The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-25
THIRTY-SEVEN MEN PERISH!

Anderson, and was pulled to the tor
Iof the slope.
The arrival of Anderson's body on the
surface was the. first intimation to the
men, women and children on the sur
face that any one had met death. Con-
lsequently when the body was carried
away there was wild scramble to dis
cover its identity. When it was found
the rescuers were besieged with ques-
uons from mothers, fathers and child
rem concerning loved ones who were
imprisoned. But their questions Were
only answered by an ominous shake of
the head. 1t was first thought that
ing worked with for ten or fifteen min
utes, no signs of life appeared. Mean
while, the miners from the other levels
were carrying on the work of rescue in
the bowels of the earth. The fan keep
I ing the air current in the mine had
been stopped at the first indication of
ire from the return air course, but
when the rescuers went to work, the
fan was started up and then the air in
that part Of the gangway south of
breast 81. on the sixth level, was kept
pure.
M. D. Story, one of the rescuers who
went in from the surface, upon reach
ing the sixth level north, ran along the
gangway. At 1000 feet in, he found the
first body, and then the rest of the
miners were found scattered along in
row.
Eight Lying Together.
In one place eight men were found
lying together, and in another a man
was found under a mule, five mules in
all being dead.
Story says that the men were
all lying in the gangway with their
faces in the mud as if they had tried
to bury their heads completely and
coal smoke. He could not believe they
were dead. and turned them with their
faces up so they could breathe, but
he was soon satisfied that they were
dead. Nearly all the bodies were
found south of the burning breast.
John c. Story, brother of NJ. D. Sto-
ry, was at work in the sixth level
gave the alarm that the breast 81 was
on fire.
Story says he tried to escape via the
Green river or auxiliary slope, but
finding this impracticable, he returned.
making up his mind that he would go
out via the main slope Reaching the
main slope he met others from the
sixth level south, who were going into
the north level to do what they could
to rescue their imprisoned comrades,
and he Joined the men, working stead
iiy for two and a half hours before
coming to the surface. 1t is his opin-
ion that every man in line with the
deadly smoke was killed within two
minutes after the smoke reached them
OF the rescuing party from the south
sixth level was John E. John, a gas
tester. who is now numbered among
the dead. His boy, Evan John, is also
dead. The bodies of father and son
were found lying side by side, show
ing that the father had remained in
the gangway until he had found his
son. but it was then too late, and both
died.
As the bodies began to arrive at the
surface of the main slope the excite
ment of the wives and mothers, and
for that matter the whole populace, be-
came uncomfortable. At 3 o'clock, the
last of the thirty-seven bodies were re-
covered and then the people began to
quiet down. Many of them were COM
grief and devoted their time to
methodically caring for the dead.
They LinsercI Too Long
Superintendent Ramsey. in telling
what he could of the disaster, said:
LAS soon as the alarm whistle
sounded, the men at work at the fan
on top of the hill noticed smoke coming
from the air course and not knowing
the course, Immediately shut down the
fan. He did just what he should have
done and had the miners not fingered
so long at the fire, trying to put it out
they would have all been saved, but
the smoke surrounded them and before
they were aware of it, they were over
powered and smothered. All those who
were 200 and 500 feet up in the breast
had time to climb down to the gangway,
and some of them escaped and reached
the surface, not experiencing the slight
est unpleasant sensation. One of the
men who stopped with the others at
breast 81, seeing the danger he was in,
started to run for the main slope shout
ing to his companions: Come on,
you'll not get outn But still they
fingered, and five minutes later thirty
seven men were dead.
George w. Smalley was the first
man to go down into the slope after
the fire was reported. He answered to
my call for volunteers, and he and
three others soon brought up the first
body, that of John @. Anderson. Pre-
vious to this time, no one knew how
serious the accident was, but when the
dead began to arrive the voice of the
people lamenting for their loved ones
was terrible to hear. L again asked for
and several whites and
blacks Responded.
Worked Like Heroes.
''They went down and worked dill !
gently, bringing men to the top of the |
slope while others who had gone from
the south side were bringing them
along the gangway. The excitement |
increased every time a body was |
brought up and recognized. At one |
time four bodies were brought up at
once, and such a lamentable noise |
of weeping women and men L hope 1
shall never have to hear again"
AS soon as the dead arrived at the-
surface, Superintendent Ramsey had |
another party carry them to the old
in rows on the floor, the thirty-seven |
stalwart bodies covering almost every
inch of space. The sight was one that |
chilled the people with horror. Thirty
seven men without a scratch on them,
still dead All had been lively and |
happy a few hours before with their
and their friends, little dream
ing that death was near. The few who
upon reaching the surface,
were greeted with cries of joy, while
all evening men are shaking each |
others hands, happy that they were
not among the dead.
some Touch of vaturr.''
One man said this evening:
81 thought / had some enemies the
other day, but 1 have not, now Every
man ] meet. / feel, is my friend. I'm |
so glad no more are dead"
This evening all is quiet in the face
Of this awful death. The dead have
been prepared, clothed and laid out
and a man is now among the people