Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-29
Appalling Result Of the
Mammoth Mine Disaster.
One Hundred and Fifty-Ont
Miners Perished.
Only Nine Escaped and They More
Dead Than Alive.
eixty-Thrss Of the Victims Buried In .
Common Gsavs-over One Hundred
Bodies Recovered.
Assooia.ed Press Dispatcnes.

49,
PrTTsBuRG, Jan. 28.-H. G. Frick,
owner Of the Mammoth mine, the scene
OF yesterdays terrible explosion, sayi
there were in all 100 men working in the
mine at the time Of the accident. nine
Of whom escaped with their lives, some
Of them badly injured. The rest, or 151
men. were either killed outright, or suf-
located by the terrible after-damp.
FUNERAL OF THE VICTIMS.
ScorrDALE, Pa, Jan. 28.-All Of the
Connellsville coke region stood today
with bowed form and reverent head
while sixty-three dead miners taken
from the Mammoth shaft were shrouded
coflined and laid to rest for their long
sleep. The remains and mourners were
carried to st. John the Baptist's GEM
etery, at Scottdale, in special train.
Along the road hundreds of citizens
turned out, and wherever the train
halted, great crowds gathered. Over
three thousand persons were present
as the bodies were placed side BY side
in q com mon grave. The coaches be-
hind the baggage car with the corpses,
were crowded with sobbing women and
sad-faced men. The scenes at the ceme-
terry were very affecting. Not until the
bodies were being placed in the grave,
did the women and children seem to re-
alize the full extent of their bereave-
ment. and then q pitiful chorus OF cries
and moans was heard. All day long the
work Of recovering bodies from the pit
went on, aud the work is not yet con-
cluded.
AN APPEAL FOR AID.
An appeal for aid has been issued
throughout the coke regions, and 7. v.
Powderly has been asked to issue SIM
liar call for the benefit Of the families.
The remarkable fact that not one man
escaped cannot be explained even by
il . state q demoral liaaf ion i,
SCENES AT THE fLE-YXTED HrNE.
YoUNawo0D, Pa, Jan. 28.-One hum
dred and seven bodies were taken from
the Inflated mine Of Frick and company
at Mammoth, up to 10 o'clock this morn
ing. Nobody slept at Mammoth last
night. In every home in the little min
ing hamlet there was mourning. After
the explosion yesterday the news OF the
wreck spread rapidly among the miners
homes. Couriers carried, the dreadful
news hither and thither, and families
were dashed from the comforts
OF home into the depth of grief
and despair. The scenes at these
miners cottages can readily be
imagined. 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 difficulty be kept
at safe distance. AS the bodies of the
victims, mangled by the terrible force of
the explosion, or burned almost out of
human semblance, were brought up from
the yawning depths, the crowd of watch
ers pushed forward to the pit mouth for
a glimpse of recognition. Hosts Of
wives and mothers stood still in fear
that their loved ones were among the
dead. Tears coursed down bronzed and
bearded cheeks, and we're dashed away
by brawny hands that had swung the
pick many years. The rescuing party
proceeded with the grim task, and the
crowd OF watchers silently looked on.
Fifty cofiins arrived from Pittsburg
this morning, and another half hundred
will reach here tonight. An additional
order for twenty-five more was sent this
morning.
THE CAUSE REMAINS A MYSTERY.
The cause Of the explosion has not yet
been determined. The coroner is on
the ground, and thorough investiga-
tion will be made.
An official of the Frick company said
this morning: 'It maynever be known
how or why the explosion occurred. An
accumulation of fire damp was probably
the cause, but 1t 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 reach
ed, and that this was ignited, causing
the awful explosion"
Never In the history of American coal
mining has there been such an unex-
pected accident with such complete an
Inhalation of all within its reach. The
Mammoth mine has been notable always
as being particularly free from gas.
Hundreds OF safety gauge lamps were
provided for the miners by the com pany,
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. The mine
boss put the night shift to work, and
found nothing to arouse his suspicion.
On Monday there were 1873 miners at
work in the part Of the mine affected BY
the explosion. It is not known exactly
how many therewere on Tuesday. There
had been found up to 2 p. M. 10 bodies,
and Of this number fifty-three were iden-