The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-28

dead at fifty-four, though 1t is feared that
the further exploration of the wrecked mine
will develop the bodies of more. Reports of
the number killed have been conflicting. and
there is doubt as to the actual number of
men in the mine at the time of the catas-
trophe. The first reports gave the number
OF miners in the shaft at fifty-four, but
some of them escaped to the surface, bring
ing the body of one comrade with them.
The mining population of the locality
knew all too quickly what the muffied.
thunderous rumble of the explosion meant
and rushed to the mouth of the pit, only to
have their worst fears confirmed. The shaft
was found to be entirely shattered, and it
was evident that there was little hope that
any of those in the pit could have sur
vived the explosion. The despair Of the
women who flocked about the mouth of the
pit was little more terrible than the hor-
rible anxiety of those that hoped TO find
that those who were missing from their
sides had, by some chance, not entered the
mine. The pit was found to have caught
fire, and the hindrance that this caused to
the work of the rescue parties
added to the excitement and ten
sion of feeling. 1t only through
Drawing the utmost peril that the living
were able to prosecute their quest for the
dead.
The number of the dead removed grew
from twelve to fifteen, and then twenty.
and the list of those known to have been in
the fated shaft kept constantly growing,
and with 1t the number of bereaved fam
lilies waiting at the surface. The work of
exploration is going steadily forward, but
under great difficulty the numerous cave
ins obstructing the advance and making it
impossible to reach remote portions of the
mine, while the defective ventilation often
drives back those who are advancing on
their sad errand. The last to come out
brought with them five bodies. None has
been found alive, and it is not now hoped
that any VIII be.
1t was reported at midnight that more
bodies had been brought to the surface Of
the wrecked mine, and some OF those who
were in the mine have been rescud alive
and are able to tell something of the oc-
currence 1t is impossible TO ascertain the
exact number Of the victims as the num-
Der OF men in the mine at the time of
the explosion is not known. But those VINO
have been engaged in the work of ex-
ploration and the few SURVIVORS who have
been rescued tell terrible stories OF the
scenes they witnessed and dead bodies they
| found or stumbled over, strewn in all direc-
tions they fell, overcome by fire damp
or hurled by the force of the explosion.
One of the survivors, fireman, who was
| in the mine itself when the explosion came,
started TO work his way in the direction
| of the entrance with painful and almost
hopeless labor, making frequent pauses. In
one spot he was obliged TO stop and wait
| for four hours on account of the after
| damp. At the end OF that time he ventured
| TO advance a few steps further, when he
had to desist again and wait another two
| hours in hopeless darkness. Another fire.
man who made his way our or the death
| pit by a long journey, relates that he
| passed numerous men on the way who were
unconscious and helpless and badly burned.
| He could do nothing for them and was
| obliged to leave them to their fate. The
| rescuers continued their work all through
| the night. encouraged by the saving of a
| few TO hope that still others remain alive
| in the mine whose lives may possibly be
| saved.