The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-28
FpiightfuI.
OYER A HUNDRED MINERS KILLED.
Terrible Gas Explosion in One
Of Frick's Mines, in the
Coke Region.
But one MAN ESCAPES DEATH,
OF More Than a Hundred Work
men 0Yertaken by the
Calamity.
But one MAN ESCAPES DEATH,
One Of Tho Most Fearful Disasters Ia
III, History OF the Coke Region.
Many Families Destitute-Inde-
tcrlb bio Scenes-.-The
Min, on Fire.

scorrDALR, Pa, Jan. 27.-By an ex
plosion Of fire damp in the Mammoth
sbart Of the H.C. Frick Coke Company
to-day, eighty sturdy miners were
ushered into eternity and number
seriously injured. The explosion oc'
Cured this morning shortly after 0
o'clock, aud it is supposed was the re-
Eult OF the, ignition Of a miners oil
lamp. Tho after damp, which followed
the fire damp explosion, sutfocated near
" every workman. A few men, realtz'
ipg the awful situation, fell to the
ground, thereby preventing the gas
from striking them. There is not a
soul left to tell the story OF tho dreadful
calamity. The persons not killed are
in such critical condition that their
deaths arc momentarily expected. Up
to this writing fifty bodies have been re-
cnyerpd-all without the sign OF life
The fire which broke out after the ex'
plosion was soon extinGuished by the
immense fans, which were put in opera
lion, The gas has about all been driven
from the nit, and the work OF rescuing
the entombed miners has been conn
menced.
General Manager Lynch, Of the II. @.
Frick Coke Company, is on the scene
belpiug to devise means to rescue the
perished workmen. His assistance Is
invaluable as he has had many years
experience in mining operations. The
Mammoth plant embraces 5O9 ovens,
one OF the largest plants in the coke
region, but is hard Of access. It is stu
oted near the United Works, where an
explosion recently destroyed the entire
shaft. The affair has cast a gloom over
the entire coke region, and tonight
hundreds Of miners are hocktng to the
scene Of the disaster Offering assistance.
1YDEscRIBABLE SCENES.
The appalling loss Of life in the Dun.
bar disaster is more than ovelshadowed
by the destruction OF life in the Nam.
moth calamity. Language is too weak
to describe the scenes at the mines,
Horror is piled on horror. The news
spread throughout the entire coke region
with great rapidity, and everybody was
aye.strlCken. The collins have already
been ordered for eighty persons from a
Mount Pleasant undertaken, and 1t is ut-
de,stood that the Frick Company, own.
ers Of the plant, will bear the expenses
of the same. The only man who es'
caped from the fatal mine was Mine Boss
Eaton. Among those killed are John
Beyeredge and James Boles, formerly oil
this place. Ex.Mine Inspector keigh:
lev. the Superintendent OF the fatal
shaft, is nearly distracted. 1t is singu.
lar fact that misfortune seems to Lave
followed him. His experiences In the
Hill Farm disaster resulted in him ten
dering his resignation as Mine 1nspec'
tor.
Master Workman Peter Wise, ex. Mas
ter Workman K, D Keerfoot, James Nc
Bride, John R. Byrne and James J.
Egan, and Secretary Parker, all prOni'
nent labor leaders, left tonight fer the
Mammoth to render any assistance IN
their power, financially or otherwise, to
the stricken and bereaved families. II
has been estimated that there are sixty
wives and families that are left wholly
depenednt on the charity OF the world
for sustenanCe by the disaster. In fact
they are almost penniless, as the plan
has net been running full for some time
and work hes been exceedingly scarce
since the dullness has set in in the de-
msnd for coke. Every means possible
will beresorted 10, TO supply the ewidowet
mothers and their children with tn
necessaries Of life.
APPEAL FOR HELr.
The Frick Company will be liberal II
this direction, and it ia understood tina
a subscription paper will shortly be cir
cuIsted to obtain money to support th
unfortunate families. Master WorkmaI
PeterWise addressed the following lei
ter to the miners and cokers oil the IT
gion tonight:
scorTDALE, Pa, Jan, %; 1891.
TOhc Members ofMc knights Of Labor an
Uorkingmn ofhc Coke Region:
The sad news OF a disastrous explt
sion at Mammoth mines has Just reache
me, and | fear many families have bee
left destitute. therefore appeal to yo
to PROMPTLY render what aid you eau
assist the families OF your brethre
who have been killed. The Mastte
Workman and committees at each worn
will kindly take the matter In hand an'
net as a relief committee. Let the com
m,tteo select "CheCk number" On
each miner run "a many wagons as i
can upLer the circumstances contrtbut'
and arrangements will be made with IN
companits TO pay the amount, and thu
prompt aid eau be given, Drawers Gu
adopt the same plan, and day men ca
contribute from their days work IN
have the same deducted in the Ollie
This aid will be separate and apart tfGl
any public contributions, and VIII =
forwarded to district officers, who WI
apply 1t to the relief Of those for wboI
it is contributed.
[Signed. PETER WISE
District Master Workman.
LArER-A HUNDRED AND TEN KILLED
One hundred and ten men were kille
in the explosion. Sixty bodies hay
been taken out so far. The mine is 9
nre and 1t is feared the bodies Of Il
others will be Cremated.
The Mammoth mine is located on
spur Of the sewiCklCy branch Of y
Southwest Pennsylvania railroad and
one Of the largest plants in the 20
nellsville region. 1t is ten miles iro
atelpgfaph office, and correspondent
were forced to secure a special eDgil
from Mammoth 10 YounGwood whe
two special telegraph operators We
awaiting orders. The story Is easl
told. An unexpected how Of gas v
struck, and the miners working in q
headings connected with aats No. 2,
and 4 were all killed. They went
work as usual.
The fire boss, as is his duty, had be.