The record-union., 1896-02-19
Mine Now on Fire.

NEWCASTLE COLI, Feb. 1S-The
Vulcan Coal Mine, located in the Hog
back, just below town, was completely
wrecked and set on fire by a terrific gas
explosion shortly after IL o'clock to-
day, and all the workmen in the mine
We're instantly killed. About fifty men,
including foremen and coal operators,
were in the several rooms along the
slope when the explosion occurred, and
so great was the explosion that not
single man could have survived the
shock or the fire which Immediately en-
sued
The old Vulcan mine was abandoned
some years ago because of fire, and
this new mine will doubtless share a
similar fate. With the exception of a
few bosses the killed are Italians, but
il. the confusion and excitement of the
day it has been impossible at this time
10 make complete roster of names Of
the unfortunates.
The town of Newcastle was shaken
as if by an earthquake by the explo-
sion, and a dense black cloud obscuring
The site of the Vulcan mine and work
Irgs indicated only too plainly what
had occurred. The entire population
rushed to the scene, to behold the sur
face workmen in the midst of thick
cloud of dust trying in vain to start the
work of rescuing their unfortunate fell
low-laborers within.
The earth had settled perceptibly
about the hillside, and the dense mass
OF black smoke issuing from crevices
in the upheaved mass gave evidence
that the coal vein has surely been set on
fire by the explosion.
Women and children rushed shrieking
and screaming to the scene, adding 10
the confusion.
The mine owned by the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company, two and a half miles
away, was promptly closed down, and
eli hands FASTENED to assist Superin-
tendent Herrcke of the Vulcan in the
work of rescue, but it was quickly seen
that little could be done.
Herrcke with several men had torn
away the broken timbering at the land
ing, and had rushed into the slope soon
after the explosion occurred with wet
sponges on 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 Com
pany with medical assistance prepared
to care for the injured il any were res
cued, but the sun went down behind
the mountains before any progress
could be made.
The force of the explosion may be
imagined when it is known that the
buildings and trestle at the mouth of
the slope were completely wrecked, and
4 hole 100 feet square carved out of the
hillside at the mouth Of the incline,
while timbers two 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 subse-
quently 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 underground this
morning.
The present Vulcan mine has been
opened only about two years. State
Coal Mine Inspector Griffith was here
February Sth, and pronounced the mine
il better condition than it has ever
been before An immense fan in the
slope, which was about 500 feet in
depth, seemed to afford complete VEN
tilation, and every possible precaution
was taken to prevent an explosion Of
the gas known to exist in the mines OF
this district. 1t is believed that a half
lighted fuse ignited 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 connected
with the present property, a new slope
having been driven into the hillside.
The Vulcan Fuel Company operates
the property, which is owned by the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail-
way Company, with headquarters at
Topeka, Kas Just at this time the
mine was being worked to its full ca
pacity, the output being from seven
teen to twenty cars per day.
The entire slope is filled with debris,
and it is now plainly evident that many
days must elapse before the bodies OF
the entombed miners can be rescued
Since darkness fell the smoke seems
TO have perceptibly diminished, and it
may be that the fire will not destroy
the property, as was feared earlier in
the day, but the force of the explosion
was sufficient in itself to practically
destroy the mine, and new work
grounds will have to be started
In the horrors of the day it has been
impossible to obtain anything like ac-
curate information from the panic
stricken families as to the names of the
miners. The latest estimates place the
number of men in the mine at sixty or
more. and not one escaped death.
The names of the company men were
only known to the pit boss, James Har-
rison. whose body lays with his dead
comrades in the bottom Of the Inflated
mine. and can only be aseertained by
the recovery of the bodies.
From the lamp list and information