The herald., 1894-08-25
Anderson, and was pulled to the top of

The arrival OF Audors0n'S body on the
surface was the first intimation to the
men, women and children that anyone
had met death. Consequently when the
body was carried away there was a wild
scramble to discover its identity. When
it was found out, the rescuers were be-
seged with questions from mothers,
fathers aud children concerning the
loved ones. But their questions were
only answered by an ominous shate of
the head.
1t was first thought that Anderson
was not dead, but after being worked
with for 10 or 10 minutes, and no signs
OF life appearing, it was concluded he
was dead.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
Meanwhile the miners from the other
levels were carrying on the work of res
cue in tbs bowels of the earth. the fan
keeping the air current in the mine
which had been stopped at the first in
dication OF fire, from the return air
course, but as the rescuers went to work
the fan was started up, and then the air
in that part OF Che gangway south of
bresat 62, on the sixth level, was kept
pure.
M. D. Storey, one Of the rescuers who
went in from the surface. upon reach
ing the sixth level north, ran
along the gangwsy. At 1000 feet in he
found the frat body, and then the rest
OF the miners were found scattered along
in row. In one place eight men were
lying together, AMI another man was
found under mule, five mules in oil
being dead. Storey Gays that the men
oil l5in ho mid RI In rs n
way with their faces in the mud, as il
they had tried to bury their heads COM
pletely, and thus escape the noxious
coal smoke. He could not believe that
they were dead, and turnsd them with
their faces up so that they could breathe,
but he WAS soon satisfied that they were
dead.
KILLED IN SHORT ORDER.
Nearly ell the bodies were found south
of the burning breast. John @. Storey,
brother of M. d. Storey, WAS at work in
the sixth level south when boy named
Chapman gave the alarm that breast 81
was on frs, Storey says ne tried to es-
cape via the Green river or auxiliary
Htope, but finding this impossible, he re-
turned, making up his mind that he
would go ont by the main stope. Reach
ing there he met othera from the sixth
level aouth. who were going into the
north level to do what they could to
rescue their imprisoned comrades, and
be joined the men, working steadily for
two and a half hours before coming to
tho surface. 1t is his opinion that every
man in limo with the deadly smoke
was killed within two minutes after the
smoke reached them.
FATHER AND SON DEAD,
Of the rescuing party from the south
sixth level was John E. John, gas
tester, who is now numbered among the
dead. His boy. Evan John, 10 also dead.
The bodies of father and son were found
lying side by side. showing that the
father had remained in the gangway un.
til he had found his son, bnt it WAS then
too late and both died. Evan John was
Is years of age. at the minea he was
recognized as bright young fellow and
was boss driver on the sixth level north.
AS the bodies began to arrive at the
surface from the stope, the excitement
among the wives and mothers became
uncomfortable. At p. m. the last of
the 81 bodies was recovered, and then
the people began to quiet down. Many
OF them were completely prostrated
with their grisf, while others devoted
their time to methodcally preparing the
dead for burial
TIE sUPERINTENDENT's STORY.
Superintendent Ramsey, il telling
what he could of the disaster, said:
"Aa coon aa the alarm was sounded
the man at work at the fan at the top of
the hill noticed smoke from the air
course, and, not knowing the cause, at
once 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 emoke surrounded
them, and before they were aware of it
they were oyerpowered and smothered.
All thoee who were 200 and 800 feet up
in the breast had time to climb down to
the gangway, and some of them escaped
and reached the surface, not expert
enoing the slightest unpleasant sensa-
ton. One of the men who stopped with
the others at breast 62, seeing the dam
ger he was in, started on the run for the
main slope, shouting to his companions:
Come on, or you'll not get out But
still they fingered, and five minutes
later 81 men were dead.
TERRIBLE LAMENrATIoN.
"George w. Smalley was the first
man to 60 down into the stope after the
fire was reported. He answered to my
call for volunteers, and he and three
others brought up the first body. that OF
Apderson. Previous to this time no
one knew how serious the accident was,
but when the dead began to arrive the
voices OF tho people lamentng for their
loved ones was terrible to hesr. ] again
asked for volunteers, and several whites
and blacks responded. They went
down and worked diligently. bringing
men to the surface, while others who
had gone to the south eide were bring
ing them along the gangway. The ex-
citement increased every time body
was brought up and recognized. At one
time four bodies were brought up at one
time, and such q lament table noise OF
weeping women l hope | shall never
have to hear again"
THIRTY-sEvEN CoRPsEs.
As soon as the dead arrived at the
surface, Superintendent Ramsey had
another party carry them 10 the old
engine room, where they were laid out
in rows on the floor; the 81 stalwart
bodies covered almost every inch OF
space. The sight was one that chilled
the people with horror. Thirty-seven
men without scratch on them, still
dar1