Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-19
IA TOMB OF SIXTY SOULS The Old Earth TrembIed and IS- sued Black VoIIeys. VULCAN MINE EXPLOSION A MangIed Mass of Huvs Flesh Among the
 DeS GAS IGNlTEs pS ESERTED QUARTERS Would-Be K ,>- CTS on the Scene, but Are Drivs cS ack by Fumes "More
 Foul Than vulcan's
 Stlthy.'
VULCAN MINE EXPLOSION
GAS IGNlTEs VS ESERTED QUARTERS
 $

Newcastle, Col, Feb 1S.-The Vulcan coal mine, located in the Hogback, just l pelow town, was completely wrecked
 and set on fire by terrible gas explosion shortly after II o'clock today. About fifty men, including fremen and coal opera tors, were in the several rooms along the slope when the explosion occurred, and so great was the detonation that not a single man could have survived the shock and the gas of the fire which im- mediately ensued.
 With the exception of a few bosses
 the killed are Italians, but in the confu-
 sion and excitement it is impossible at
 this time to make complete roster of
 the names of the unfortunates.
 The town of Newcastle was shaken as
 if by an earthquake by the explosion | and a dense black cloud obscured the sight of the Vulcan mine and workings, indicating only too plainly what had oc-
 cured. The entire population rushed to the scene to behold the surface workmen
 In the midst of thick cloud of dust trying in vain to start the work of rescuing their | unfortunate fellow laborers within. The earth had settled perceptlbly near
 the hillside, and the dense volume of
 smoke issuing from creyices in the up.
 heaved mass gave evidence that the coal vein had surely been set afire by the ex- plosion. Women and children rushed shrieking to the scene, adding to the con-
 fusion. The mine owned by the Colorado Coal and Fuel company, two and a half miles away, was promptly closed down
 and all hands hastened to assist Supern- tendent Herrick of the Vulcan in the work of rescue. It was quickly seen that little could be done. Herrck, with sev- eral men, had torn away the broken tim- bering at the landing and had rushed into the slope soon after the explosion had oc- cured with wet sponges on their nos- trils. only to be driven back again by the deadly fumes. A special train was sent to the mine by the Colorado Mid land Railway company with medical aid prepared to assist in caring for the wounded,if any were rescued, but the sun went down behind the mountains before any opening could be made.
 The force of the explosion may be imagined when il is known that the buildings and trestle at the mouth of the slope were completely wrecked a hole 100 feet square carved out of the hill
 side at the mouth of the incline, while
 timbers feet square were blown into
 the Grand river, 400 feet away.
 One miner was on his way down the slope when the explosion occurred, and his mangled remains were subsequently, found several hundred feet away from the mouth of the slope. There were 40
 men employed in and about the mine at the time and about fifty were at work | under ground this morning.
 State Coil Mine Inspector Griffith was here February and pronounced the mine in better condition than it had ever been before. An immense fan in the slope, which was about 800 feet in depth. seem- ed to afford complete ventilation and every possible precaution was taken to prevent an explosion of the gas known to exist in the mines of this district It Is believed that a high lighted fuse ig- nited the gas in one of the new rooms while the men were blasting down coal. The old Vulcan mine has been abandoned for several years. and was in no way con-
 nected with the present property. a new
 slope having been driven into the hill
 side.
 The Vulcan Fuel company operates the
 property. which Is owned hy the Atchi-
 son, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad com
 pany. with headquarters at Topeka Ks
 Just at this time the mine was worked
 to its full capacity the output being
 from seventeen to twenty cars per day.