The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-09
CNE HUNDRED KILLED


And 115 Injured, half Of Whom May Die
Terrible Mine Explosion.
SOUTH McALLIsTER, /. T.. Jan. s.-The
rumor last night of disaster in mine No.
IL. of the Usage Coal and Mining Company.
at Krebs. four and half miles east of here,
was true. 1t was terrible calamity.
Though twenty-four hours have elapsed
since the explosion. 1T is still impossible to
even estimate the number of the victims.
The number who came up alive after the
explosion is still undetermined. and can be
determined only by house-to-house can
vass. which is now being made as rapidly
as possible.
From the facts now at hand 1t is believed
that the killed will number fully one hun
dred and the injured rs, about one-half of
whom will probably die from the effects of
their injuries. At the hour of the ex-
plosion l5 o'clock yesterday afternoon)
there was, as near as can be learned, about
four hundred men in the mine. They were
the day shift. and were just preparing to
ascend when the explosion took place. Six
men who had already been hoisted In the
cage had just stepped on to the platform at
the side of the shaft.
The cage was blown through the roof of
the tower and fifty feet into the air. A
tongue Of flame shot up the shaft and
above the ground fully one hundred feet,
which was followed by terrific report
that was heard for miles around, and
which shook all the neighboring country so
violently that people in the surrounding
thought an earthquake was rocking the
ground. The men already above ground
were prostrated by the force of the explo-
sion. but did not receive severe injuries
Thescenes about the mouth of the shaft i'm
mediately following the disaster were pitt
full in the extreme. Weeping wives. moth
ers and slsters foclSed to the place from the
village &t the sound of the explosion. their
faces blanched with dread, and many of
them hysterical to the point of insanity.
The air-shaft, the only way of escape for
the entombed miners. was the point where
the relatives of the miners congregated.
CLIMBED OUT OF THE TOMB.
Many Of the miners were able to make
their way out of the tomb. and they were
welcomed at the surface by their waiting
friends. The injured were quickly taken
to places of shelter and were tenderly cared
for. One man with q broken leg climbed
all the distance of four hundred feet
through the air-shaft, and fell unconscious
as he reached the surface. Others who
were terribly burned Iabored painfully up
the ladder, strips of flesh falling from their
aands and arms as they grasped the lad
der's rungs. 1t is believed that fully one
half of the entombed miners escaped by the
air-shaft. Many of them. however. re-
ceived mortal injuries, and. although none
is known to have died, at this hour Is p. NJ
it is believed that in some cases death is
not far distant
The news of the disaster spread quickly
through the villages surrounding Krebs.
Every physician at once volunteered his
services and hastened to Krebs, ready to do
his duty of mercy. Hundred of miners
from the Braidwood and McAllister fields
hurried to the scene to do what they could
In assisting in the rescue of the entombed
men and the recovery of the bodies of the
dead. The work of rescue was begun at
once, and has continued all through the
dreary hours of last night and to-day. The
work was terribly hazardous. but the hope
that some of the unfortunate men might
be rescued alive spurred the rescuers on
to many deeds of bravery and possibly self
sacrifice.
The explosion had entirely changed the
topography Of the mine. Many tunnels
were closed entirely, and big. loose bowlders
were balanced perilously on shelves of
rock adjoining the air-shaft and the main
shaft, which breath of air might almost
hurl down upon the rescuers. Notwith-
standing these dangers the rescuers kept
brayely at their work. and at o'clock this
evening had recovered about forty bodies.
The rescuers worked at both the air and
the main shafts, and bodies were rescued
by both routes. Those identified were i'm
mediately claimed and were carried away
by relatives or friends. SO that an accurate
count of the number has not yet been made.
Those identified numbered thirty three,
and are:
George Lindsay, ST., George Lindsay, jr.,
William Russell, William s. Russell,
George Russell, John Sierra,
Silva Sierra, Michael Jacomo.
Edward Il. London, Joseph Il. London,
Joseph Gennessio, stephen Verzeno,
Eugene Campassi, Bennett Moss,
Joseph Carcnto, Antonio Gennesat,
Thomas Cain, Grago Rocco.
John Quinn, James Quinn,
Matlock Quinn, Michael McShane,
George Lowry, Osegus Felta,
John Williams, i. Hunt,
Robert Powers, Vim. Mitchell.
Joseph Clark, Willie McShaue,
Timothy Collins, James Tanner,
Edward Kibble.
NOT ONE LIVE MINER YET FOUND.
There is one disheartening fact con-
nected with the search mp to the present
time, and that is that not one live miner
has been found. ALI the bodies so far re-
covered have been found to be burned,
charred and maimed-in almost every case