The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-05-11

RosLYN, WASH, May I0.-At 1 AS this
afternoon terrible gas explosion oc-
Cured in the slope of mine No. 2 of the
Northern Pacific coal company at this
point, in which the loss of life exceeded
in number that of any other disaster
that has ever been chronicled in
the northwest or on the Pacific slope.
The exact nature of the explosion or the
circumstances which led to it will prob
ably never be known, since at this writ
ing it is believed that every miner who
was at work in the slope at the time has
perished. The accident occurred just
after the afternoon shift had gone on
duty. A driver had just come out of the
slope when tremendous explosion oc-
Cured which upset his cars, knocked the
mules and driver down and bruised a
man hundred feet away. The report
was heard all over the town, and the
mouth of the slope was soon surrounded
by an anxious crowd, which grew in
size every minute. 1t is not definitely
known as to the number of men who
were in the vicinity of the disaster, but
it is believed that between forty-fye and
fifty were on the three levels affected by
at work, and at this time two bodies
have been recovered. These men were
working nearest the opening and at
some distance from the point where it
it is supposed the explosion occurred.
Most:of the men were 500 to z, 900 feet
further in the slope and in the ,immedi-
ate vicinity of the accident. There is no
doubt, either in the minds of the miners
or the company officials, but what every
man was Instantly killed by the explo-
sion. As soon as it was possible to
enter, the relief forces set to work, but
their; progress was impeded by. the
smoke and damp which continued
to roll from the tunnel. Att 80
O'Clock four bodies were reached. A
progress was made the frightful ;exeeu-
ton of the explosion became more man
ifest. The timbers were torn ont for
hundreds of et.and the whole interior
was fearfplly wrecked. The scene sur
rounding the entrance to the mine was
of a distressing character. The wives
and children of many OF the imprisoned
men gathered around, and their distress
was heartrending. In several instances
the deceased miners will leave their
families in comfortable circumstances,
but IN many cases the death of the hus-
band, father, or son, removes their only
support. The city hall was then turned
into morgue, and when body is re-
covered it is laid in the hall to await
Identification and the action of the, cor
oner. From the fearful wreckage of the
slope interior, and the doubt as to the
existence of fire in the lower level, there
is no way of determining how soon the
bodies can be recovered. Several of the
miners who have been taken out are
badly mutilated; in one instance the
head being completely severed from the
body. At midnight, about the only
sound that breaks the stiffness of the
night air is the footsteps of pedestrians
tramping to and from the mine, and
rumble Of the dead wagon as it brings
its ghastly loads into the morgue, where
lie fourteen manned piecesof what was
once humanity. 1t is the opinion OF
Supt. Harrison that the explosion oc-
CURED either in the sixth level, west, or
in the seventh level, east, and his theory
is. that some of the miners struck drill
in q hole fuH of gas and water, the former
forcing the latter out and bringing it in
contact with the miners lamps. He is
convinced every miner who was working
on either of the three levels at the time
of the explosion Is dead
should Have Secured Rooms.
| PoRTrASD. May 1f.=A dispatch from