Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-06-13
FIRE INA COALPIT.
Eighty.five Men Put in Peril of
Their Lives.
THREE CUT OFF BY THE FLAMES

The Others, After Being Entombed and
Nearly Sunocated, Are Rescued Through
Shaft Not Reached by the Blaze-Ex-
plosiOn Of Gasoline Causes the Disaster
Which Results in Money Loss Of $751;
O0O-Twenty Mules Cremated.
TAYLoRvILLE, Ills, June 13.-The Tay-
Iorville coal mining works were DESTROYED
by fire yesterday and eighty-fi five men en-
tombed alive. After hours Of suffocation
all but three were rescued alive. The fire,
which was caused by an explosion of gaso-
line, spread rapidly through the mine,
cutting off the men at work in the lower
levels. Those rescued were taken out
through shaft that the fire did not reach.
The flames are still raging below and the
bodies of the three dead miners cannot be
recovered. Twenty mules also perished Tho
loss by fire will be s75,ooo, fully insured.
Pitiful Scenes Around the Shaft.
Pitiful indeed was the scene around the
main shaft. Thither had gathered the
wives and children of the men who found
their daily sustenance in the black bowels
of the earth. Some prayed, while others
cried, and all hoped for the best.
The fire started in the oil room, situated
at the bottom and about seventy feet
from the working shaft and rolled toward
the opening. The fans were then running
at their usual speed, throwing air from
the hosting shaft through the mine to
give the men sufficient oxygen.
Drove the Smoke Through the Mine.
This drove the greater part of the smoke
through the avenues of the mine, suffOcat-
ing and binding the imprisoned miners.
Deoth to all the workmen seemed inevita-
BILE as they could never find their way to
the airshnft, out of which volumes of
smoke poured, two and One-half miles
away. Men, women and children, rela-
tives and friends of the apparently doomed
miners hastened to the scene and in wild
agony OF fear and suspense crowded and
jostled each other around the burning
shaft seeking and calling for their loved
ones.
Fire Companies Were No Use.
The fire companies attached their hose
and attempted to throw water down the
shaft, but the pressure, though sixty
pounds to the square inch in lie city,
failed to force water at that distance and
it was like pouring it in from jug. Word
was sent to the city engineer to put on
direct pressure, but from some cause he
failed 20 obey the instructions.
Men Cropping for Life.
The men below, cropping along the bot
tom of the mine, slowly but braveIy seek
ing safety by crawling upon their stom-
achs with faces close to the ground to
avoid instant suffOcation from the awful
smoke and impenetrable darkness sur
rounding them, were trying to work their
perilous way to the air shaft without hope
of success. and realizing the impossibility
of rescue by their frantic friends above.
Death Seemed Certain for q Moment.
Suddenly they felt the current of smoke
change, and for one brief moment it
seemed to them as if the fiery monster had
seized the air shaft ahead and was rolling
greater volumes of deadly gas back to meet
that behind. Death seemed certain only
for n moment. for with the first few revo-
lutions of the fans reversed the smoke be
gan to clear, followed by Whit of purcr
air, and the men with prayers of thank
fulncss renewed their efforts to reach the
haven of their hopes
a Great Wave Of JOY.
Many friends We're awaiting them at the
mouth of the air shaft and as they came
out in groups and realized that they We're
safe great wave of joy went up from
many hearts which but moment before
We're bursting with agony The men were
saved by the change of the air current in
the nick of time, but the buildings at the
top of the burning shaft were beyond tho
control of the fiji c companies.