Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-26
DEADLY FIRE DAMP.
SCORES OF MINERS KILLED IN A 30.
HEMlAN COLLlERY.
Fearful Explosion Entombs Hundred
men-Nsscue Party Making Every IL
fort to Reach Them-Attei TO Mob
Mine Officials by Bereaved Families.

VIENNA, Jan. "a. An explosion OF fire
damp occurred to-day in the Fortschritt
mine at Dux, in Bohemia. One hundred
men are still entombed in the mine. Every
effort is being made TO rescue them.
Dispatches from Dux tonight soy that
so miners were killed and scores wore in
jured.
The explosion occurred this morning
when the shifts were changing. a cage full
of miners had been lowered half way down
tho shaft when the ground trembled, a loud
rumbling report was heard and the cable
attached to the cage gave such Il 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 cage, gave warning TO the
men above OF the extent of the disaster.
Help was summoned the machinery was re-
paired after a delay of half an hour and
the cage was raised
Ten of the occupants had been killed in
stently by the shock; ten had suffered frac-
lures from which they cannot recover; five
who had broken limbs end internal injuries
will live. They had been half sutrocated by
this gas rising in tho shaft and said no man
could live below.
An hourilater the superintendent of the
went down in tho cage. They were unable
to go more than 100 yards from the shaft
into the gallery, but they found II dead
bodies. OF the 80 men who were waiting
for the cage, 10 had been killed and
Forty had been Partially Crushed
by falling timbsrs or half sulTocated by the
foul air. A short distance from the shaft
the superintendent found four bodies, which
had been crushed beyond recognition by a
falling beam. The bodies of the injured
were taken to the tor, where the whole
mining settlement had gathered to watch
| the work of rescue
/ The men who bad been brought up from
the bottom said that a few minutes after
the explosion they had heard cries and
groans from the month OF the gallery about
300 yards from the shaft There was heavy
timber work at this place and they believed
thai the men in this gallery had been i'm
prsoned by the falling beams. They thought
that some 10 men had been at work there
| Shortly before the cage came down, they
said the cries ceased.
| Another rescue party went down at once,
and after three OF them had been carried
back to the shaft unconscious, penetrated
to the entrance of tt gallery. The en-
trance was completely blocked by the
wrecked woodwork. The rescue party
Could Soc Several Dcad Bodies
on the other side OF the timbers, but wer,
unable to get at them, and returned to th.
top empty handed. 1t is believed that al
the men in the gallery were suffocated OF
killed by the shock of the explosion. lively,
miners who worked in the extreme interior
Of the mine on the night shift, and had no
started for the shaft as soon as their COM
pauons, are also believed to be dead.
Despite the apparent hopelessness OF th,
situation, rescue party is still in the miut
and thousands have gathered at the pit,
mouth When the extent of the disaster
began to become evident, the women Of til,
dead mems families attempted to mob til,
mine officials, accusing them Of careles5nes
in the management OF the mine and OF in
difference to the fate of their husbands AM
brothers below. The Minis officials sent L
Dux for police and three companies of sol
disrs are camped in the fields around tn
pits mouth to night. The mipers' familie
will probably remain in the fields near tn
pit all night, despite the inclomency of tn
weather.