The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-19
NO HOPE OF RESCUE.
Three Score Men Entombed Alive
In a Colorado Mine.
WHOLE MOUNTAIN WAS SHAKEN
When an Explosion Told Of an
Awful Disaster.

NEW CASTLE, Colo, Feb 1o.-With re-
port that shook Elk mountain to It's base,
the Vulcan mine went up in smoke yes
terday, and three score lives were sacri.
feed. Not n sound OF warning was
emitted from the depths of the earth,
where about 90 men were employed In
their dangerous calling. The number OF
victims cannot be accurately stated, but
the estimates range from so to 40 men.
All business Is practically suspended,
and everyone is dazed at the awfulness OF
the sudden disaster. No warning was
given the peaceful villagers until n sudden
report as from 100 capnons resounded
throughout the valley.
A throng of people were soon on the
scene of the disaster, distance OF nearly
two miles from New Castle. A glance
was enough to dissipate any hope for tho
lives OF the entombed men. The force OF
the explosion had caused aave-in, and
the tunnel aud air courses were filled
with the fallen rock, earth and timbers
Both fanhouses were wrecked, and tho
siopo and vicinity were so full of debris,
AND the gas was so bad, that it was hard
and dangerous work to begin the rescue.
Nevertheless, willing hands were soon at
work, and five men went down rs far as
possible to ascertain the condition OF tho
slope, and found il such that it will re-
quire much work TO even reach the por-
tion occupied by the laborers. The gai
was so bad that after the party had gotten
200 feet, they were compelled to pcede.
Miners to the Rescue.
The Consolidated mine shut down i'm.
medi.tely on hearing of tho disaster, and
sent their entire force of $50 men TO help
the unfortunate ones. The construction
of temporary farmhouse was commenced
at once, and the work of pumping fresh
air into the mine will begin as soon as
possible. 1t is hardly possible any OF tho
miners are still alive. But the starting OF
the fans Will be made as soon as 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
nj the time OF the explosion was Edward
Welch, who was near the mouth OF tho
tunnel, and was blown out. His skull
was fractured, arm broken, face badly cut
and burned and all the hair burned from
his face. He was breathing when found,
but expired shortly after without showing
consciousness.
Twoyoung miners, Tom Connolly and
James Petr.e, net with narrow escapes
Their eyes becoming sore, they quit work
in the mines and had just emerged from
the tunnel when the explosion occurred
AS soon es the news of the explosion
reached New Castle. Superintendent
Blornt closed the mines of the Colorado
Fuel company, and taking all his miners
left for the Vulcan mines, where all are
actively at work aiding in the attempts at
rescue. There are two shafts In addition
to the one in which the explosion took
place. In the upper OF these two the res
cuers are in about SOD feet, and 1t is
through this that air can be forced into
some of the rooms.
In this main tunnel men are at work
building a division with boards and can
vas, through which air can be forced in
on the one side and the foul gas driven out
from the other. But this Is slow work
The cause Of the explosion was the ignition
of gas.
The management insists that the re-
ported loss Is not as bad as first accounts
say, but there are apparently no hope for
single survivor, according to the judg
ment of men who have been employed in
the mine.