The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-21
CUNNOCK MINE DISASTER.
ARE BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION.
in Gettiag Rescuers To Go Into tho
Mines-Confiict of Opinion on
the Cause of Explosion.

RALEIGH. n. c.. Dec. 20.-Tho South
ern Associated Press correspondent re-
turned from Cumnock Coal Mines at II 80
this morning
At o'clock twenty-five bodies Of miners
killed by yesterday mornings explosion
were brought TO the surface and laid out,
and at 10 o'clock ten more bodies were
brought up.
The number OF the dead may reach
forty-two, as several are yet unaccounted
for. The mine officials assert that the
total Is only thirty-cight They insist
that the explosion OF dynamite caused
the disaster. while miners say 1t WAS a
gas explosion fired by dynamite. The
appearance OF the bodies Is horrible;
some are burned beyond recognition.
Three white men thought they identi-
fed one body as that OF their brother,
but it turned out to be that Of a negro
There are five wounded, two of whom
will die. There Is great difficulty In OBJ
tanning rescuers. as very few volunteers.
despite urgent pleading OF Superintendent
Cant. who last night actually got on his
knees and implored them TO go into the
mine.
1t is thought that some OF the bodies
are caught under the timbers. The force
of the explosion was so great as TO throw
a thousand feet the buggies in which the
coal is carried.
THE SEARCH.
RALEIGH, y. c.. Dec. 2O.-lnterest In
the news from Cumnock Mine was in
tense to-day, and many persons from a
distance went 10 the scene OF yesterday
great disaster. lhe work OF searching ior
the dead continued all night The seareh,
ers rested three hours and then renewed
their efforts Difficulty In obtaining per
sons to engage In this work was great,
and is one of the worst features OF the
affair.
Crowds OF men stood near the mouth OF
the mine full OF morbid curiosity. The
pitiful supplicatiOns OF women, the urgent
requisition Of Superintendent can't, ana
the pleadings of the miners failed 10 en-
list their sympathy sufficiently 10 IN
duce them 10 enter the SHAFT ana ASSIST
In the search.
You have not heart as big as a
pea. You won't help raise your own
dead: it's cOwardice." said i. Nuttall,
one Of the leading miners and the ilrst
10 enter the mines 10 begin the WORK OF
rescue ....,..,,,.,.,,
Gallant Superintendent Cant, whhe ap-
healing to the crowd. asked them as
men IN they would not undertake the WORK
for "A while. one man SAID ne wouid
IT'S a shame that you don't remarked
the superintendent .,,,,.,.
The average number at work searching
yesterday and last night and to-day was
Bodies were found I'm all parts of tho
mine. mainly in the 35O-foot level, where
the principal loss OF lie occurred. ht
condition OF many bodies n shochAis.
The hands Of many are nearly burned on.
Tine work OF Identifying the dead WAS
slow Hundreds or persons Inspected lne
thirty-fvo bodies laid out IN the engine
house up 10 10 o'clock this morning. Ns
rapidly as they were Identified they were
''''p '''''0 THOSE RECOVERED.
The recovered up TO noon were, -
Married-George A&narsGMs, & G,,,,or censra h,,,@,,'
Munro and son Thomas, Harry Morris
and son Randolph. Wright tyson. l.I-
clan HOlllngs and son Edward, FRANK
Mickey. lvenson Smell, Joseph W. Mn'te
Louis White. ard Arthur White ,coioiea!-
three brothers: Joseph Thompson tc9i-
oredD. William jenkins tc0loredl, 'hailr.
Poe. Jerry Lambert and CASTOR lailntit
(cOlored). brothers. John Shoimpuif iii
er Reaves (cOlOred), tiay Harris ,,ui.
oredD. and a Pole. name unknown Most
OF them leave dependent families.
The following were unmarried. waiter
Horton (coloredl. Louis spurhe lcoio,1sp,,
Norwood and four Poles, VINO arrived
week ago.
THE INJURED.
The injured are: Joseph Miller, JoDh
William Smith, Dempsey lialsey tcoi-
oredJ. and Jack Johnson. Two OF THESE
There was great contrast between the
scenes at the mines yesterday ana TO-
day The women were all there yester-
day. excited and overwhelmed Win anN-
iety. but hoping for the best To-day
AN hone had disappeared. anxious widows
sat al cottage windows watching Tor the
appearance OF "A litter bearing tneir dead.
Not "a woman was at the mines To-
day There were some notable IN
stances of heroism in the rescue OF -er-
sons who were In the mine when The
EXP. .siOn occurred. Early yesterday the
boss inspected the mine Tor gas ana
reported the atmosphere all right ~
Iate as a. NJ the same report was
made 10 Superintendent Cant by the
mine forcuan. II seems certain that II
was a gas explosion: all the miners say
DYNAMITE.
There were 80 pounds Of dynamite In
the mine and the mine Officials insist
that N caused the explosion. The miners
saw some one carelessly ignited a earb
nile with a candle. At noon two bodies
were recovered, OF l.. L. Holland and
The whites are distinguished from the
negroes only by the hair. The brains
OF some are knocked out and the SKIN
lis torn from the body TWO children
were found. both nude, one clasped In ITS
fathers arms. There are yet four bodies
in the mine. two IN slope No. and two
in slope No. !.
These are thought 10 be buried several
feet under coal. They are Joseph Smails.
VI Bentley, y. II. Quinn, and EDWARD
Bentley.
TWENTf-NINE mrs LOST.