The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-14
HORRIBLE MINE EXPLOSION.
4 Disaster i'm Which FOrty-TWO
Miners Lost Their
Lives.
Many Families at ROslyn. Wash
ington. Sorely AZ
hicted.
Only Few of the Bodies have Thus
Far Been RecOv-
cred.

SEATTLE. Wash, May 10.--A special to
the Post Intelligencer from Roslyn,
Wash, says: This afternoon a terrible
gas explosion occurred in the slope of
mine No. , of the Northern Pacific Coal
company at this point in which the loss
of life has exceeded that in number of
any other disaster that has ever been
chronicled in the northwest. The exact
nature of the explosion or circumstances
that led to it will probable never be
known since it is believed that every
miner who was at work in the slope at
the time has perished. 1t is not definite
ly known how many men we're in the
vicinity Of the disaster, but it is believed
that between forty-five and fifty were on
the three levels that were affected by
the explosion. A large relief force is
at work and at this time two bodies
have been recovered. These men were
working nearest to the opening and at
some distance from the point where it is
supposed the explosion occurred. Most
of the men were 1,50O and 1000 feet
farther in tie slope and in the immediate
vicinity of the accident. There is, no
doubt, either in the minds of the miners
or the company officials that every man
was instantly killed.
Roslyn is one of the largest towns IN
the state, supplying the western dvis.
ions of the Northern Pacific and the
Union Pacific railroads with coal and
has capacity of 1900 tons per day. The
explosion occurred just as two gangs
were shifting at l:30. The cause is not
known. Two boys who were in the tun-
mel escaped, but they are the only ones
from either gangs so far recovered. Re-
ports SO far received indicate that the
explosion has closed up the shaft, that
the mine is on fire and that it is impos-
sible to recover the bodies. The com
pany will forward forty collins from here
by the midnight train.
| Following is an authentic list ssOf the
men who were at work on the three
levels that were affected:
Thomas Holmes. married. John FOs
ter, wife and baby: Philip Davies, large
| family; Thomas Eres. large family; John
Rees, single; Will Robinson, wife and
baby; Robert Graham. wife and two
children: George Moses. leaves an orphan
son ten years old; A. Pollard (colOred
married: Jack Ferguson, large family
George Brooks, family at Streator, ILL.,
Joseph Ellsworth, ST., large family
Joseph Ellsworth, Jr, John Latierty
aged G5. owner of considerable property
Dan McKellar. wife and three children
Richardson Forsythe. family; George
Foresythe, son of above, single: T. b
Cooper, married. Lishe jackson 'coiored)
married; Scot Giles (colored), married
Pruss Luving lcolored), married
Andreg Erlander, wife and four child
rem: Charles Palmer, wife and child
Mitchell Hall. single: Mitchell Ronald
large family. brother Of Superntend
ent Ronald; Winston Steele, large
family. Steele's son was working
with his father but came up at the las
trip and escaped by jumping out. liz
was knocked down by the force Of thu
explosion. William Hague, single, onl
support of a mother and crippled sister
Ebcn Olsifer, large family: John Dank'
Italian, with family: Jake Weather..
late mine boss at No. 3, large family
Harry Campbell, single; James Houston
(colorod); Joseph Benel, wife ant
two children, Vim. Bennett. wife AM
three children in Europe. lie had jus
gone in. Joseph Ismay, son law 0
eX Superintendent tonold. VIM. Penhals
married; Sidney Wright. brother %
County Clerk Thomas Wright. family,