stood still in
the fear that loved oney were among
the dead. The more disinterested
ones quailed before the scene. Tears
coursed down bronzed and bearded
cheeks and were dashed away by
brawny hands that had swung the
pick for many years. The rescuing
party proceeded with their grim
task, and the crowd of watchers 81
lently looked on. 1t was one of
those scenes which, once witnessed,
remains forever impressed upon the
memory of the spectator.
NATURAL GAS BLAMED.
An official of the Prick Company
said this morning: at may never
be known how or why the explosion
occurred. The accumulation of fire.
damp was probably the cause, but it
was never known to exist in any
quantity before; in fact, it may be
said that the mammoth mine has
been free from damp. There is a
theory that a pocket of natural gas
was reached, and that the operation
Of the ventilating fans now prevents
any accumulation of it. 1t is not
necessary that every one in the mine
be killed when an explosion OCCURS.
The explosion may stay in one parti-
cular section and may not permeate
the entire mine unless the volume
is SO great as to force it into every
part of the pit. In this case the gas
was confined to one portion, and the
miners who were in other localities
escaped"
REMARKABLY FEATURES.
The disaster has some remarkable
features. 1t was as deadly, as
sweeping and as complete as the
sinking of a ship in mid-ocean. Its
history is to be told to those who
do not know it, for there is no ton
que ofsall those that went in the
opening of that part of the mine
where the disaster occurred to de.
scribe it's details.
Never in the history Of American
coal mining has there been such an
unexpected accident, with such a
complete humiliation of all within
it's reach. Hundreds of safety gauge
lamps were provided for the miners
by the eop"a ~, but they were
never used, as they were regarded
as unnecessary. In their stead the
men wore the familiar little open
flame lamps, on their hats, those
small coffee-pot shaped affairs of
tin, which are fastened above the
forehead in the headgear of the
Workmen.