The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-01-15
ONE HUNDREDDEAD
Awful Story of the Horror in
Indian Territory.
THE BLAST OF DEATH AND HAVOC
Sends Five Score or More Men to
Eternity and Wounds as
Many Others. W.

The Wounded Frightfuliy Mangied and
scorched and Most of Them Fatally
Hurt-Forty- Eight Corpses Eroasht Up
from the Pit, Many of Them Mutiiated
Past observation-disclosures OF Mourning
Households in tho Community The
Work of Recovery Very Slow and the
Death-Roll Not Yet Complste-Other
Fatal Disasters. 'U
SoUTu MCALLIsTER, I. IT,, Jan. 9.-The
horors of the Diamond mine disaster at
Braidwood, ILL.,, about eight years ago,
were re-enacted here Thursday night and
Yesterday, except that in this instance,
fire instead of flood was the instrument of
destruction. AS the miners were prepar-
ing to leave shaft No. II at Krebs, five
miles from here, operated by the Usage
Coal and Mining company, shortly after 8
o'clock Thursday evening, a terrific ex-
plosion occurred, spreading death among
400 or more miners 1t is impossible at
present to obtain any accurate information
as the number of lives lost or persons in
jured, but it is known that at least 100
men were entombed in the mine, and it is
only possible to ascertain their number by
canvass from house to house, which is
being made by committee.
Two Hundred Dead and Wounded.
The dead, it Is generally conceded, will
number close to 100 and the injured about
as many, n great number of whom have no
prospect of recovery. Physicians from the
neighboring towns and cities have rendered
their services, and are worked to their ut
most in caring for the injured. Miners
from neighboring coal fields have flocked
in by every train during the night and
day, rendering their assistance and hero
ically volunteering to enter the gloomy
shaft in which so many Of their comrades
have persisted, and in which perhaps death
even awaited them on account of the loos-
ened boulders which the shock of the ex-
plosion left upon flimsy balance, and
which breath Of air might precipitate
upon them
Mourning In rIany Humble Homes.
The McAllister mines dot the prairie
at intervals from quarter to half q
mile, and each is surrendered by the
usual cluster of novels which serve the pur-
pose of homes to the miners. These homes
present pathetic picture today. There is
not one of them which does not mourn
the loss Of either member or friend.
Those who have recovered their dead,
though their agony is pictured in their
faces, seemed to experience q silent con-
tent in comparison with the many who
are still thronging around the mouth Of
the dismal hole awaiting tidings Of the
loved ones who are still entombed Very
little has been accomplished in the way of
relieving those who may still be alive and
hemmed in.
Cause OF the Disaster Unknown.
The exact cause of the catastrophe is I'M
known, but it is supposed that, contrary
to the custom and rules of the mines,
some miner fired blast without author
ity, the blast igniting the gas or coal dust
and causing the explosion, which was ter
rife. One of the hosting cages had just
come to the surface with six men aboard.
AS the last man stepped from the platform
the cage, propelled by the explosion, shot
up through the roof fifty or sixty feet
above, while the flames went skyward
100 or more feet, followed by a report
which was heard for miles. Nearly half
the men employed in the mine escaped by
climbing the air shaft. One man, whose
leg was broken by the explosion, climbed
the entire $50 feet to the top of the shaft.