Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-02-26

arc MutiInted Beyond Recognition.
HALIFAX, N. S., Feb. 92.-The tre-
mendous explosion at the Spring Hill
mine in the Cumberland coal-field yes
terday was one of the most disastrous
ever known, and is q strong reminder
OF the awful disaster at the FriclS Mann
moth mine near Pittsburg, Pa, a short
time ago. II is believed that at least
III men have been killed by an explo-
sion of gas.
The Spring Hill mine is the most i'm
portant in the Cumberland coal-iield.
II employs 1000 men. Its output is
1000 tons of coal daily, and it is owned
by Montreal and English capitalists.
Hitherto ii has been singularly free
from explosions, and the cause Of the
disaster is 50 far unexplained. 1t was
Gully yesterday that the mine was OK
amlned by Deputy Inspector Madden,
and few days previously by COM
mittee of the men and found to be in
satisfactory condition. Within few
minutes after the report was heard the
mouth of the pit was surrounded by
heart-hrokcn wives and mothers, whose
shrieks and cries of anguish rent the
frosty air as the dead and dying forms of
their husbands and sons were slowly
brought 10 the surface.
The bodies were terribly mutilated,
and many of them presented sickening
spectacle. Volunteer parties were imme-
diately organized to bring up the
bodies. Telerrams were sent TO Am
lerst and Oxford. the nearest towns,
for additional medical aid, and a corps of
doctors quickly arrived by special trains
There WAS no lack Of brave volunteers,
but the work of rescue was attended
with great difficulty, and the rescuers
Them elves had many narrow escapes.
Choke-damp set in Immediately after
the explosion, and it is certain that
every man down in the mine is now
dend. Manager Swift was in the mine
at tic time, and he, too. "a among the
victims. The mine was completely
wrecked and thc passapewnys are
blocked. All the horses are killed.
This is one of the greatest disasters
ever known in the history of Nova
Scotia coal mining. Fifteen years ago
III Drummond mine at Westville blew
M and 65 men were killed Ten years
ago the Ford pit at Stillarton exploded
and "A men lost their lives. Three wears
later Is men were killed in the Vale
,olliery. all three disasters within a few
miles Of each other Three or four
years aro six men were killed in the
Sprinp lIill mines. but this was the only
previous disaster 10 that colliery.
About 40 bodies have been recovered,
but the rest cannot he reached for some
DAYS.
The effect of Yesterdays disaster is
felt moro ncutely Grief Il denoted an
every face The work of recovering
the bodies was pushed forward, and the
searching party entered the nine at ii
o'clock last night. A number of bodies
were taken IN, and to-day the work il
going ON steadily, The dead are being
brought up more rapidly. The total
number of dead is now placed at 1t7.
Two of those injured died last night.
They were Willard Garter and Joshua
Mcneil,
TO several families tho affection is
ycry great. Reid Garter and his two
sons. Willard and Clarence are all dcod
Three sons of the Carmichael family are
dead. John. Andrew and William. ,fesse
Armishaw went down to No . slone
vrsierdnv ond found hie three eons Tosso
and Herbert and John Bainf,ridne
edopted son, ali living together. The
sioht sicLened and unnerynd him %
that he had to return 10 tbc surface
without them Hc was frantic Win
grief Two sons Of Robert McVav
under IA. are laid ont side nv side
Hurh Bunt loses two bows. Andrew
and Alexander. These sorr9wful house-
holds are only few of the LARGE MN.
Der from which the bread winners have
been snntched
A carpenter shop has hem temnorailv
converted into n dead.house 10 which
all the cornses ara taken and then
washed and nrenared fnr tbeir coffins
II is most gruaso,ne sight Tbe sbnn
ID continnaIly cro,vdod viii sorro,ri,nl.
relatives IooltinG for tbeir dnad CIorrv9
men of different dannn,;natione 9yo
doing what thnv can fnr M rs;af |
stricken GU
No services were hold in ,be Moth.
odist and Presbyterian Cbnrch toldov
Rev, Father Era1 cnlahrataJ biah ms:
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If ,6o Jroadfni cs1an,itv tTha S imraa
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