Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-01-25
EIGHTY KILLED
And Scores Injured BY Fne
Damp Explosion,
Ii a Mine at Dux, Bohemia Work
Of Rescue Going On.
miners Wives Accuse Owners d Mssllseaes---
military Profession Afforded.

WANNA Jan. 2t.--An explosion Of Arc
lamp occurred to-day in the fortschntt
mine at pux, Bohemia,
Dispatches from pux tonight saw that
81 miners we're killed ana scores injured
The explosion occurred this morning when
t,se shifts were changing, The cage full
of miners had been lowered half way down
the shaft when the ground ,rcmhlcd. 4 tcul
rnnhliag rctiort was heard, and the cable
attached to the cage gave such lurch that
the machinery broke.
t'i,e rush Of air anl dust fran tho pits
mouth, the SQUADS OF crashing ,imhcrs, aud
cries Of the mcn IN the cage, gave warning
10 the men above, The machinery Was re-
paired sua the cage raised.
'i'eu occupants were Killed Instantly BY
The shock aud ten suffered fractures fraM
which they cannot recover; while Ave WIN
had broken limbs and internal injuries will
live, Thev had been half suffocatcd hy
the gas rising the shat, and said thar no
eien couhi live hollow
An hour later the superintendent ef the
mine and five miners from the night shit
went down IN the cage They were unable
10 20 more than 100 Yards from the shaft
into the gallery. but found II dead bodies.
pf the 50 men waiting for the cage. 10
were killed and 30 partially crushed by the
falling timbers, or half snffocatcd by the
foul air. A short distance from the shaft
the superintendent tonnd four hp,lies
crushed heyond recognition by falling
beam. The bodies aud injured were taken
to the top.
The mcn brought up from the bottom
said that few minutes after the explosion
they heard cries and groans from the mouth
OF the gallery about 800 yards from the
shaft There was heavy timber work at this
place, and they believed the men IN this
gallery were Imprisoned by falling beams.
They thought that some 10 men were at
work therr. shortly before the cage came
iown, they said, the cries ceased.
Another rescue party went down, AMI
after three had been carried back to the
shaft unconscious, penetrated to the cn.
trance OF the gallery. The entrance was
completely blocked by wrecked woodwork.
fhc rescue party ccnd see several dead
bodies On the other side of the iinbers. but
were unable 10 get ut them.
II is believed that all the men IN the gal.
lery were suilocatcd or killed by the shock
of the explosion. Twelve miuprs who
worked in the extreme interior ni the mime
on the night shift, had not started for the
shaft as soun as their companions aul are
also believed to he dead. The rescue party
is still in the mine. thousand have lsaih-
cred ut the pits mouth.
The women of the dead mems families
attempted 10 mob the mine officials, accus-
ing them of carclessncss In tho manage.
uient Of the mine and Indifference to the
fate of their husbands and brothers below.
The mine officials have sent 10 Du, for
police, and three companies of soldiers are
camped in the fields around the pits mouth
tonight. The miners families will prob
ably remain In the fields near the pit all
night, despite the ,ncIcmcncy of the
weather.