Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-23
BY TELEGRAPH.
10 Which Many Huifsr 81 Mrib's
Dssth.

HALIFAX, N. s, Feb. GA tsemen-
dous explosion took place in tie east side
Of the cas-. slope Of the Spring Hill mine at
| O'Clock Saturday, which resulted In large
loss Of life and the destruction Of the nina.
The Spring Hill mine 10 the most impor.
,ant in the Cumberland coal regions.
1t employs 1000 men, Ice output 10 1000
tons of c,al daily, and is owned by Mon
treal and English capitalists.
Hitherto it has been singulsrly free from
explosions, and the cause of the disaster 10
| 50 far unexplained. The news OF the acci-
| dent created the mes, intcnse excitement,
AID the whole population appears to have
gone wild.
1t was only yesterday that the mine was
examined BY Deputy Inspector Madden,
and few days previously by committee
| Of the men and found to be ia satisfactory
condition.
! The news spread like wid6re, and within
a few minutes after the report was heard
the mouth of the pit WAS surrounded by
heartbroken wives and mothers, whose
sh-ie ks and cries Of anguish rent tho frosty
sir as the dead and dying forms were slow
ly brought II the surface.
| The bodies we're terribly mutilated, and
many Of them presented o sickening spec.
tacle.
Volunteer psrIies were Immediately or-
gaDizsd to bring M the bodies and attempt
The rescue of any of the men who were
supposed TO be beyond the immeJiita scene
of the calamity.
| kilograms were sent Amherst and Ok
| ford, the nearest towns. for additional
med cal aid. and corps Of doctors quickly
arrived by special trains. There was no
lack of brave volunteers but the work Of
rescue was attended with great difficult,
and the rescueIs themselves had many
narrow escapes. II ia now believed over
100 men we're killed.
Forty msn are still kuown to be missing
They are beyond the point where the ex.
plosion took place. and could not live
minute after the choke damp overlook
them.
| Dead Now Placed at III.
SrRINonILL MINES. N. s., Feb. 22.---To-
day the effect of yesterdays disaster 10 felt
more acutely. Grief is depicted on every
face. The work Of recovering the bodies
i, being pushed forward and searching
party entered the mine at III O'Clock last
night. A number Of bodies we're taken up,
aud today the work is going on steadily.
The dead are being brought up more rap.
idly and IL i, expected that most Of the
bodies will bs ont of the pits today, excep.
those which are buried beneath falls Of the
roof. The total number Of dead are now
placed AZ III.
Seine OF the bodies taken out were feat
fully mu,ilated. Those Of the dead that
were beyord recognition were identified by
their clothing or marks on the bodies. The
carpenters shop was Temporarily con-
vered into dead house. to which all the
c2rnses were taken aud prepared for tue
collins. The injured are progressing mas.
favcrably.
foDepnty inspector Of mines, Msdden Fri
cay wen, through PARTON Of the miae
where the explosion occurred and tested the
cir. No. slope carried per cent. fire
damp. In the west level could not get any
reading worth noting. The wet eide Of
No. slope was clear Of fire dsmp In the
head OF No baldlce got 8 FER
cent, fire damp, head Of No. baldice
al ] per cent. Are damp. and S.oney
level No. 2 slope, I5 per cent
| fire damp. The report Of the deputy in
inspector and committee appointed by the
porkmen to look into the safety Of the
safety of the mine reported the ventilation
all tina. conld be desired, both 10 dis;ribu-
ton and quantity. AMI the workings gen
orally were found in good condition. 1t is
said that the system of ventilation WAS such
,hst i. was almost impossible for gas to &C.
| cumulate.