New-York tribune., 1891-02-22
OYER 100 NINER.S DEAD.
A GREAT EXPLOSION IN THE SPRlNu HILL
COLLIERY, II NOVA SCOTIA.
TWENTY FIVE BODIES ALREADY RECOVERED
MANY MEN STILL IN THE MIMI AND H@
IIEvED TO BE DEAD FROM CHOKE
DAMP-TuE CAUSE OF THE DIS
ASTTR NOT KNOWN.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE IRlBUSE-I

Halifax " S. Feb 2l.--A tremendous explosion
took place in the east slope Of the Spring llllI
Mine a l o'clock this afternoon, resulting IN INC
loss of probably fifty lives and the destruction oi
the mine The Spring Hill Mine. which IS owned
nv Montreal and English capitalists. is the most
important in the Cumberland coal field IL en-
ploys / 900 men. and its daily outpat is 2'ooo
tons Hitherto il has been sngulary free from
explosions. and the cause Of to-day's explosion Is
so far unexplained. The news Of the disaster
created the most intense excitement, and the whole
population appear TO have gone wild. lhe mine
WA, examined only Yesterday by Deputy Inspector
Madden, and few days previously by a committee
Of the men, and found 10 be IN a satisfactory
condition.
The news Of the disaster spread rapidly. ana
within a few minutes after the report was hc'rd
the mouth Of the pit was surrounded by heart
broken wives and mothers, whose shTlchs ana cries
Of anguish rent the frosty air, as the dead ana
diving men were slowly brought 10 the surface.
The bodies were terribly mutihtcd. Volunteer
parties were Immediately Orranlzcd to hrIn1 up
the bodies and attempt the rescue OF any "l lc
men who might be beyond tn immediate scene "i
the calamity. Tcccrams were sent to Amherst
and Oxford the nearest towns. for additloh'l
medical aid; and corps Of doctors quickly al
brave volunteers: but the work Of rescue was at
tended with great difficulty and the rescueis
themselves had many narrow escapes.
The names of the injured who had been re-
covered up to 6 o'clock tonight were: Hyatt
Noiles. John Dickens, John b. Anderson, Gordon
Carmichael. Hugh Bunt. John Conway, Henry
Nash, Cyrus Munro, David Lockhart DaNId
Merritt. and several others who were 50 terribly
lao bo, ,,1
The dead bodies already recovered are those
of William II. Turner, Herbert Armishaw'
Ernest cambridge, James Morris, Allan Mchinnoh'
Iaughin McKnnon, Arthur Anderson, Robert
4 Sherlock Andrew Carmichael, James Johnston
John McKinnon. Richard Dawson, John Boyd
Matthew Collins, Rory b. Mcdonald, Samuel
Mucklcs, jeremiah Murphy, James McVey, DaNlu
McVcy, John Bentlilc, Edward Smith, James
Sharples, John Carmichael, Willie Brown anu
Philip B. White, making twenty-five bodies So
far recovered
Choke damp set in Immediately after the en-
ploson, and it is certain that every man uoN !,
In the mine Is now dead. The nlnper cT'ii,'na H.
I've less than fifty. Manager Swift was IN ,he
mine at the time, and hc, too. Is among thc, W
Tins The mine was completely wrecked, aliu VIZ tr
passageways are blocked So that II is not HhciS
any more bodies will he recovered before morn, morn
ing. Several of the victims whose DoulcS h' II
been recovered were killed by chokc-damp' an
The horses are killed. The pits are so far clear clear
of fire and ventilation has been restored III w in1
immediate neighbOrhOOd of the dl(stcr. hequSi
tions have been made upon the surrounding 'o"h'
for collins, hcarscs, etc. ,;.,or,.
This is the third greatest disaster III the hls'olS
Of Nova Scotia coa-mnlng. tutecn Ae'lS d.
The Urnmmond Mine, M Westvlic. blew mp, allb
siytr-fiye men were killed. Ten years ago ln'
Ford pits, at Stcartown exploded ana lIr,S Id,Sr
tour men lost their lives. Three years I",Ii
iiftnen men were killed in the Vale colllcry; Az
three disasters occurred within few miles ,on o.,
one another Three or four years ago siN tnrn ,Tii
,"nrc killed in the Spring Hill mines bat th'
vas the only previous disaster 10 That colll'iN
iater-It is now believed that oyer 100 men Ln
were killed Forty men are still known 10 ,pe pe
r,iesirG They are beyond thr por; whcrc lne
nynlosIon took place, and could not live minute
aftcr the choke-damp overlook them.