The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-09-01

two aud a half hours before coming TO
the surface. 1t is his opinion that
every man ia line with the deadly
smoke was killed within two min utes
after the smoke reached them.
Scenes at the slope Mouth.
As the bodies began to arrive at the
surface of the main slope the excite
ment of the wives and mothers, and
Tor that matter the whole populace, be-
came uncomfortable. AT O'Clock the
last of he 81 bodies were recovered and
then the people began to quiet down.
Many of them were completely pros
trated with their violent grief and de-
voted their time to methodicaily caring
for the dead.
The superintendent's Story.
SUI erintendent Ramsey, in telling
what lie could OF tie disaster said ::
"As soon as the alarm whistle sounded
the man at work at the fan on the 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,
AID 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 of those
who were 200 and 300 feet up in the
breast had time to climb down 10 the
gangway and some of them escaped
and reached the surface, not expert
encing she slightest unpleasant sensa-
ton. One of the men who stopped
with the others at breast 81, seeing the
danger he was in, started to run for
the maiu slope, shouting to his COM
panions: Come on, you'll not get OUT
But still they fingered and five min
utes later 81 men We're 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 f John Sanderson. Pre-
vious to this time no one knew how
serious the accident was, Tut when the
dead began to arrive the voices OF the
people lamenting for their loved ones
was terrible to hear. l again asked for
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 galleries. The
excitement increased every time body
was brought up and recognized. AT
one time four bodies were brought up
at one tine and such a lame able
noise of weeping women and men |
hope | shall never have TO hear again. +"
Rows OF Dead on the Floor.
AS soon as the dead arrived at the
surface, Superintendent Ramsey had
another party carry them to the old
engine room, where they were laid out
in rows on the floor, 81 stalwart bodies
covering almost every inch Of space.
The sight was one that chilled the peo-
ple with horror. Thirty-seven men
without a scratch on them, but dead.
All mad been lively and happy few
hours before with their families, their
friends little dreaming death was near
The few who escaped, upon reaching
the surface, were greeted with cries of
joy, while all evening men were shak-
ing each others hands, happy that
they are not among the dead.
This evening all is quiet in the face
of this awful accident. The dead bodies
have been prepared, clothed, laid out,
and "a man is now among the people
seeing what disposition shall be made
of the bodies. Tomorrow the men will
dig the graves and the next day there
viii he a tremendous funeral. All daV
long the little telegraph Office was be-
sieged with sorrowing people sending
messages to relatives living in other
parts of the country notifying them OF
the grief which has so suddenly be-
fallen them.
Origin of the Fire.
The origin of the fire in breast 81 is
supposed TO be due to spontaneous
combustion. caused by refuse and
screenings at the bottom of the breast
Stacking and catching fire. The mine
was never in safer condition, how.
ever, and it seems mystery that the
ire could have burst out and gained
such Roadway ali at once. 1t Is sug.
/ gested that possibly it has been burning
/ Tor some time, perhaps two or three
| days, and from smOuldering blaze il
all at once became a burning furnace.
\ Breast 81 Is about 800 feet high and is
4 now all on fire. The fire has also
communicated to breasts 60 and 81 Of
the same level and the fifth level il
threatened. 1t is believed that in three
months tile fire will have been com.
ple,ely extinguished. With the sixth
level closed about /, 900 feet OF gangway
and 40 breasts will be rendered useless.
These breasts formerly gave employ
ment to 40 men.