The record-union., 1892-05-11
Terrible Explosion in a Mine Near
Roslyn, Washington.
FORTY MEN REPORTED TO HAVE
BEEN KILLED.
Only Two Boys of the Two Gangs In
the Tunnel known to Have Escaped
The Shaft Closed Up and the Mine
in Flames, with Little Hope of Res
cuing the Entombed Miners.
Special to the REcoRn-uN1ox.


Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
PORTLAND (Or), May l0-A terrible
explosion occurred in a coal mine near
Roslyn, Wash, this afternoon. 1t is re-
ported that forty men were killed. The
Rosyln mine is one Of the largest in the
State, supplying the western division OF
the Northern Pacific and Union Pacific
Railroads, and has capacity of 900 tons
per day. The explosion occurred just as
the two gangs were shifting, at I:30 P. NJ.
The cause Of it is not known. Two boys
who were in the tunnel escaped, but they
are the only ones from the two gangs
who have SO far been recovered. Reports
so far received indicate that the explosion
has closed up the shaft; that the mine is
on fire and that it is impossible to recover
he bodies. The company will forward
forty collins from here by the midnight
train.
Following is an authenticated list of
the men who were at work on the three
levels: Thomas Holmes, John Foster,
Philip Davies. John Rees, son of Thomas;
VIII Robinson, Robert Graham, George
Moses, a. Pollard, Jack Ferguson,
george bfOOkS, Joseph ElISWOrIn, Sr.,
Joseph Ellsworth, Jr., John Rafferty,,
Dan Mcclellan, Richard Forsythe, George
Forsythe, 7. b. Cooper, Lishe Jackson,
Scott Giles, George Williams, Pruss
Lewing, Andrew Erlander, Charles Pal
mer, Mitchell Hale, Mitchell Ronald,
Winston steel, Elben Alsiter, John
Dank, John Weatherby. Joseph Browell,
Thomas Bender, Harry Campbell, James
Houston, Joseph Bennett, William Ben
nett, Joseph Ismay, William Penhall,
Sidney Wright, James Morgan, Jack
Bone, ThoS. Rees and Herman Denster.
SteePs son was working with his
father, but came out on the last trip and
escaped by jumping, lie was knocked
down by the force of the explosion, but
not injured.
FORTT-TWO KILLED.
LATER Forty-two men were killed in
the explosion. The miners were work
ing on the fourth level when the accident
occurred. Six bodies have been taken
out.
LATER ACCOUNTS.
RosLYN (NNash.), May 1O.-The first ac-
cident of any note at the coal mines at
this place occurI ed about l:3O O'Clock this
afternoon, just after the afternoon shifts
had gone on. The driver had Just come
out of the stope, when tremendous ex-
plOsion occurred. The shock upset his
cars, knocked the mules and driver down.
and bruised man standing 100 feet away.
,Hhe report was heard all over town, a
6 ile'away. The mouth OF the stope was
soon surrounded by an anxious crowd
which grew in size every minute. a hard
rain was pouring down, but the crowd
needed it not. The number of men in
the stope is not actually known, but it is
known to be from forty-four to fifty.
There is scarcely q possibility that one of
them escaped death.
One bOdU was raScunI in oh two
hours, another an hour later, and two
more at 7:30 p. NJ. All were terribly
bruised and burned, indicating that death
was instantaneous.
The lower floor of the City Hall has
been converted into morgue. The res
cued bodies are being viewed by crowds.
The sad feature of the disaster is that
large proportion Of the victims leave
large families, and as they have not had
10 exceed two days work per week dur
ing the past year, many of them are in
straightened circumstances.
The scenes about the stope are sad in
the extreme. Men, women and children
are standing about in dazed condition.
The lamentations of the negroes add to
the horror.
The stope in which the explosion oc-
CURED runs from No. down to a point
where a proposed shaft will be sunk and
IL Is a couple Of thousand feet in length
Seven levels have been worked in the
stOpe, and it is conjectured that the ex-
plosiOn occurred at some point on the
fourth or fifth levels. For the past few
months more or less danger has been
connected with work in this part of the
Stope on account OF the unusual genera
ton OF gas and the management is cred
tied with having exercised unusual pre-
cautions. Two air courses We're in BRO
cess OF construction III the surprised
vicinity of the explosion, with the inten-
ton of joining, and it is presumed that
when the two courses met the explosion
occurred.
Persons who were at the opening of the
stope pronounce the conclusion as terri
BILE, it being sufficient to at least throw
the coal car some distance from a point
where ii was standing near the entrance
Great volumes of aiterdamp and smoke
rolled from the entrance, making the ap-
prOach dangerous. AS soon as il WAS
possible to enter the rescuers set to
work, but progress was iuIpeded by the
smoke and damp which the tunnel con-
tinued TO emit.
At 1850 O'Clock the first bodies were
reached, being those of John Bone and
John Campbell. After that the work
progressed more rapidly, and at 6 o'clock
TWO other bodies were brought ont, and
ut 1:3O two others, all terribly burned and
mutilated. The names of the rescued
bodies are Tom Brennan, Tom Kees la
Poland@, John Bowen, II. Campbell and
William Hogue.
As progress was made the frightful
execution OF the explosion became more
manifest TimherS were torn out ior
hundreds OF feet. and the whole interior
feartuily swrecked. 1t is thought tfse
was started in the lower level, and ar
rangement> are being made 10 turn On
the water as soon as the fact Is developed.
The air fans are working TO their full ca
pacIty, and every effort is being made TO
recover the bodies OF the imprisoned
men. Al the miners in the camp able to
work are working in shifts.
The latest theory of the disaster is that
an immense leader of natural gas was
struck, and by some means ignited
Nothing but safety lamps are used in this
part of the mine. From the fearful
wreckage OF the stOpe of the interior. and
doubtas TO the distance of the fire in the
lower level there is no way of determin-
ing how soon the bodies can be recovered.
This is the second fatal explosion that
has occurred IN the Stope within the past
two months. The first resulted in the
death of negro driver, whose careless
ness was attributed as the cause. At that
time eN-SuperlntenGCnt Ronald recoc-
nized that tie slope work Neas very dan
gerous, and recommended extraordinary
precautions 1t is stated that Acting
SuperintendRnt Harrison had heen care
fill with the work, and cautioned the men
10 always have their lamps in proper
shape.
HIGHWAY ROBBERS,