Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-02-21

explosion occurred at the vulcan MINE
at 1870 this morning which was the
most disastrous ever known in the his
tory of this camp. Tonight dozens Of
homes in our little city ale desolatt
because of some loved one, father, hus
band, brother or son, who this morning
left their homes with not thought Of
danger or the awful death that so surely
awaited them, and are now lying lifeless
at the bottom of the Vulcan slope.
All business is practically suspended
everyone is dazed at the awfulness OF
the sudden disaster. No warning was
given the peaceful villagers until sud-
den report as from a hundred cannons
resounded throughout the valley, max
ing the earth tremble. People rushed
out of homes and places of business to
see what had happened, and one look
toward the Vulcan mine was sufficient
fer dense cloud of smoke issuing from
the mouth of the slope met the eyes of
the gazers and told the tale of death.
A throng of people were soon at the
scene of disaster, distance of nearly
two miles from Newcastle. A glance
was enough to dissipate any hope for the
lives of the entombed men. The force
of the explosion had caused a cave-in,
and the tunnel and air courses were
filled with the fallen rock, earth and
timbers. Both fan-houses were wreck
ed and the slope and vicinity were so
full of debris and the gas so bad, that it
was hard and dangerous work TO begin
the rescue. Nevertheless, willing hands
were soon at work and five men went
down as far as possible to ascertain the
condition of the slope, and found it such
that it will require much labor to regain
the miners. The gas was so bad that
after the party had got 200 feet they
were compelled to recede. The party
consisted of Superintendent Herrick of
the Vulcan, and John Evans, William
Reese, Sam Hills and Robert Temple
man, from the Consolidated mine. The
last named mine shut down Immediately
upon hearing of the disaster and sent
their entire force of 100 men to help |
rescue the unfortunate ones. The con-
struction of temporary farmhouse was |
commenced at once, and the work of
pumping fresh air into the mine will |
soon begin. 1t is hardly possible that
any of the miners are stih alive, but the
starting of the fans will be made as soon
as possible in the hope that if any have
survived they may be kept alive until
help reaches them.
The only man who got out of the mine
at the time the explosion occurred was
Ed WEIGH, who was near the mouth of
the tunnel and was blown out, his skull
being fractured, arm broken, the face
badly cut and burned and all the hair be-
ing burned from his head. He was
breathing when found, but expired short
ly after without regaining conscious
ness.
Two young miners, Tom Connolly
and lanes Petrie, met with narrow es-
capes Their eyes becoming sore, they
1uit work in the mines and had just
emerged from the tunnel when the ex-
explosion occurred.
The cause of the explosion is not yet
known. The coal fields in which the
Vulcan mine is located have been trou-
Dled with subterranean fires for many .
years. In many places over a distance
IF eighty to an hundred miles smokee has A.,
ssued from crevices in rocks since the
country was first known to white man,
md in late years more than one valua-
de mine has been destroyed by fire
breaking into the workings. Little over
wear ago the mines of the Vulcan had
O be flooded on this account, and the i
I'D workings have never been reopen
ID, the drift where today's accident oc-
.urred being new one. 1t is thought
hat the disaster may have been caused I.
W breaking into an immense pocket of !
ras generated by these everlasting fires.
On February 8, State Coal Mine In 6
pecter Griffith inspected the mine and :,
pronounced it in splendid condition, and
he work is said to nave been done at all :,
ines in the most careful manner posi-
lie.
The number of victims cannot be &C
urately stated, estimates running from =
fly to seventy. Those best informed =
nink the number is very likely between ;,
fly and sixty. The excitement at ',
.osac+ = so intense that efforts 70 Sc