The Helena independent., 1894-08-25
SMOTHEREO IN A MINE.
Terrible Accident in the Coal Mlnos
at franklin, in Washington
State
Thirty Seven Miners woro Over
como by Smoke and Smoth-
Orod 20 Death.
Could Hsvs Esoapsd, but stnid 10 wArn
snd Assist some of Thsls Fellow
MoFhman.


sElrrLr. waIb., Aug. 2l.-A special 10
The Post-Iutslligoncer from Ffanklin,
Wash. aaVs AZ fifteen mlnnisa 10 ore
O'Clock this aitsrnoos Gre was noticed b.
some OF the divers on the sixth north
level. and notice given 10 the mon inside
who we're working In dIasrsn, plsoss some
in tbs breast above the level, and o.hOts
along the gAnavAY. Az sooo 40 II was
known there vas 40 many Of the mon In
the gAnRvAys rushsd back 10 notify the
minsts further In. while others rushed ont
and resohed ths main shaft. II IL certain
that ell the men 10 the breasts reached the
eauRway in safety.
In all about seventy men we're at work in
the sixth level north. and Of that number
ab0pt forty fingered q, breast six where
the FIRE originated, and made an attempt ,o
pu, on. the are. The broAst was borning
fercsiy and before tho miners knew II the
ii,e communicated 20 sixty and siIty-sns.
aud smoke began 10 Issue from breast six-
tJ.ons In that immediate vicinity. Several
OF thoss vho fingered a, burning breast
slSty-tvo took waning and fed, but all
vho remaissd hbout forty vers overcome
aud hyristsd. II 10 svidsn, that all
the men had tins 10 come out. for those al
work in the further breast reached the
shaft IN safety. while ,hoss who were near
es, the shaft. anA consequently more re-
moved from danger, perished. They owl
A.. AaIG In "a
a, she FIRE. bu, while they fingered smoke
oozsd ont from some outside place further
south. aud the bodies were all found south
OF breast siIty All we're found along
within q space Of 500 feet.
About half the miners are negroes. having
been brought from the east four years ngo
TO replace striksrs. The mine 10 owned by
the Oregon improvement company. and
produces the best coal In the state OF wash
inqton. The damage 10 the mine 10 not
large.
Several men we're badly bruised. and ono
oolorsd man was taken out with n broken
neck. wounds indicating they had thrown
themselves against the posts and timbes
of the ganevay In . wild and desperate en-.
dsAvor 10 escape. But the majority Of
scratch, and their features we're In quiet
repose, indicating that their death had
been speedy and painless one.
NJ. ID. Story, one OF The rescuets. who
/ went In from the surface. upon reaching
the sixth level north. ran along the gang
way. Az 1000 fest In he found the hrst
body, and then the rsst Of the miners were
found scattered along in TOW. In one
place eight men wore lying together. and In
another one man was found under Q ma ole.
I've mules In all being dsad. Story says
that the men were all lying In the middle
OF the gsugway With their faces in the mud.
as u they hsd tried TO bury their heads
completely, and thus escape the deadly and
obnoxious coal smoke. lie could not be-
lieve thsy wels dssd. and TUNED them
with their faces up 90 they could breathe.
bu, he Was soon satisfied they we're dead.
Nearly all the bodiss were found south Of
the burning breast.
As the bodiea began 20 arrive al the sur-
face OF the main slops tho stoitement Of
wives and mothers. aud for that matter The
whole populace. became unoontf ollable.
Al three o'clock the last OF thirty-seven
bodies we're recovered, aud then shs people
began 20 quies down. hanv of them were
completely prostratsd with their violent
grief, and devoted their time TO meihodi-
eAliy caring for the dead.
superintendent Ramsey. In telling what
he could OF the .disasts said. "As soon As
tho alarm whistle sounded tho men q, work
at tie fan on top OF the hill noticed smoke
coming from the air course and not know
ing the cause Immediately tshut down the
fan. lie did just what be should have
done, and bad the miners NOT fingered go
long al tho nrs. trying 20 put IL out,
they would have all been saved. Bot the
smoke surrounded them. aud before tbey
were aware OF 1, they were oyerpowersd
and smothered. All those who woe 200
/ .nd Q0n Fat nm In aha hFaaat had Tina .
climb down 10 the gangwhY. and some OF
them escaped and reached the sufface, not
experiencing the slightest unpleasant SEN
saiion. Ons OF the men who had stopped
with others at breast sixty-tvo. seeing
tho danger he was In. started 10 run fof
the main slope shouting 10 his CON az
iona: Cons on, or you'll not get OUT But
still they fingered, aud nvs minutes later
thirty yssoyen men aare deAd."
As soon ss the dead arrived al tho sur
face. Supt. Ramsey had another party carry
them TO the old engine room. whore they
were laid ont In rows on the floor, tho
thirty -ssvsn stAlwArt bodies covering al
mou Ovory inch OF looT space. The sigl
was one that chilled people with horfo
Thiity.sevsn men without scratch -
them, stil dead. All had been lively ana
happy q few hou'a befo with their fam =
hes their ffienda little dTaAmlnR death NJ
/
the surface were greeted with cries of lot. /.
while all evening men are shaking each
others hands. happy ,hey ace poi smeua
the dead.
Thh evening all ia quiet. In the face Of
this awful death. The dead have been
prepared. clothed. laid out, and man 10
now among the people seeing what dispo-
aiiion 10 20 be made OF the bodies. To-
morrow mon " ~ dig graves and next day
there will be tremendous funeral.
1he origin Of the irs 10 breast sixty.two
10 supposed 10 be due 81 spontaneous oom-
buation, caused by refuse and screenings IN
the bolton Of The bFeast Stacking snd
catching hS
AsuIASp. Pa, AuR. N-rvo men wers
killed aud eleven injured By on explosion
OF geS In the GAberton oollisTy Al this
place to-day. The killed afo Frank Mo-
Cofmiok ore boss l0aves wife and nvo
children; Lewis ball, driver. Tho e1-
ploslon. which occurred shortly oftpf noon.
was primarily oauaed By fall OF coal
which became dlslodgsd by mining opera
tiona THIS released an Immense volume
OF gas. and at the sAmo time forced II
along the gangWAyH 10 distance Of more
than 1000 yards, stiaing and choking the
minofa no II avspt along.