The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-11
Nearly All Buried at Whatcom- The
Cause of the Explosion.

Whatcom, April 10-Speciai-Funeral
services over the remains OF most of the
miners killed In the terrible disaster at
the Blue Canyon mine Monday were held
at Blue Canyon at 10 o'clock today. and
Immediately aftA the services the bodies
were placed on board the comaaay's
steamer and brought to the railroad ter
minus near Silver Beach. where they were
transferred to a train and brought to Bay
View cemetery. between this city and
Lake Whatcom, where the interment took
place shortly after / O'Clock
AT Blue Canyon Impressive religious
services were conducted by Rev. 7. c.
Wright, at Fairhaven by Rev. w. II. GIL
Ian and Rev. W. Savage of this city. and
Rev. Charles McDermoth. Fairhaven. At
the cemetery the members of the Masonic
Odd Fellows and knights OF Pythias
lodges received and buried the bodies of
the men who were members OF these or
ders. and Protestant and Catholic clergy
men conducted brief services at the
graves OF others. Hundreds OF people
were present from the bay cities and
surrounding country. Drizzling rain fell
during the burial. which added much to
the gloominess OF the occasion ii was
the saddest seene ever witnessed in this
county.
Nearly all of the bodies were buried in
Bay View cemetery. Last evening three
bodies were brought here. and that Of
Henry RaVett was sent TO Fairhavan.
that OF George Roberts 20 relatives i'm Sc
attie. and that OF James Kirkby To Fern
dale. John A Morgan was a member Of
one or the odd Fellow lodges of Seattle.
and his body viii be sent there tomorrow
for interment. and the body OF William
Evans Will be sent to- Wilkeson. A
brother or Evans was killed by an explo-
sion In the Carbonate mine two wears
ago, ana a oTother-in-law met his death
in the same mine a year before Mine
superintendent Jones was a member cf
cascade Lodge. No. p. l. o. O r. OF
Seattle. which has contributed SIS for his
funeral expenses, James J. McAndrews
was member OF the Knights of pvthIas
and carried S2,ooo insurance in the cn,jow-
ment rank Martin Bloom had taken Two
degrese in Masonry. and his remains were
buried With Masonic rites by Beningnam
Bay Lodge. No. "a. Requiem mass was
celebrated at the Church of the Assanp-
ton this morning over the remains or
Henry Ravett.
Mine Inspector David Edmunds. Of the
First district, arrived yesterday morning
and went Immediately TO the mine with
Coroner Bracket. accompanied by the
comnny'S attorneys. county attorney.
court stenographer and a numhs~ of citi-
zens. The coroner Immediately impaneled
a Jury. consisting OF W c. Willox n &
tFFft+t't 4 ava dtAlSoI. samuel
AltShuler. and T. G. Austin. of this city.
and ]. c. Custer a merchant of Blue
Canyon. None OF the gentlemen are
miners or have had any mine experience
but all are well known and respected cit
izens. Charles Magee. an experienced
miner, was summoned as Juror by the
coroner. but he was objected TO by the
ccmpany's secretary because he had been
discharged by che dead superintendent
when he was acting as mine foreman in
1aL AID Mr.. Custer was then accepted
fn his stead. the fact OF his testffvtny
that the company owes him a consider
able sum not being deemed Of sufficient
Importance - excuse him. The jury. LED
by Mr. Edmunds. then visited the mine.
going 10 the face Of the saugway where
the point where the sho; was fred which
originated the explosion was located
After returning the jury viewed the
bodies OF the miners and the taking Of
testimony was commenced. Inspector Id
muuds heing the only witness called up
90 the hour OF adjournment. AMI his ex-
animation was not concluded. He testi-
fed that when he last Inspected the -nine
on the 7tn of March re found Al the bot
tom of The air shaft an afr current OF
500 cubic feet per minute, wabh woali
warrant the CofnpG8y. under the Law. iu
employing eighty men on a shift in the
usiue. whereas the ccnpa8y's supe-su-
tanagnf SAYS fAat No more tFlAN aniFtN ~tff -
s~eu on shift have ever been emplevei.
A. the tiule Of the last inspection the air
current tn tire breast - the gangw8y WAS
equal 20 f.Ea cubic feet per minute. or
enough for nfteen rTen. though thrre Mere
then only five employed there. E3e BE-
Heves II there had been any coHsiderAala
accumulation az gas. or fire damp, it
would certainly have been detected hv
fhs oil miners with safety lamps 7; is
hss theory that the fatal blast uncovered
and ignited a pocket. or saver az gas
which wsnt down the EaagUay Ike a Gls-
~hars-e frosn a gun knocking sense3ess
All the men who were 81 the direct Path
% e. exhausstug all TIE oxygen from tee
air and leaving only a heavy volume OF
cart-ari~ acts gas. ~htch aspAyxistst tae
miners Nsfore IL was possible for relief TO
reach shesa. TG bis OPINION, II there tad
asen any considerable amount of ere
damn distributed along the passage tEe
damage 20 fhe uiae ~ taa explosion
wrould hzve heeH FAR greafeF- fie ,-oessl3-
erred the raine safe. and @oul3 have eeen
willing - work there himself Mr. kd-
rsuutiss examination was rot conc.sscissss
AZ night when al Adjournment as tAAea