St. Paul daily globe., 1896-02-19

william Hagerty, Joseph Dorr, Abel Dorr,
Will Dorr, James Harrison, Thomas Lawigan,
George Ward, Edward Welch, driver; John
Funke and thirteen-year-old son Emil, Charles
Mercvhant, Tom Addison, Louis Ginotti Red
Rodanski, home in Illinois, leaves wife and
nine children; Peter Patricio, Dan Morris,
GABRIEL Leece, Frank Tossio, Baptiste Chow
chett. Domenic Matteno. August Matteve, John
Scaife, Alex Scaife, Phillip Rache, Peter Beck
er, Fred Sigimual, Antonia Patricio, John
SSoughlin late Of Rockyale; William Webb,
sam Jones, Rank McCourty, Ben Cottle Jr.,
Alex Reno, Frank Simonic, Robert T. Seliger,
Jack Jenkins Domenic Rossetti, Peter Tap
perio, Antonio Tappero, Andrew Rollando, Pc
ter Magenta, Antonio Martino and David j.
Evans.
NO HOPE FOR THEM.
AS soon as the news of the explosion
reached New Castle, Supt Bleunt
closed the mines of the Colorado Fuel
ana Iron company, and, taking all his
miners, left for the Vulcan mines,
where all are at work aiding in the at
tempts at rescue. There are but two
shafts in addition to the one in which
the explosion took place. In the upper
of these two, the reScuers are in about
300 feet, and it is through this that air
can be forced into some Of the rooms,
but none of those in the mine have
come out, and it is feared that this is
conclusive evidence that all are dead.
In this main tunnel men are at work
building division with boards and
canvas, 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, and there Is no pos
sibility of getting far enough in the
mine to recover anybody before tomor-
row morning. The cause Of the ex-
plosion is not yet known. The coal
fields in which the Vulcan mine is To-
Gated have been troubled with sub
terranean gases for many years. In
many places over a distance of eighty
to 100 miles smoke has issued from
creviceS in the rocks since the country
was first known to white men, and in
later years more than one valuable
coal mine has been destroyed by fire
breaking into the workings. A little
over year ago the mines of the Vul-
can company had to be flooded on this
account, and the old workings have
never been reopened, and the drift
where today'S accident occurred was
new one. It is thought the disaster
may have been caused by the breaking
into an immense pocket Of gas gen.
Grated by these everlasting fires. On
Feb. 8 State Coal Mine Inspector Grif-
fifth inspected the mine and pronounced
the mine in SPLENDID condition, and the
work is said to have been done at all
times in a most careful manner
The management insists that the re-
ported loss OF lie is not as bad as at
first reported, but there is apparently
no hope for a single survivor, according
to the judgment of men who have been
employed in the mine. The Vulcan has
always been a source of disquiet to
the Canon City Fuel company De-
spite it's bad reputation, the company
maintains that if only an explosion Of
gas occurred, that was not followed by
fire, there were frequent places in the
tunnels and drifts for the men to seek
refuge. But the violent surface dis
turbance does not tolerate the belief
that any one is saved from the wreck
and the miners have abandoned hope
The mine was running to it's full ca
pacity, owing to the fuel war that has
been waged in the West, and was ship
ping at the rate of ten to fifteen cars
day.
Owing to the dangerous character of
the mine, the miners were not allowed
to enter the slope with any matches
in their possession, but the rule was not
enforced, for, although death was i'm
minent for any one venturing to strike
a light, some Of the more ignorant min
ers could not be taught that their lives
depended on the observance of the Or
der, and frequent infractions Of the rule
were reported at headquarters.