The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-24
DEATH IN A MINE.
Two Hundred Men Buried
Alive.
MANY KILLED INSTANTLY
While Others Died Slowly From
Afterdamp.
WORK OF RESCUE PROGRESSING
1t Is as Yet Impossible to Say
How Many Have Met Their
Doom.

CARDIFF, Wales, June 23.-A dispatch
from Pontypridd. county OF Glamorgan,
says a terrible explosion occurred this
afternoon in the Albion coliery. Two
hundred miners. are buried beneath the
debris of the mine. 1t is believed large
mum Der were killed.
Il is estimated that eighty miners were
killed either by the explosion or by the
falling earth and rock. Several parties of
volunteers In the work of rescue descend
ed into the pit this evening Every pos
sible effort is being made to save the i'm
prisoned miners who are yet alive and to
rescue the bodies of the dead. None of
the rescuing parties which went down to-
night have yet returned. and this is taken
as an indication that great difficulty is
being met in reaching the place where the
miners are entom5ed.
The entire population of CiIfyDd and
hundreds of persons from Pontypridd
and other places in the vicinity gathered
about the mouth of the pit this evening
aDxiously waiting for news from the
mine.
A dozen or more boys are among the
number entombed. Late tonight some of
the rescuers came to the surface and report
mine and found i've men alive but badly
injured. They also found thirteen men
who had been killed. This Information
spread rapidly among the crowd at the
pits mouth and the excitement grew in
intensity. Those who had friends or rela-
tiyes in the mine asked with eager and
strained faces if they were among the
dead. OF course no information could oe
given then, as the mine officials did not
know the names of the killed, and many of
the bodies were so badly burned that iden-
tiieation by the rescuing party under the
dim light of their lamps was impossible.
The five men were brought up the shaft as
soon as possible and the doctors who
were present are doing all in their power
| to alleviate their sufferings.
Shortly after the five live men were
brought up the bodies found near them
were raised to the surface and placed in a
shed near the mouth of the pit. here sew
eral of them were identified by theiI
clothing. While the crowd was assembled
about the shed twenty men and boys In a
semi-conscious condition were brought up.
They had apparently not been injured by
the explosion, but had inhaled the after
damp. Had they not been found when
| they were there is no doubt they would
all have been suffocated
AS time advances the impression grows
that the loss will be greater than the first
estimate. The men who have come to the
surface repnrt that they have seen num-
ber of bodies so pinned under the debris
that it is impossible as yet to extreate
them. They also say that, judging from
the appearance of the faces of the bodies
death in many cases was caused by after
damp. This gas is hindering the work OF
the rescuers, the fans as yet not having
succeeded in freeing the pit of it. In the
farther workings the gas is present in
large quantities, and this fact is against
any hope Of saving the imprisoned mer
| there.
CARDIFF, June pa A. M-More bodies
were discovered and brought out after mid
night. Many Of them were so terribly
scalded that the flesh almost dropped from
them and they had to be handed most care
fully. 1t is more than probable that 6
large percentage of the dead will never be
identified The work of clearing the debri:
is now proceeding more rapidly and hope;
are entertained that the men yet alive viii
be rescued before many hours have elapsed