The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-19
SIXTY MEN PROBABLY LOST
TERRIFIC GAS ExPLesTON IN A
 MINE IN C0E0RABO.

It is Not Believed That One of Those Whs
 Were in It Could Have Survived tho
 Shock, the Gas or tho Eiro--The Town of
 Newcastle Shaken.
 Newcastle, Col, Feb. 1S.--The Vulcan coal mine, located in the Hog Back just below town, was completely wrecked and set on fire. by terrific gas explo- sion shortly after II o'clock to-day. About sixty men, Including firemen and coal operators, were in the several rooms along the slope, and not single man could have survived the shock, the gas or the fire
 With the exception of few bosses the killed were Italians.
 The town of Newcastle was shaken by the explosion as if by earthquake, and dense black cloud obscured the sight of the Vulcan mine and workings. The entire population rushed to the scene to behold the surface workmen in the midst of 2. thick cloud of dust, trying in vain to start the work of rescuing their unfortunate fellow labor- CTS.
 The earth had settled perceptibIy near the hillside, and the dense smoke issuing from crevices in the upheaved mass gave evidence that the coal vein had been set afire. The shrieks and screams of the women and children added greatly to the confusion. The mine owned by the Colorado Fuel and Iron company, two and a half miles away, was promptly closed down and all hands hastened to aid Superinten- dent Herrick of the Vulcan, in the work of rescue, but it was quickly seen that little could be done. Herrick and sev- eral men had torn away the broken tim bering at the landing and had rushed into the slope soon after the explosion had occurred with wet sponges over. their nostrils, only to be driven back again by the deadly fumes. A special train was sent to the mine by the Colorado Midland Railway cont pany with doctors to care for any wounded men that might be rescued. but the sun. set before the opening could be made. The force of the ex- plosion was so great that the buildings and trestles at the mouth of the slope were completely wrecked, a hole 100 feet square was carved out of the hillside at the mouth of the incline, while tiln- bers two feet square were blown in 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 sew eral hundred feet away from the mouth of the slope.
 The state coal mine inspector was here February 5 and pronounced the mine in better condition than ever be- fore. An immense far in the slope, which was about 500 feet in depth, seemed to afford complete ventilation, and every possible precaution was taken to prevent an explosion of gas. It is believed that a lighted match ignited the gas in one of the new rooms while the men were blasting down coal.
 The Vulcan Fuel company operates the property, which is owned by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail- road company
 The entire slope is filled with debris and it is now evident that many days must elapse before the bodies of the entombed miners can be rescued. Since darkness fell the smoke seems to have diminished and it may be that the fire will not destroy the property, but new workings will have to be started. Most of the men entombed leave large families.