Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-05-12
THE NINE HORROR.
Fourteen Bodies Taken Out Up to 8 O'clock Yester-
day-Ths Cause Of the Explosion a Mystery.
Report Of the Inspector Of the Mine
the Morning Of the Accident

RosLYN, WAsHN., May 1.-THE exact
cause Of the terrible explosion in the coal
mine Yesterday, ia which thlrty-four men
perished will probably never De known, as
II is now certain that every man In the
mine was killed. The most reasonable
conclusion is that a miner struck gas
pocket or feeder, which suddenly filled the
slope and became ignited by the miners
lamps.
Al three o'clock this afternoon, fourteen
bodies had been taken out. Tbs work OF
relief is slow owing TO the wrecked condl-
tioR of the interior of the mine and possi-
bly, another forty-eight hours will elapse
before the lowest level Is reached.
A rumOr is being circulated that the slope
work was considered dangerous for the
past three months, but men who have been
working steadily discountenance the state
ment. Every morning the mines have been
inspected by a Competent foreman and his
report bulletineO at the entrance or the
mine.
ON the day Of the explosion gas was re-
ported in the sixth west entry and the
sixth east main way. All these gases were
removed by Foreman John Shaw, and the
men nut 10 work. They worked from sew
en- a. N. until the explosion occurred, at
I 40 o. m, with naked lamps. At noon the
mine was reported free from gas, about
$1,000 cubic feet OF air having been
forced into the slope, the law requiring one
hundred feet per minute.
ON an average about sixty men worked
in the slope The men killed by the ex-
plosion were scattered from the fourth
east aud west entries TO the seventh east
entry. a corps of undertakers with two
carloads of coiins arrived from Tacoma
today. The COroner's jury was empan-
nelled but no inquest will De held until the
remaining bodies are recovered.
ssoon as prepared the bodies are taken
70 their late homes, where they are sur
rounded by weeping wives, children and
friends. Nearly all the men in the slope
were men with wives
Women with red eyes from weeping, un-
able to talk without bursting into tears
surround the mine. General Manager
Kenely, Of the coal company, says they
will meet all the present necessities OF the
suffering families. There are many in
stances Of desutution.
George Moses left a boy eight years old
with no relatives Oslih left five young
children. David and Thomas Reese, father
and son, left a family of children to the
mothers care. The CuthwOrths, father
and son. leave a family Of ten. Robert
Brook had Just arrived with his family
from Streator, Ills. They are destitute
Vim. Hague leaves an invalid and crippled
sister and a mother without support. r..
Forsyth leaves a family solely dependent
upon him. Winston Seele leaves
large family in poor cir
cumstances. Thomas Brennan, who only
went TO work yesterday, after three
months idleness, leaves a family and nine
children destitute. Palmer leaves wife
and child unprovided for.
The accumulation Of gas in the mine is
too great to allow Of pushing the work OF
exploration for the dead and probably no
more bodies will be recovered before to-
morrow.
John Kangley, General Manager Of the
Northern Pacific Coal Company, who ar
rived this morning, said:
Possibly forty-three men were killed.
We have already recovered fourteen bodies.
All the men were working with naked
lights except in the sixth east gang
way, in which three men were using
safety lamps. The supposition IS that
some one struck a sudden outburst OF gas
pocket or feeder, which suddenly filed the
slope and became ignited by some means.
The mine was in the best possible condl-
ton that any mine could be for ventilation
and safety Of life, and no one here attaches
any blame 70 the company"