The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-01-30
THE VICTIMS NUMBER 1870
Twenty-Three Bodies Still Buried in the
Ruins of the Inflated Mammoth.
Eight Miners Hopelessly Entombed BY Fire in
q Michigan Shaft-They Are Probably
Already Dead Through SuffOcation.

PITTsBURG, Jan. GA dispatch from
Mammoth mines says: This afternoon it
was discovered by the rolls of the company
that twenty-three more men are missing.
In addition to the 107 found dead. This in
creases the total dead to 40. 1t is prob
able the remaining twenty-three will not
be found for weeks. owing to the immense
piles of wreckage that must be under
mined. Twenty seven more dead miners
were buried at noon to-day. many OF the
graves being marked unknown" owing
to the terrible m%utilation.
Master Workman Rae, of the United
Mine-workers. is laboring with his col
leagues to form more stringent mining laws
for this State. and influential politicians
are preparing to push them in the Legisla-
ture. AS it is there seems to be no way for
the people to reach the company for dam
ages. A call for assistance has been issued
by all Pittsburg labor organizations. and
newspapers and business offices are receiv-
ing subscriptions.
It is thought by experts that the force of
the explosion was augmented by the fine
dry coal-dust in the mine. which ignited
when the ~fre-damp exploded. When the
bodies had all been prepared for burial.
Coroner j. b. Wakefield, of Jeanette, en-
paneled a jury. The bodies were viewed.
and, after a brief consultation with the
jury, the coroner continued the inquest
until 10 A. NJ. Thursday. Feb. 5. The
inquest will be held in the arbitration-room
of the Westmoreland County Courthouse
at Greensburg.
There is nothing to be lone now but
search for the remaining dead and care for
the living. A legislative committee from
Harrisburg. with Farrell In charge. is now
investigating the disaster. A call has been
aaFr0 fnr Tho IN rnnn A~aArA hNnrh NJ
the United Mine-workers, TO meet at Scott
dale, next week. instead of Columbus, o.,
rs intended. The III. G. Frick Company,
owning the Mammoth mine, has put aside
SIS. 1000 for the immediate relief of the hun-
dred distressed families, In addition to pay
ing all funeral expenses. Most of the miners
used naked lamps. instead of the safety
lamps ordered by law in certain dangerous
mines. The owners of the mines are sup
posed to be fully protected. The insurance
was SO widely distributed hat no indivld-
ual company will probably lose over $40. 900.
Eight Miners Doomed.
IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. Jan. %. - At
about 6 o'clock this evening a part of the
Chaplin mine, the largest and most pro-
ductive in Michigan, caught fire at the
sixth level, and at this writing the fire has
spread to an alarming extent. Smoke is
pouring from four Of the shafts and it is
feared that serious damage will result. It
is known that eight miners of the day shift
are underground and cannot be rescued.
They nave probably succumbed to the
smoke. How the fire started is not known.
The tops of the shafts are covered to pre-
vent air from entering the mine. and 1t is
hoped bv this means to smother the blaze.
At 9 o'clock the fire is still spreading. and
all the shafts have been closed down. There
is no hope of rescue for the eight entombed
men, whose names cannot yet be learned.
The mine is situated in the heart of Iron
mountain. and almost the entire population
now surrounds 1t. waiting for some news
from the unfortunate victims. The ChapIn
mine was the second largest ore shipper in
the Lake Superior district, having shipped
COG, 600 tons of iron last year.