St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-12
ROSLYNS CALAMITY
The Mining Company Held
Responsible for 1t by the
Public.
Forty-Six Men Now Known to
Have Perished by the
Explosion.
Only Four Bodies So Far
Brought to Light by the
ReScuerS.
Families Of the Dead Miners
Are Left Completely Des-
titute.

RosLYN, Wash, May 1.-THE un-
dertone of the popular feeling is one OF
general censure of the local company,
and there is a decided disposition to
hold it responsib lie for the death of the
forty-six men who are definitely known
to have perished in the accident at Mine
No. l, of the Northern Pacific Coal COM
pany,at this place yesterday. Report says
that Alexander Ronald, who up to two
weeks ago was superintendent of the
company, resigned his position because
he refused to longer accept the respOn-
Sibility for the safety of the men, unless
the company took extra precautions to
prevent such disaster as has occurred.
1t is said that three times during the
past year he sent in his resignation
based on the Sane complaint.
During the past two weeks George
Harrison, whose work as the leader OF
the reScuerS has been Superhuman, has
been acting as superintendent pending
the appointment of another. The slope
in which the disaster occurred was a
new one being driven in for the devel-
| Opment of the mine. At Intervals Of 800
feet along its length levels were run
lateraily from the main slope. Man.
ways were being driven parallel to the
slope in the different levels in order to
establish a draft and prevent fire damp.
| There was $50 feet of this yet to be
completed when the explosion occurred.
1t is supposed by some that the eXplo-
| sion occurred in this manhOle.
None Lived to Talk.
A few moments before the explosion
| new shift of six men had relieved an
| equal number in one of these levels or
entries, and not one of the men lives to
tell how it happened, nor to fix the
| blame OF its happening. The only liv-
| ing persons who were in the mine at
| the time are Walter Steele and
Frank Hodgkins. The latter was
| a rope driver, who attends
| the cars going up and down; the former
was trapper, attending the trap doors,
| opening and shutting them as the cars
passed. Just as the boys reached the
| surface the explosion occurred, both
| being blown from the mouth of :he
| slope.
Immediately after the explosion the
! inhabitants of the village crowded
| piteOuS lamentations and calling upon
the assembled miners to rush into the
mines and save their beloved relatives.
| Excitement was at its height when
| George Harrison led gang of twelve
! men 10 the rescue. No obstacle TO their
progress was met till they had passed
the third level. There, between the
third and fourth, they found the
mangled remains of Harry Campbell
and few feet away were those of Les
lie Pollard (colored).
Hope Abandoned.
AS the men emerged from the tunnel
| carrying their CHASTITY burden hope fell
in the hearts of all. No one in all that
mournful multitude but had hoped that
some would be rescued alive, but when
they saw the condition of the
two bodies they were in despair and
could no longer hope, as if those
nearest the outlet could not es
cape surely those furtbest away had no
hope. AS each body in succession came
into view the crowd gathered about it
| eagerly seeking to find their friends and
| kinsmen. At IL o'clock the work of res
| cue was abandoned. Up to that hour
! fourteen bodies had been recovered.
All night long men marched back and
| forth carrying lanterns, going to this
| house to console and to that one to
cheer, for of the uHfortunates who were
victims most were married men with
/ families. At 12 O'Clock the work of
strengthening the walls. of the
mine by timbers, and the con-
Struction of gates 10 afford
an entrance for pure air was resumed.
At that hour it was announced that
nothing further could be done for
| hnnrc a ot1it
| the bodies. Long after that hour lights
| glimmered in the cottages, and the sobs
of the bereaved could be heard from all
quarters. OF the 46 dead. were Odd
Fellows, 2 were MaSOns, 8 Knights of
Pythias, 80 were Knights of Labor and
belonged to an Italian society.
Heroic Work of Rescuerss
The scenes while the search for the
dead was progressing last night were
most narrowing. Relays were sent in
ten minutes apart and the men relieved
came out nearly suffOcated by deadly
gas, their faces reeking with sweat,
their eyes dilated with terror and their
! blaekened and grimy hands tinged
with the blood of their comrades.
One stout fellow came to the
| surface and tainted. sit is his BROTH
er's," they muttered as his mates bore
on a canvas frame man crushed and
almost unrecOgniZable. George Harri-
son remained in the mines continuously
from to II p. m, doing the work of
rescue, and was carried to the surface
in the arms of others nearly dead.
Wcrk during the night and this fore
noon was pushed far enough 10 satisfy
even the most sanguine that there was
no cnance of rescuine any relatives.
The damp is still troublesome, and the
men cannot work long. There is no ex-
citement, as the people are terror
stricken. George Harrison, who led the
rescuing party, said: AT noon yeSter-
day there was no fire damp in the mine
This is demonstrated by the fact that
every man worked with naked lights
not safety lamps. There must have
been sudden outburst of gas. No eX-
pense has been spared by the companies
to prevent an accident at the mines. 1t
was considered a model mine. The
slopings are built of cement and rock.
A new fan was lately put in. and the
men were satisfied that everything pos
sible was done. The company has moth
ing to conceal and desires the truth to
be knowL,"
Deplorable Destitution.
Mayor Charles Miller, of Roslyn, has
already begun the work of caring for the
families of the killed miners. The men
had been working on an average not
more than two days week, and few
had single cent saved. The railroad
station has been improVised as an under
takers shop. and the Tacoma under
takers have taken possession with
| cofins. AS soon as prepared after