Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-01-25
EIGHTY MINERS KILLED
And Scores Injured In An Austrian
Mine Accident.
THE SHAFT WALLS CAVED IN AS
& Gage Load Of Miners Were Go
ing Down-Many Crushed to
Death and Others Seriously In
jured BY Falling Timbers-The
Ventilation Shut on, Causing
Bad Air and Suffocation.

VIENNA, January 24.-An explosion OF
fire damp occurred to-day in the Fortschritt
mine at Dux, in Bohemia. IL is known
that four miners were killed and thirty In
iured. One hundred men are still en-
tombed In the mine. Every effort is being
made 10 rescue them.
The accident in the Fortschritt mine was
far more serious than reports this after
noon indicated. Dispatches from Dux to-
night say that eighty miners were killed
and scores were injured.
The explosion occurred this morning
when the shifts were changing. A cage
full Of miners had been lowered halfway
down the shaft when the ground trembled,
loud. rumbling report was heard and tho
cable attached TO the cage gave such lurch
that the lowering machinery broke.
A rush OF air and dust from the pits
mouth, the sounds Of crashing timbers and
the cries Of the men in the care gave warn
ing 10 the men above OF the extent OF tho
disaster Help was summoned, the ma
chinery was repaired after delay OF half
an hous, and the cage was released.
Ten of the occupants had been killed In
stantly by the shock, ten had suffered frac-
lures from which they cannot recover, i've
who had broken limbs and internal injuries
will live. They had been half sunocated
by the gas rising in the shaft and said that
no man could live below.
An hour later the Superintendent OF the
mine aud five miners from the night shift
went down in the cage. They were uns-
ble 10 90 more than hundred yards from
the shaft into the gallery, but they found
fourteen dead bodies.
OF the fiiiy men who were waiting for
the cage ten had been killed and forty had
hrr Col
or half suffOcated py the foul air. A short
distance from the shaft the Superintendent
found four bodies which had beon crushed
bevond recognition by falling timbers.
The bodies Of the injured were taken to
the top where the whole mining settlement
had gathered 10 watch the work Of rescue.
The men who had been brought up from
the bottom said that few minutes after
the explosion they heard cries and groans
from the mouth Of the gallery ABOUT three
hundred yards from the shaft.
There was heavy timber work Of this
place, and they believed that tho ipep In
this gallery had been imprisoned by e1e
falling beams. They believed that some OF
the men had been at work thore. Shortly
after the cage came down they said the
cries ceased.
Another rescue party went down At
once, aud after three Of them had been
carried back 10 tho smart UNCONSCIOUS,
penetrated 10 the entrance OF the gallery.
The entrance was completely blocked by
the wrecked woodwork.
The rescue party could sec several dead
bodies on the other side OF the timbers,
but were unable 10 get at them, and r0-
turned 10 the top empty handed.
It is believed that all the mon in the. gall
lery were suffocated or killed by the shock
OF the explosion. Twelve miners who
worked in the extreme interior Of the mine
on the night shift, and had not started for
the shaft so soon as their companions, arc
also believed 70 be dead.
Despite the apparent hopelessness Of the
situation rescue party Is still IN the mine
and thousands have gathered at tho pits
mouth.
When tho extent OF the disaster became
evident. tho women Of the dead mems fam
lies attempted 70 mob the mine officials,
accusing them Of carelessness In the man
agement OF the mine and OF Indifference aa
10 the fate of their husbands and brothers
below.
The mine officials sent 20 Dux for police,
and three companies Of soldiers are canped
in the fields around tho pits mouth to-
night.
The miners families arc still at watch
and will probably remain in the fields all
night despite the inclemency ofthe weather.