The herald., 1896-02-19
FORTY-E|GHT STOUT MINERS
Went Into the Vulcan Mine at
Daylight
NOT ONE CAME OUT ALIVE
A Tremendous Explosion Brought Death
to Every Man
willing Rescuers Choked by Deadly Gas
Cannot Win the Poor Solace Of
..,. Rescuing the Bodies
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
DENVER, Col, Feb. 1S.-A special 10 the
News from Newcastle, Col, says:
An explosion occurred at the Vulcan
mine at l 30 this morning which was the
most disastrous ever known in the history
of this camp. Tonight scores Of homes in
our little city are desolate. because loved
ones--fathers, husbands, brothers and
sons-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 suspend
ed every one is dazed at the awfulness of
tie sudden disaster. No warning was
given tho peaceful visitors until report
as from q hundred cannon resounded
througout the valley, making the earth
tremble. People rushed out of homes and
places of business to see what had hap
pened, and one look toward the
Vulcan mine was sufficient. for
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 was soon at the scene of the dis
aster, distance of nearly two miles from
Newcastle. A glance was enough to dissi-
pate any hope for the lives of the en-
tombed men. The force of the explosion
had caused a cave-iu, and the tunnel and
air courses were filled with the fallen rock,
earth and timbers. Both fan-houses were
wrecked and the stope and vicinity were SO
full of debris aud the gas was so bad that
it was hard and dangerous work to begin
the rescue. Nevertheless willing hands
we're soon at work, and five men went
down as far as possible to ascertain The
condition of the stope, and found 1t such
that it will require much labor to regain
the miners. The gas was SO bad that after
the party had proceeded 200 feet they
were compelled to recede.
The construction of a temporary fan
house was commenced at once ana the
work of pumping fresh air into the mine
will soon begin. 1t is hardly possible that
any of the miners are still alive, but the
starting of the fans will be made as soon as
possible in the hope that if any have sur
vived they may be kept alive until help
reaches them. The only man who got out
of the mine at the time the explosion oc-
| Cured was Ed Welch, who was near the
mouth of the tunnel and was blown out,
his skull being fractured. arm broken; his
face badly cut and burned and all the hair
bun ned from his head, He was breathing
when found, but expired shortly after
without showing consciousness. Two
| young miners, Tom Connolly and James
Petrie, met with narrow escapes; their
eyes becoming sore they quit work in the
mines and had just emerged from the tun-
mel when the explosion occurred.
Forty-eight men were in the mine at the
time of the explosion.
AS soon rs the news of the explosion
reached New Castle Superintendent Paul
Blount closed the mines OF the Colorado
Fuel and Iron company. and taking all his
miners, left for the Vulcan mines, where
oil nj
tempts at rescue.
There are two shafts in addition to the
one in which the explosion took place. In
the upper of these two the rescuers are IN
about 800 feet, and it is through this that
the air can be forced into some OF the
rooms, but none of those in the mines have
come out, and it is feared that this is COLI
elusive evidence that all are dead. In this
main tunnel men are at work building q
division of boards and canvas through
which air can be forced in on the one side
and tho foul gas driven from the other, but
this is slow work and there is no possibility
of getting far enough into the mines to re-
cover any bodies before tomorrow.
The cause OF the explosion is not yet
known. The coal fields in which the Nul-
can mine is located have been troubled
with subterranean fires for many years. In
many places over distance of eighty to
one hundred miles smoke has issued from
first known to white men. and in later
years more than one valuable coal mine
has been destroyed by fire breaking into
the workings. A little over year ago the
mine of the Vulcan company had to be
flooded on this account. and the old work.
ings have never been reopened, the drift
where today's accident occurred being n
new one. 1t is though that the disaster
may have been caused by breaking into an
immense pocket Of gas generated by these
everlasting fires. On February s, State
Coal Line Inspector Griffith inspected the
mine and pronounced it in splendid con-
dition. and the work is said TO have been
done at all times in the most careful man.
ner.
The number of victims cannot now be
accurately stated. estimates running from
fifty to seventy Those beet informed
think the number is very likely between
fifty-fve and sixty. The excitement at
present is so intense that efforts 10 secure
oop,n! !rie I:st piesa