The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-01-30
SOME DETAILS OF THE HORROR.

Recovery of the Mangled and Scorched
Bodies-Cause of the Explosion.
As soon as it was possible preparations
were made to recover the bodies of the
victims, and a gang of workmen was at
once organized to undertake the work.
Superintendent Keighley, who was the
Inspector in charge at the Dunbar mine
after the accident there, assumed direc-
ton of the rescuing force, and an army of
men was sent down into the pit to stay
the progress of the flames and recover
the bodies of the hapless victims. Soon
the first body was brought to the surface.
1t was that of John Kleen, n German,
who had been dashed against the
side of the shaft and rendered lifeless in
an instant. His body was fearfuHy
crushed and burned, but yet his relatives,
with sight made keen by anguish, recog.
nized him, and claimed the poor remains.
Sixty Corpses Brought Up.
In few moments another body was
hosted to the mouth of the shaft, and
thus the stream of bodies from the foun-
tain of death below flowed on till by z
o'clock at night sixty of the victims of
this fearful sacrifice had been recovered.
Many more were below and it was feared
that it will be impossible to save all from
the fires which were steadily advancing
despite every effort to check them. Fresh
relays of men were sent down into the
shaft every hour to relieve the exhausted
crews below, and the work of rescue was
pushed with almost superhuman energy.
Effect of the Explosion.
Those who have been in the shaft prose-
cutting the work of recovering the bodies
say that the scene is one of awful horror.
The force of the explosion shattered the
walls of the shaft and filed the drifts with
masses of earth torn from the roof and
sides. The bodies of many of the dead are
buried in the debris and are difficult to
/ find. The entrance to one of the drifts
was completely closed and the timbers in
the mine have been torn out or broken,
making the work of rescue exceedingly
difficult and dangerous. The fires stead
lily encroaching in two directions have
stopped the rescuers, the fearful heat MAX
ing the air throughout the mine absolute
ly sitting.
Scene to Rend the Heart.
The scene at the mouth of the shaft
when the disaster became known was one
10 rtlitl bDc LII Whhb sceilltu DuU u
moment n crowd had collected, and when
| they learned of the extent of the calamity
their grief was unrestrained. Mothers
and wives crowded around the mouth of
the pit and urged the men around to res
cue their loved ones. Some even at
tempted to descend into that yawning
chasm of death themselves to search for
their dead. One woman, unable to be re-
strained, threw herself into the shaft, and
added one more to the list of the victims.
She was found lifeless Mt the bottom by
the first body of rescucrs, who sent her to
the free air above, and lies beside the
blackened and mangled form of him to
whom she was to have been united to-
day.
A Defective Lamp the Cause.
The explosion is said to have been
caused by q miner with defective lamp
going into an abandoned chamber where
| the gas had gathered. In an instant the
entire shaft was mass OF flame and the
walls of the chamber and shafts where the
men were at work fell in every direction,
crushing many of the miners beneath
them. Everybody in the pit was killed.
The position of their bodies told the story
of their.end. The force of the explosion
was felt for miles around.
The List of Killed Growing.
LATER-It Is said that at least $50 men
were killed by the explosion. At 10 o'clock
last evening word was received that Ill
bodies had been taken out Of the mine,