The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-01-29
The Mammoth Coal Mine Disaster.

YoUNGwooD, Pa, Jan. 2S.-One hundred
| and seven bodies have been taken from the
Inflated mine of Prick g. Co., at Mann
moth, up to 10 o'clock this morning. II ia
estimated that the remains OF at least sew
enteen more victims of yesterdays ex-
plosion are still in the pit. 1t is thought
all will be out in few hours.
Nobody slept last night. AT
the little mining hamlet there was
mourning, and in little one story houses.
scantily furnished and Illuminated with a
talloW candle, mother, wife, sister or
sweetheart sobbed in silence.
Alter the explosion yesterday news of
the awful fate of scores of miners at work
IN the saaft spread rapidly among the mines
and miners homes. Couriers carried the
dreadful news hither and thitaer. and
families rushed from the comforts
OF home into the depths OF
grief and despair. The scenes at
these miners cottages can readily be i'm
agiued. Within an incredibly short time
tue entrance to the shaft. sWarmed with an
eager, anxious crowd of men. women and
children, some of whom could oulv with
great dlfnculty be kept at safe distance
AS the bodies OF the Victims mangled nv
the terrible force of the explosion or burnt
almost out of human semblance. were
brought up out of the yawning depths. the
crowd OF watchers pushed forward to the
pitts mouth for glimpse of recognition
Inc hearts OF wives ana mothers stood still
in fear that loved ones were among the
dead Tears cOursed down bronzed and
bearded cheeks and were dashed away bv
DraWny hands that had swung the pick for
many years. The rescuing party proceeded
with their grim task and the crowd of
watchers silently looked on
Fifty coffins arrived from Pittsbure this
morning, and another half-hundred will
reach here tonight. An additional order
Tor twenty-five more was sent this evening.
The cause Of the explosion is not vet de-
termiDed. The coroner is on the ground
and thorough investigation will be made.
q roll call OF all The men is in progress.
ana by this the exact number of missing
Will be known. The rescuing party is
working with energy and the wreck in the
shaft is being fast cleared up
The officials of the Frick company said
this morning. 1T may never be known
now or why the explosion occurred An
accumulation of fredamp was probably the
cause, out it was never known to exist in
any quantity before, in fact it may be said
the Mammoth mine has been free from
damp. There is theory that pocket of
natural gas was reached and that the oDer
alton of the ventilating fans now prevents
any accumulation of it. 1t is not necessary
rhat everyone in mine should be killed
when an explosion occurs The explosive
gas may stay in one particular section and
may not permeate the entire mine unless
the volume is so great as to force it to every
part OF the pit. In this case the gas was
confined to one portion, and the miners
who were in other localities escaped
Never in the history of American coal
mining has there been such an unexpected
accident with such complete humiliation of
all within it's reach The Mammoth mine
has been notable always as being particu
larly free from gas. Hundreds of safety
gauge lamps weIe provided for mines by
the company, but they were never used as
they were regarded as unnecessary. In
their stead the men wore the familiar little
open flame lamps in their hats. The mine
boss put the night shift to work and found
nothing to arouse his suspicion.
Monday there were 13S miners at work
in the part of the mine affected by the ex-
ploslon. 1t is not known exactly how
many there were on Tuesday. There mas
been found up to 2 O'Clock this afternoon
LIZ bodies and of this number fifty-three
are identified.