The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-05-18
DEATH IN A NINE.
Appalling Disaster in Colliery at
Roslyn, Washington.
Forty-Six Men Known to Have Perished
by an xplosion-Negllgence OF the
Company Said to Have Cause.-The
Disaster-Horrible Condition
OF the Bodies Of the
Victims.

miners lost their lives by an explosion IN
the Northern Pacific coal mine here Tues.
day afternoon. The explosion is sup
posed to have been caused by an ac-
cumulation of fire damp.
The bodies which have been recov-
cred are those Of men who were work.
ing nearest the opening and ut some
distance from the point where the ex-
plosion occurred. Most Of the men were
from 1900 to 1000 feet further In the
slope and in the immediate vicinity Of
the accident.
TACOMA, Wash, May 12.-The under
tone of popular feeling is one of general
censure of the local company and there
is a decided disposition to hold II re-
sponsible for the death Of the forty-sia
men who are known to have perished
in the accident Tuesday at mine No.
Of the Northern Pacific Coal Company
at Roslyn. Report has it that Alexander
Ronald, who up to two weeks ago was
superintendent of the company, re-
signed his position because he refused
to longer accepts responsibility for the
safety Of the men under him unless the
company took extra precautions to pre-
vent the occurrence Of just such dis
aster as has occurred. II Is said that
three times during the past year he
sent in his resignation, based on the
same complaint. During the past tao
weeks George Harrison, whose work as
leader of the rescuers has been super
human, has been acting as superintend-
ent pending the appointment of anoth-
er. The slope in which the disaster oc-
CURED was new one, being driven in
for the development Of the mine. At
intervals of 800 feet along its length,
levels were run laterally from the main
slope. Man-ways were being driven
parallel to the slope from the different
levels In order to establish draft and
prevent Are damp. There were $50 feet
Of this yet TO be completed when the
explosion occurred.
II is supposed by some that the explo-
sion occurred in this manhole. A few
moments before the explosion a now
shift of six men had relieve and equal
number Of men in one Of these levels or
entries. They had been in the mine
about an hour when the explosion oc-
CURED and not one of the men lives to
tell how 1t happened or TO fix the blame
of its happening. The only persons now
living who were in the mine at the time
are Walter Steele and Frank Hodgins,
two boys. The latter attended the cars
going up and down; the former at
tended the trap doors, opening and
shutting them as the cars passed. As
Hodgins passed Steele the latter was
taken with an impulse to go to the sur
face TO steal piece of pie from a'bucket
he had seen aud mounted the car with
Hodgins. just as the two boys reached
the surface the explosion occurred, both
sing blown from the mouth Of the
slooe.
Excitement was at its height when
George Harrison led gang Of twelve
men into the mine TO the rescue. No
obstacle was met until they passed the
third level There between the third
and fourth they found the mangled re-
mains Of Harry Campbell; few feet
away were those Of Leslie Pollard (col-
ored). As the men emerged from the
tunnel carrying their ghastly burden,
hope fell from the hearts Of all. No one
in that mournful multitude but had
hoped that some would be rescued alive,
but when they saw the condition of the
two bodies they were In despair and
could no longer hope, for II those near
est the outlet could not escape, surely
those furthest away had no hope. AS
each body in succession came into view
the crowd gath ,rcd about II, eagerly
seeking TO find their friends and kins-
men. At 10 o'clock the work Of rescue
was abandoned. Up to that hour four
teen bodies had been recovered. The
bodies were divested Of clothing and
laid in rows of two each. Then was
revealed the horrible extent of the in
juries Mems heads blown away, arms
severed, eyes blown out, skin blackened,
Scared and bruised.
Relays'were sent in ten minutes apart
and the men relieved came out nearly
suffocated by deadly gas their faces
reeking with sweat, their eyes dilated
with terror and their grimy hands
tinged with the blood Of their comrades.
One stout fellow came TO the surface,
tottered forward and fell. "It's his
brother" they whispered, as behind him
his mates bore on a strctcher the form
Of a man almost unacceptable. The
work was pushed far enough yesterday
10 satisfy the most sanguine that there
Is no chance of recovering any alive.
The dam is still troublesome and the
men cannot work in the mine long at
time. A coroner's jury was impanelled
and visited the bodies recovered and
gave permission for their burial. IL
will make no investigation until the
search is completed.
Mayor Miller, of Roslyn, has already
begun the work Of caring for the fami-
lies OF the killed miners. Yesterday he
sent telegrams 10 various cities in the
state as follows: "The disaster at Ros-
lyn mines has left many widows and
orphans in straitened circumstances.
Relief is absolutely necessary and any
assistance that can be rendered by your
citizens will be deeply appreciated"
The men had been working on an aver
age not more than two days a week and
few had n single cent saved.
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Startling Charges Against the sheriff Of