The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-19
SIXTY MINERS SLAIN.
Terrible Explosion in a Coal
Mine at Newcastle, Col.
ONLY ONE OF THE MEN ESCAPED
And He Was Hurled Out by the shock
Perpetual Fire Ina the Bowels
of the Earth.

Denver. Feb. ia special to the News
from Newcastle. Col, says: Between
fifty-five and sixty men were killed by an
explosion in the Vulcan mine at II %
O'Clock this morning. AT that time the
people above ground were startled by
sudden report. as from hundred cannon.
making the earth trembie. People rushed
out OF their homes and places OF business
10 see what had happened, 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. A throng OF people were soon at
the mine, nearly two miles from Newcas-
tie. The force OF the explosion had caused
a cavern. and the tunnel and air courses
were filled with the fallen rock. earth and
timbers. Both fanhouses were wicked.
and the slope and vicinity were so full of
debris and the gas was so bad that IL was
hard and dangerous work 20 begin the res
cue. Willing hands were soon at work,
and five men went down far as posi-
BILE TO ascertain the condition OF the slope
and found IL such that IL will require much
labor TO recover the miners.
The gas was so bad that after the party
had gotten 80 feet they were compelled TO
recede. The construction OF a temporary
farmhouse was commenced at once. and
the work of pumping fresh air into the
mine vii soon begin. IL is hardly possi-
be that any of the miners are still alive.
but the starting of the fans will be made
soon possible. in the hope that IL
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
Welsh. who was near the mouth of the
tunnel and was blown out. his skull being
fractured. his arm broken, his face badly
cut and burned and all the hair burned
from his head He was breathing when
found. out expired shortly after. without
showing consciousness. Two young min
ers. Tom Connolly ana James Petrie. met
with narrow escapes. Their eyes becom-
Ing sore, they quit work in the mines. and
had Just emerged from the tunnel when the
explosion occurred. Forty-eight men were
In the miEe when the explosion occurred
Az soon as the news of the explosion
reached Newcastle. Superintendent Paul
Blount closed the mines OF the Colorado
Fuel Iron Co.. and. taking all his min
ers. left for the Vulcan mine. where all
are actively at work aiding In the attempts
a rescue. There are two shafts In addi-
ton 10 the one In which the explosion took
place. In the upper OF these two the res
cuers are IN about 800 feet. and Ii is
through this that air can be forced into
some of the rooms. but none of those In
the mines have come out, and TX Is feared
that this IL conclusive evidence that all
are dead. In the main tunnel men are at
work building division OF boards and
canvas through which air can be forced
IL on the one side and the foul gas driven
out OF the other, but this is slow work,
and there is no possibility of getting far
enough In the mine to recover any bodies
before tomorrow.
The cause OF the explosion Is not yet
known. The coal field IN which the vul-
can mine Is located has been troubled with
sabterranean fires for many years. In
many places over distance or eighty 20
800 miles smoke has issued from crevices In
the rocks since the country was first known
TO white men. and IN later years more than
one coal mine has been destroyed by fire
breaking into the workings. A little over a
year ago the mines Of the Vulcan company
had 20 be flooded on this account, and tha
old workings have never been rcopeued.
the drlst where today's accident occurred
being A new one. IL IL thought that the
disaster may have been caused by break
Ing into an immense pocket OF gas generated
by these everlasting fires. On February 5
STATE Coal Mine Inspector Griffith inspect
"a the mine and pronounced II IN splendid
condition, and the work Is said to have been
done at all times IN a careful manner.