The record-union., 1894-08-25
WHOLE NO. 16,493.

d
alarm that breast 81 was on ire. Story
says he tried TO escape via the Green
River, or auxiliary, slope, but finding
this impractical he returned, making up
his mind that he would get 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 lmpris-
oned comrades, and he joined the men,
working steadily for two and q half hours
before coming 10 the surface. 1t is his
opinion 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 Il. John, gas reS-
ter. who is now numbered among the
dead. His boy, Evan John, is also dead.
The bodies of the father and son We're
found lying side by side, showing 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 mine slope the excitement
among the wives and mothers, and, for
that matter, the whole population, be-
came uncomfortable.
At 8 O'Clock the last of the thirty-seven
bodies was recovered, and theu the peo-
pie began TO quiet down. Many of them
were completely prostrated with their
violent grief, and devoted their time to
methodlcally caring for the dead.
Superintendent Ramsey, telling what
he could of the disaster, said: "As soon
as the alarm whistle sounded, the man at
work at the fanlon top of the hill noticed
smoke coming from the air course, and
not knowing the cause, 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
al
saved. but the smoke surrounded them,
and before they were aware of it they
were oyeII,c Wered and smothered. All
those who were 200 and 800 feet
up in the breast had time to climb down
to the gangway, aGG some OF them es-
capped and reached the surface, not ex-
periencing the slightest Unpleasant SEN
sation. One of the men wh0 stopped
with the others at breast 81, seeing the
danger he was in, started on a run Tor
the main slope shouting to his compan-
ions, Come on, you'll not get OUT 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 Eody-that of
John q. Anderson. Previous to this
time no one knew how serious the acci-
dent was, but when the dead began to ar
rive the voice of the people lamenting for
their loved ones was terrible to hear. l
again asked tor volunteers, and several
whites and blacks responded. They
went down and worked diligently,
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 body was brought up and
recognized. AT one time four bodies
were brought up at once, and such
lamentable noise of weeping women and
men ] hope / shall never have to hear
again."
AS soon as the dead arrived at the sur
face Superintendent Ramsay had another
party carry them to the old engine room.
where they were laid out in rows on the
floor. the thirty-seyen stalwart bodies
covering almost every inch of space.
The sight was one that chilled the peo-
pie with horror. Thirty-seven men,
without a scratch on them, still dead.
All had been lively and happy few
hours before with their families and their
friends, little dreaming that death was so
near. The few who escaped, upon reach
Joy, while all the evening mon are
ss1ai,ing each others hands, happy that
they were not among the dead.
One man said this evening: 81 thought
/ had some enemies the other day, but
have not now. Every man meet / feel
is my friend. Pm so glad no more are
dead"
This evening all is quiet in the face of
this awful death. The dead have been
prepared, clothed, laid out, and man is
now among the people seeing what dis
position will be made of the bodies. To-
morrow men will dig the graves, and the
next day there will be one tremendous
funeral.
All day long the little telegraph Office
was besieged with sorrowing people,
sending messages to relatives living in
other parts of the country, notifying
them of the grief which had so suddenly
befalien them. This evening q thought
ful crowd congregated at the Postoilice
when the mail came in. The Postmaster
finding letters for the dead in the room.
would inquire who was entitled to take
care of this mans mail or that mans
mail. The dead seemingly outnumbered
che living.
The origin of the fire in breast 62,is sup
posed to be due to spontaneous combus-
ton, caused by refuse and screenings in
the bottom of the breast Stacking and
catching fire. The mine was never in
safer condition. however and it seems
mystery that the fire could have burst
out and gained such headway all at once.
1t is suggested that possibly the fire had
been burning for some time, perhaps two
or three days, and from a smoldering
blaze it all at once became a burning
furnace.
Breast 81 is about 300 feet high, and is
now all on fire. The fire has also COM
municated to breasts so and 81 of the same
level, and the fifth level is threatened.
superintendent Ramsay says that he
will bulkhead the sixth. level and per-
haps the fifth level, and hermetically seal
them, thus shutting off the air and smoth-
ering the fire. The mine is troubled
good deal with black damp, but with the
air supply shut oft the black damp will
form and of itself put out the fire. 1t is
believed that in three months the fire
will have been completely extinguished.
Men are still at work on the sixth level
north bulkheading the first district, and
though the fan is kept at work To give
the men air, the fire is aided just that
much more for the time being. With the
sixth level closed about / 800 feet OF gang
way and forty breasts will be rendered
useless. These breasts formerly gave
employment to seventy mon.
FOUR MINERS KILLED.
CREEDE Coll, Aug. 24.--Thomas Ever
sole, Archie Dowell, Hugh Gay and
Charles Proctor, miners, were killed in
the Amethyst mine to-day by fire,
which burned the shaft house and caused
the skip to fall upon them. The loss by
fire is 900. The mine is now filling
with water.
FATAL EXPLOSION IN PENNSYLVANIA.
ASHLAND (Pa.), Aug. 24.-Two men
were killed and eleven injured by an ex-
plosion of gas in the Gilberton colliery,
this place, to-day.
Killed: Frank Mccormick, fire boss,
leaves wife and five children; Lewis
Ball, driver.
Among the injured are William Bir-
minghan, fatally, and since reported
dead: Cornelius IahaY. inside superin-