The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-01-21
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
ONE HUNDRED MEN BURNED TO
DEATH INACOAL MINE.

The Explosion Blocked the Shaft and
Those Who Escaped Had to Climb Out of
tho Mine UnaIded-Hea eartrendInE Scenes
at tho Mines.
KANSAS CITY, Jan. ga Journal
special from McAllister, Indian Terri
tory, says: A report has reached here
from shaft No. S, of the Usage Coal and
Mining Company at Krebs, that terri
BILE explosion occurred there at Is o'clock
last evening from the effects of which
two hundred lives will probably be lost
1t was just before the day shift changed
off and came out of the mine for sup
per when puff of smoke was seen to
escape from the mouth Of the single
shaft to the mine and Immediately fol-
lowing this there was heard terrible
report followed by a rumbing as if of
rolling thunder.
Men at the top of the shaft at once
sounded the alarm and made prepa-
ratlons to send down reScuing party,
but found that the mouth OF the shaft
had been completely closed up 10y
ing had been done toward getting the
men out except to organize relief party
which was to begin at once on the de.
DrlS. The Times special from MCAlliS.
ter, Indian Territory, says: Twenty
tour hours have elapsed since the ter
rible fatal explosion in the Usage mine
at kreb's, but it is still impossible to
even estimate the number OF victims
The number who came up alive after
hn OF; ,1y,, i
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 ICO, the in-
jUr"d 115, about one half Of whom Will
probably die from the effect Of their
injuries. At the hour Of the explosion,
5oclock yesterday afternoon, there were
as near as can be learned, about 4OO
men in the mine They were tie day
shit and were just preparing to ascend
when the explosion took place. Six
men who had already been hoiSIcd in
the cage had just stepped on to the
pla. form or the side Of the Shaft. The
cage was blown Through the roo: of the
tower and fifty tCct In the air The
men already above ground were pros
trated by the force of the explosion, but
did not receive serious Injuries The
SCelleS ABOUT JNe lQOllIln Oh Inc Snalv
immediately following were fearful in
the extreme. Weeping wives, mothers
and sisters tlocked to the scene from
the village 1T the sound OF the eNplo-
sion, their faces blanched with dread
and many of them hystericul to the
point Of insanity. The air shaft, the
only way of escape for the cnt"mbcd
miners, was the point where relatives
of the miners congrcgated. Many of
the miners were able to make their way
out of the tomb and they wero wei.
coined at the surface by their waiting
friends. One man with u broken leg
climbed all the distance of one hundred
feet through the air shaft and fell un-
conscious as he reached the surface.
Others, who were terribly burned,
labored painfully up the ladder, strips
of flesh falling from their hanis and
arms as they grasped the ladder rounds.
1t is believed that fully one-half the en-
toned miners escaped by the air shaft.
Many of them, however. received mortal
injuries and although none Of them are
known to have died, at this hour, ) p.
m. 1t is believed that iii some cases
ut;tt II Is not GaI uiHtunt.