Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-05-12
GREAT INDIGNATION
Mine Owners Blamed for the
ROslyn Disaster.
STATE INSPECTOR NEGLIGENT.
He Had Not Looked at the Works Since
the Previous Explosion. 4

The Former supsrintendsnt Resigned Hit
Not Take Extra ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Known to Have PerJshed-Ths Bodies
Recovered Terribly HTangled-Caring for
the Destitute Families.
RosLYN, Wash, May lathe UNDER
tone of popular feeling is one of general
censure of the local company, and there
is decided disposition to hold it respon-
sible for the death of the 48 men who
are definitely known to have persisted in
the accident at mine No. of the North
ern Pacific Coal Company at this place
Tuesday.
Report has it that Alexander Ronald,
who up to two weeks ago was superin-
tendent of the company, resigned his
position because he refused further to
accept the responsibility for the safety of
the men under him unless the company
took extra precautions to prevent the
occurrence of just such a disaster as has
occurred.
1t is said that three times during the
past year he sent in his resignation
based on the complaint. During the
past two weeks George Harrison, whose
superhuman, has been acting superin-
tendent pending the appointment of an
| other.
The slope in which the disaster oc-
CURED was a new one, being driven in
for the development of the mine. At in
tervals of 300 feet along its length, levels
weres run laterally from the main slope
Main ways were being driven parallel to
the slope from different levels in order
IL A.
damp. There was $50 feet of this yet to
be completed whom the explosion &C.
CURED.
Twenty bodies have so far been recov-
cred. In conversation Supt. Harrison
said that in his opinion 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 a drill
hole full of gas and water, the former
| forcing the latter out and bringing it in
contact with the miners lamps. He iR
convinced that every miner who was at
| work on either of the three levels at the
| time of the explosion is dead.
The bodies recovered are burned, and
in some instances badly charred. Others
show that death resulted simply from
conclusion. 1t appears that those who
were on the upper levels sustained
greater mutilation than those lower
uOWAs H 10 OhOuSuO Ou0O OAO 4O"OE
levels are free from fire, from the fact
| that the interior air is growing purer
hourly.
1t is now positively stat ed that the
State mine inspector has not inspected
the mine since the explosion occurred
there six weeks ago. This announce
ment has created considerable surprise
and excitement.
The mining company is taking active
measures to relieve the distress which
prevails to a large extent among the
| families of the victims of the disaster.
| Over $500 worth of groceries has been
distributed from the company's store,
and such other help as is inlthe officials
| power has also been extended.
| Mayor Miller has no theory as to the
cause of the accident. "That is not the
question" he said. "We must help
these poor women and children, and
must do so at once. The men who were
killed had worked ON an average
Of more than two days a week, and very
few, if any, had anything laid by for a
rainy day" From reports received from
points throughout the State it is evident
that the Mayor will receive speedy re-
sponses to his appeal for aid.
Roslyn is a small town four miles
from the main line of the Northern
Pacific Railroad and about 107
miles from Tacoma. The town is in the
centre of the great coal fields which sup
ply the Northern Pacific, the Union
Pacific and almost all the towns in
Idaho and Eastern Washington with
fuel Eight hundred men, as a rule,
are engaged in the mines, and the daily
output is about 2. 500 tons.