Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-05-19
MINE HORROR.
Awful Explosion, in Washington
Coal Mine.
Forty-two Men Suddenly Hurled to Their
Death-Not One In the Fatal Trap
Escaped-Complete List of
the Dead.

RosLYN, Wash, May 11.-Yesterday
afternoon a terrible gas explosion oc-
CURED in the slope of mine No. 2 of the
Northern Pacific Coal Co., at this point
in which the loss of life has exceeded in
number that of any other disaster that
has ever been chronicled in the north
west.
Forty-two miners were killed in the
explosion. The men were working on
fourth level Six bodies have already
been taken out The following is an
authentic list of the men who We're at
work on the three levels that were af-
fected and their conditions as to being
single or married men: Thomas Holmes,
married; John Foster, wife and. baby;
Philip Davies, large family; Thomas
Rees, large family; John Pos; Will Rob-
inson, wife and baby; Robert Graham,
wife and two children; George Moses,
leaves an orphan 10 years old; "a. Pol
lard (colored), married; Jack Gerguson,
large family; George Brooks, family at
Streator, ILL.,; Joseph Ellsworth, Sr.,
large family; Joseph Ellsworth, Jr.;
John Lafferty, single, aged IS, owner of
considerable property; Dan Mcclellan,
wife and three children; Richard For
sythe, family; George Forsythe, son of
above, single; T. B. Cooper, married;
Lishe Jackson (colored), married;
Scott Giles (colored), married: Russ
Living (colored), married. Andrew
Erlander, wife and four children;
Charles Palmer, wife and child; Mitch
ell Hald. single; Mitchell Roland, large
family, brother of eX-Superintendent
Roland; Winston Steele, family; Steele s
son was working with his father, but
came out on the last trip and escaped
by jumping out; he was knocked down
by the force of the explosion. William
Cague, single, only support of mother
and crippled sister; Eben Olsifer, large
family; John banks, Italian with fam
lily; Jake Weatherby, late mine boss at
No. 3, large family; Joseph Brewell,
family: Thomas Tienden, leaves wife
and nine children; Harry Campbell,
single; James Houston, colored; Joseph
Bennett, wife and two children: Will
lam Bennett, wife and three children
in Europe; he had just gone in. Joseph
Ismay, son-in-law of ex-Superintendert
Roland: VIII Penhals, marrieds Sidney
Wright, brother of County Clerk Thomas
Wright, family.
The exact nature of the explosion or
circumstances that led to it will prob
ieved that every miner who was at
work in the mine at1the time has per-
iShed.
1t is not deffinitely known how many
men were 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.
Large relief forces are at work and
at this time six bodies have been re-
covered. These men were working
nearest to the opening and at some dis
lance from the point where it is sup
posed the explosion occurred Most of
the men werc 800 and !, 600 feet further
in the Slope and in the immediate vicin-
ity OF the accident There is no doubt
in the minds of miners or the company
Ctfcials that every man was instantly
killed
The Roslyno mine is one of the largest
in the state, supplying the western di-
visions of the Northern Pacific and
Union Pacifi: railroads with coal, and
has Il capacity of 20, 900 tons a day.
To explosion occurred just as two
gangs were shifting at 1880 o'clock. The
cause of it is unknown. The two boys
who We're in the tunnel escaped, but
they are the Only ones from either gang
SO far recovered. Reports SO far re.
ceived indicate that the cexplosion has
closed ZIP the shaft, that the mine is on
fire and that it is IMPOSSIBLE to recover
the bodies. The company will forward
forty coffi2s from Seattle by the mid
night train.
The larger portion of the probable
victims leave large families. Work hac
been very scarce for the past few
months and the men had just got tx
wOr.l steadily.