The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-28
DEATH In THE NINE.
One Hundred and Ten Work
men Killed in Pennsylvania.
EXPLOSION AT scoTTDALE.
Rescuing Party Digs Through Solid
Bank Of Mangled Bodies-Shriek-
ing Women Gather at Pit.

scorTpALE. Pa. Jan. 27-By an explosion of
firedanp in the Mammoth shaft OF the IL c.
Fricke Coke Company today, eighty miners were
ushered into eternity, and number
seriously injured. The explosion occurred
this morning, shortly alter 9 O'Clock,
and il is supposed was the result
OF ignition by miners oil lamp. After-damp,
which followed the fredamp explosion, suffo-
Gated nearly every workman. A few men, real
iziDg the awful situation, fell TO the ground,
thereby preventing the gas from striking them.
The persons not killed are in such critical con-
dition that their deaths are momentsrily ex-
pected. Up to this writing fifty bodies have
been recovered, all without sign of life.
A FIRE which broke out after the explosion was
soon extinguished by the immense fans, which
were put in operation. The gas has about all
been driven from the pit and the work OF
rescuiDg the entombed miners has commenced
The Mammoth plant embraces 500 ovens, one
OF the largest plants in the coke region, bat it is
hard OF access. IL is situated near the United
Works, where en- explosion recently destroyed
an entire shaft.
Collins have already been ordered for eighty
persons from Mount Pleasant undertakers.
No one escaped from the mine in condition to
tel the story OF the awful disaster 1t is esti-s
mated that there are sixty wives and families
left wholly dependent upon the charity OF
the world for sustenance by this disaster.
In fact they are almost psnniess, as the plant
had not beeu running foil for some time and
work had been exceedingly scarce Everything
possible viii be resorted TO TO supply the Wild
owed mothers and their children with the
neeessaries OF life The Frickc company Will
act literally in that direction.
This evening partial story of the disaster
was obtained. An unexpected flow of gas was
struck, and the miners working in headings
connected with flats 2, and 4 We're all
had been in the mine and had examined
the working places. His mangIed body
lies at the mOrgue. The only evidence that he
attended TO his duties are regular certificates of
inspection received from him this morning
which guaranteed that the mines were safe.
The miners knew that these certificates had been
filed OUT and went to work. They never re-
turned.
Superintendent Keighley, who was mine in
spector in the Dunbar district when that horror
occurred, was at the mine when the explosion
took place. He Immediately called for volun-
teers, and gathering few about him, descended
the shaft. Before doing so he notified General
superintendent Lynch, and that gentleman
ordered ali the mine superintendent in the
region TO the scene.
When the volunteers entered the mine sight
impossible to picture met them. Bank, cars,
mules, and more terrible than all, men were
piled in n compact mass against the ribs or walls
OF coal and not living thing was in the wreck
age. Ii was almost as solid coal itself so ter
iie was the force of the explosion. This OBJ
stracti0n was removed with difficulty, and they
entered the chamber OF horrors.
The first object they discovered after leaving
the main entry was gum boot. IN ii was the
leg OF a man. Further on they found a human
head, but nowhere in sight was the
after walking distance surrounded by dangers
unseen they found the trunk, and the
ragged neck with blood oozing from
it told the story of the appalling
disaster. Working their way in, they found
bodies strewn along the gangway. One unfor-
tunate met death while on his knees in prayer
with hands clasped and eyes uplifted. His body
was found in this position. 1t was a pathetic
picture.
region were concentrating ut the scene of the
great disaster. Women, children and the rela-
tiyes aud friends of the unfortunate victims
rushed to the mouth of the pit shrieking and
sobbing, and the scene was one never to be for
gotten.
Following them came physicians and under
takers from Scottdale, Mount Pleasant and
Grecnburgh, and after them Father Lumbing,
OF Scottdale, who went among the be-
reayed with words of sympathy and
coincidence. besides urging the men to
might be alive and imprisoned. The services of
the physicians were little needed, for every man
III the headings where the explosion occurred
was killed. Not one escaped. Dead bodies were
brought up every few minutes. Every corpse
was covered, and no one even yentured to in
quire which body it was, for they knew every
one in that part of the mine at the time OF the
explosion was dead
Superintendent Keighley was sorely distressed.
He had been in two other mine disasters, Dun
bar and Youngstown, but this was far the worst
He said: ''No man living knows the cause OF the
accident and 1t never will be known for GER
talnty. Not so many were killed by the explosion,
but the dreaded damp came ana the unfortu-
mates succumbed to it. This is shown by the
fact that only those bodies in the immediate
vicinity OF the worst wreckage were mutilated"
One foreman connected with the mines said
that safety lamps were not used in it. The pres
ence of gas was not suspected.
John W. Bell, fire boss at Heckla No. l, said:
"About two years ago there was an explosion of
gas AT this mine and one man was burned to
death. There was too much work here for one
fire boss. They discharged one a couple of
weeks ago 10 reduce expenses, and one man has
been forced to do the work. | intend
to make public the last report of the mine
inspector, and it is very important document
just now. The latest examination OF the Mann
moth by the state inspector was made Jan
uary is. Ii shows that in an inlet which is about
mile or more away from the shaft there was
55,QS1 cubic feet OF air entering. The general
condition of the mine was marked fair
superintendent Lynch said tonight that he
thought ID possible in drawing ribs OF pillars
some miner had tapped gas. All the lights were
open and the gas was unexpected.
AT midnight II was stated that 10 men were
Killed in the explosion, and that sixty bodies
had been taken out so far. The mine is again
on ire, and it is feared that all the other bodies
will be cremated. Livery five minutes corpse
is brought to the surface and passed through
the line of watchers without comment save the
expression, "AnO5her one" II is impossible 10
obtain a list of the dead. as not wen the boss
knows just who went down in the morning
KANSAS CITY, Jan. 27.--By the caVing in of n
roof in a coal mine at Amoret, Mo-, two men
were killed by falling timbers and five others
buried, and II is feared they cannot be rescued
alive.