The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-12-26
MORE DEAD MINEK,
Another ExplOsin Of Fire Damn
In u Cool Mine

Nashville, Tenn, Dec. %. About
thirty men were entombed in one of
the coal mines of the Dayton COMPANY
this morning by an explosion of fire
damp. There is not the slightest hope
that one Of the thirty men is alive.
The following is a partial list of the
men WHO are entOmbed: Tom Haw-
kins, single; John Leech, single; Lon
Ferguson, marriad; Robert Hamilton.
single; Jack investor, married; Will
lam Henderson, married; John West
field, married.; JOhn MANS, married;
j. Ii. Bennett. married; William Alex
ander, married; w. j. Miller, single;
w. 5. Davis, married; Theodore Lane.
married; Laney, Walker, single; e..
Washburn, single; Cyrus Alexander,
single; John Abel, a boy; Will Brother
ton, single; Jim Johnson, single: Elder
Morgan, single; Will Roddy, a boy.
There are seven of eight more in
the mine whose names could not be
learned. A number of attempts were
made to reach the men, but in each
case the rescuers were driven back by
foul air.
The explosion was succeeded by q
terrific crash. which indicated that
the roof Of the passage through which
they had entered, had fallen in. No
avenue of escape was left and there
is no possibility that any of the men
will be found alive. The nine is the
property of the Dayton Coal and Iron
company, three miles from the town Of
Dayton, and reached by a spur track.
The men, both white and black. in
Guiding several boys, entered the mine
TO 90 to work at I o'clock this norm
ing, but nothing Of the awful catastrO-
phe was known until IL o'clock, when
the drivers at Entry No. 10. finding
their way blocked by a solid wall of
coal and slate. The Nelson mine has
been worked for twelve years or more,
and the entry where the unfortunate
miners are entomhed ran back more
than w miles from the mouth of the
mihe. The mine is Of the kind com
MOI. in Southern Goa fields, known as
drift or level veined mine, worked in
| the direction Of the vein, and straight
into the mountain. but before the en-
try is reached a long slope extends to
the level several hundred yards up
from the foot Of the slope, where tram
cars. drawn by mules connect with the
| outside by a cable which hauls the
coal up with remarkable rapidity.
Rescuing parties have been trying To
reach the imprisoned miners, but it is
| probable they will be several days
| forcing an opening through the wall
of fallen roofing. which must be made
safe as they proceed. The foul air
quickly eXhausts the workers, who are
relieved by fresh hands. The work
will continue day and night till the
bodies are recovered. At the mouth Of
the drift hundreds of women and
children soon gathered. and the pic
ture Of their grief and despair is heart
rending.
Of Bodies.
Raleigh. y. G.. Dee. 22.-Thc Associ-
atcd Press correspondent has just re-
turned from CumnoCk. the scene of
the explosion in the Egypt coal mines.
All the bodies discovered were
brought the the bottom of the main
shaft. bur none were brought to the
surface until this morning. when II
bodies were brought to the surface
by the rescuers. Eight bodies were
found afterward and are lying at the
foot Of the shaft. Two more bodies
have been discovered. but are almost
completely buried. They are now be-
ing dug out. The body OF the fore
man Of the dynamite room has not yet
been found. Reports as to the mount
Of dynamite in the mine conflict. Some
of the miners say there were five
cases, or 25N pounds. while the super
~intcndont thinks there were only 30
pounds. The theory of the cause Of
tho explosion generally held is that
the first explosion was coal gas, that
then the dynamite exploded. and after
this came the sitting "aftcr damp"
that suffocated all who remained
alive. .