The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-11
81 BODIES 50 FAR,
And the Search Is Only Just
Begun.
NOT A MAN ESCAPED.
Over Sixty Miners Killed by a Gas
Explosion.
A MOST TERRIBLE DISASTER
Sad Scenes ~ tho Bodies Are Recovered
Nearly All the Victims Were Married,
and Their Wives and Children Wait,
Whitehead. at the Mouth Of the Shaft.

RosLYN, WASH, May 11.-Yesterday af-
:ernoon terrible gas explosion occurred
in the slope of mine No. 2 of the North
ern Pacific Coal Co., at this point, in
which the loss of life has exceeded In
number that OF any other disaster ever
chronicled In the northwest.
The exact nature of the explosion or
the circumstances that led to 1t will prob
ably never be known, since IL Is believed
every miner who was at work in the
slope at the time has perished.
1t 10 not definitely known how many
men were in the vicinity OF the disaster,
but IL is believed that between 45 and 90
were on the three levels affected by the
explosion. A large relief force Is at
work. These men were working near
est to the opening and at some distance
from the point where 1t In supposed the
explosion occurred.
Most of the mon were 1900 and 1000 feet
farther in the slope and in the immediate
vicinity of the accident. There is no
doubt, either in the minds of miners or
the company officials, that every man in
the mine was instantly killed.
The Roslyn mine is one of the largest
in the state, supplying the Western di-
vision Of the Northern Pacific and Union
Pacific roads with coal and has capacity
of &c, 600 tons day. The explosion oc-
Cured just as two gangs were shifting at
1.30 O'Clock.
Two boys who were In the tunnel es-
capped, but they are the only ones from
either gang so far recovered alive.
A driver had just come out Of the lope
The shock upset his car, knocked mules
and driver down and bruised q man
standing 100 feet away. The explosion
was heard all over the town, a mile away.
The mouth of the slope was soon sur
rounded by an anxious crowd, which
grew in size every minute. Hard rain
was pouring down, but the crowd heeded
IL not. One body was recovered in about
two hours; another an hour later, two
more at 7.35. All were terribly bruised,
indicating death was instantaneous.
The lower floor of the city hall has been
converted into morgue. The rescued
bodies are being viewed by crowds.
large proportion Of the victims leave
large families, and as they have not had
over two days work per week during the
past year, many are in Strengthened cir
cumstances.
The scenes about the mouth Of the
slope were sad in the extreme. Men,
women and children stood about In .
dazed condition.
SEATTLE, Washington. May 11-Details
coal mine received to-day show that the
first reports Of the horror were not exag-
gerated; although it Is not known just
how many men there were in the mine
when the explosion occurred, it is certain
that at least sixty men have peristei,
tbirty-three of the imprisoned men are
married, and to-day women and children
are clamoring at the mouth of the mine
for the dead ones. Many Of the families
are destitute.
Manager Kingly of the mine said this
morning that the cause OF the explosion
was probably the careless use OF match
or lantern bv some miner. The true cause
will probably never be known, rs not one
of the miners lives TO tell the tale.
This morning 700 miners began the work
of recovering tine bodies of the dead, aud
in short time thirty-four were found.
Among the victims Of the disaster were
Thomas Render, married and leaving
leaves a wife and three children: John
Brownell, a widower with five children;
George Brooks. Henry Cantell, single;
John Daukes, family; Il. B. Cooper, mar
ried; Philip Dams family; Joseph Els
worth, family; Joseph Ellsworth Jr:, sin
gle: Andrew Erlinger, widow ana four
Forsyth, single; Richard Forsyth,
family; John Foster, three children;
Scott Gallop, ,twochildren;. William Hayes,
single. Mitchell, single: Thomas Holmes,
married; James Houston, colored, mar
ried; Joseph Ismay, single; John lIafferty,
married; Louis Jackson. married; Pruss
LUNG, colored, married; Daniel Nc
Lillian. three children; George Morrisey,
widow and four children; Joseph Newell,
widow and two children; Charles Palmer,
married; William Peubals, married; Abe
Pollard, colored, married; John Reese,
single; Thomas. Ross, family; William
Robinson, married