Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09
THE DISASTER AT KREBS
One Hundred and Twenty five Men II art I
tho Explosion.

One Hundred and Twenty-Five Men h art by
the Explosion.
special from South McAllister, L T., re-
ceived last night says:
Twenty-four hours have elapsed since the
terrible fatal explosion in the Usage mine at
Krebs, but it is still impossible to even estimate
the number of the victims. The number who
came up alive after the explosion is still un-
determined, and can be determined only by q
house-to-house canvass, which is now being
made as rapidly as possible.
From the facts now at hand it is believed that
the killed will number fully 100, the injured
u.s. about one-half of whom will probably die
from the effects of their injuries. At the hour
OF the EXPLOSIONS o'clock Thursday after
noon-there were as near as can be learned
about 400 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 100 feet. which was fol-
lowed by 4 terrific report, which was heard for
miles around and shook all the neighboring
country SO violently that people III the sur
rounding mining towns four and five miles
distant thought an earthquake was rocking the
ground.
The men already above ground were pros
trated by the force of the explosion, but did
not receive serious injuries. The scenes about
the mouth of the shaft Immediately following
were fearful In the extreme. Weeping wives
mothers and sisters focked to the scene from
the Village at the sound of the explosion. tieir
faces blanched with dread, and many of them
hysterlcal to the point OF insanity. The air
shaft, the only way of escape for the entombed
miners, was point where the relatives of the
miners congregated.
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 broken leg climbed all the distance Of
AGO feet through the air shaft and fell uncon-
scious as he reached the surface. Others who
were terribly burned labored painfully up the
ladder, strips of flesh falling from their hands
and arms as they grasped the ladder rungs.
1t Is believed that fully one-half Of the
entombed miners escaped by the airshaft
Many OF them, however, received mortal in
juries, and although none of them are known to
have died at this hour, p m, 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 physi-
clan at once volunteered his services and
fastened to Krebs to do his duty of mercy.
Hundreds of miners from the Braidwood,
UlL), 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 today. The work was terribly
hazardous. but the hope that some of the un-
fortunate men might be rescued alive spurred
the rescuers on to many deeds Of bravery and
possible self-sacrifce. The explosion had en-
tirely changed the topography of the mine.
Many tunnels were closed entirely and big,
loose boulders 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. Notwithstanding
these dangers the rescuers kept bravely at their
work and at . o'clock yesterday evening had
recovered about forty bodies.
There is one dsheartening fact connected
with the search up to the present time and that
Is that not one live miner has been found. All
the bodies so far recovered have been found
TO have been burned, charred and MANNED in
almost every case beyond recognition. In fully
half the cases identification has been possible
only from either the clothes or the contents of
the pockets. In some cases limbs have been
severed from their bodies by the force of the
explosion and in others the bodies have been
burned and charred almost beyond Resemblance
to the human form.
There are two encouraging facts which urge
the rescuers on to the work. No fire followed
the explosion, at least there has been no signs
tombed in the tunnel behind fallen boulders.
The rescuers can hear faint knockings and far
OF shoutings. They are digging in the direc-
ton whence the sounds come aud hope yet to
rescue some of the men alive.
The cause of the explosion is still undeter-
mined. The probability is that some miner
fired blast without orders, which ignited
either accumulated gas or coal dust. There is
no means of learning the cause now and there
may never be unless some of the survivors hap
pen to know the facts. All who have been seen
say they have no idea how the explosion was
caused.
The scenes in the village OF Krebs today were
pathetic in the extreme. Those who did not
go to the scene of the horror, ard who had
missing relatives. were nearly crazed with
anxiety, while those who had relatives re-
turned to them safe from the jaws of death
were nearly craZed with JOY.
Compared with those whose relatives were
missing, those who had recovered their dead
were almost content All were sadIened be-
yond measure. The different miners organi-
cations met last night to arrange the details OF
the funerals of the dead.