Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-12
FORTY TO FIFTY LIVES LOST
a Frightful Explosion in a
Washington Mine.
FIRE FOLLOWS THE EXPLOSION
The Victims Terribly Burned
and Mutilated.
1t is Known That between 40 and so Men
We're In tho Mine. and There is No Hope
That Any OF Them Escaped Instant
Death--rhe Wor;s Of Talking Out tho
Bodies Progressing Slowly.


Ass1cinted Prass Disnetch bY Spastni wirss
RosLYE, WASH. May 1.-THE first acct
dent of any note at the coal mines, IN this
place, occurred at about 100 o'clock yes
terday afternoon. A driver had just come
out of the slope when tremendous ex-
plosion occurred. The shock upset his
car, knocked mules and driver down, and
bruised a man standing 100 feet away.
The report was heard all over the town
mile away.
An anxious crowd which grew in size
every minute, surrounded the mine. Hard
rain was pouring down, but the crowd
needed hot The number of men in the
slope is not actually known, but it is
known to be from "A 70 so.
THERE IS SCARCELY ANY POSSIBILITY
that one of them escaped death. The
slope in which the explosion occurred
runs from No. Q down to a point where
the proposed shaft will be sunk, and is a
couple of thousand feet in length. Several
levels have been worked in the slope, and
il is conjectured that the explosion oc-
currcd at some point on the fourth or fifth
level.
For the past two months more or less
danger has been CONNECTED with the work
in this part of the slope, on account of the
unusual generation of gas and the man
agement is created with having exercised
Vic uSlul DICJhhbiOios W. COuIStS
were in process of construction in the sup
posed vicinity Of the explosion, with the
intention of joining, and it is presumed
that when the two courses met the explo-
sion occurred.
Persons who were at the opening of the
slope pronounced the conclusion as terri
bic, il being sufficient to throw coal car
some distance from q point where IL was
standing near the entrance.
Grant Volumes nf nftnr.fnt1a anA 10
rolled from the entrance. making the ap-
proach dangerous. As soon as ii was pos
sible to enter men set to work, but progress
was impeded by smoke and damp, which
the tunnel continued to emit. At 4.30
o'clock
THEsEIRsT BODIES WERE REACHED
being those of John Bowen and John Camp
bell. After that the work progressed more
rapidly and at 6 o'clock two other bodies
were brought and at 7.S0 two others, all
terribly burned and mutilated. These were
bodies recovered; Tom Brennan, Tom
Rees, Pole, John Bowan, H. Campbell
and William Hague.
AS progress was made the frightful ex-
ecution OF the explosion became more
manifest. Timbers were torn out for hun
dreda of feet and the whole interior was
fearfully wrecked.
1t is thought fire was started in the
lower level and arrangements are being
made to turn on water as soon as the fact
is developed. Air fans are working to
their fuifeytent, and every effort is being
made to recover the bodies of the impris-
oned men.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
All miners in camp who are able to
worEihave volunteered their services, and
men IRE worlting constantly in shifts.
From the fearful wreckage on the slope
interior and the doubt as to the existence
of fire in .the.lower levels, there is no way
I'of determining how soon all the bodies
can be recovered. Several of the bodies
that have been taken out are badly mutt
lated in one instance the head was severed
l.fr0msthe body.
Ros1Hg, VASE, May .11.--Ati midnight
| IL bodies had been recovered from the
mine and all identified. The work of
| rescue,is y@yslow on account of the large
bodyiof gas.
Ills now slm0st certain, every man in
I the mine is killed andsthat ~the dead'will
lreachs4S.