The San Francisco call., 1896-02-20
Fifty.Five Miners Now Known
to Have Been Killed by
the Explosion.
FOUL GAS FILLS THE DRIFT
Slow Progress Made in Delving for the
Unfortunates-Many Families
Destitute.

NEWCASTLE, CoLo., Feb 19.-The
number of lives lost in the Vulcan mine
explosion, according to the Coroners list,
is fifty-five. The officers of the company
have. checked up their lamp list, which
shows that fifty-one lamp ps were issued that
morning to miners, so that it is probable
that tifty-five will about cover the cas-
ualties of the explosion. -Four bodies
were recovered up to o'oiock this after
noon, the deadly gas still preventing a
thorough search of the long slope and the
many cham bers.
temporary fan was set up and a vigor-
Gus effort made to clear the mine of its
deadly fumes, but as all ventilatlng must
be done through the slope this is slow
process. Fortunately it was fully proved
this morning that the mine did not become
hred by the explosion, and after the debris
at the first 300 feet of slope was removed
all further obstruc;lons seem to have been
overcome and nothing but the black damp
now prevents the rescue of the bodies OF
the dead men. However, this is still merely
conjecture. Back of the slope is the main
entry, which runs to a distance of 14OO
feet. The effects ofthe explosion may have
sageways and this obstruction will further
delay the progress of rescue.
OF the four bodies discovered, the first
was that of Ed Welsh, roperider, who
was caught IN the drift and his body
badly mangled, as he was projected out OF
the slope with such terrific force. The
next body was that of Abel Dore, found at
9:30 o'clock last night. His brother Joe
was found at II 80 and French carpen-
ter named Frank Cimonsie found at 2:30
A. NJ. These were found lying along the
slope about 300 feet in and they were
badly mangled, as if they, too, had been
driven outward by the force of the escap-
ing gas generated In the explosion. The
remaining bodies are around the bend of
the slope, in the entry which forms the
other side of an inverted U, which is the
shape of the workings, and it is along this
other arm of the U that the cham bers
were opened.
Before daylight the fan was in motion
drawing out the foul gas and black damp.
but though repeated efforts to enter the
slope were made none could get in far
enough to discover any more bodies. At
II 80 to-day work ceased because of the
still evident danger of the gas. The fan
still pumped pure air into the mine, but
the work OF clearing out the damp will be
very slow.
A popularity of the Vulcan mine has
been the presence of some substance,
either dust or gas, which strangely affected
the eyes of the miners. After a few davs
they had to take lay off TO restore their
eyesight and all had to be treated after
working shift in the mine.
The entire town has worked herocially
to assist in recovering the bodies of the
dead and to look after the families of the
men. Nearly all were married and some
had large families solely dependent upon
the earnings of those caught in the death
trap.
Little progress may be hoped for IN the
work of rescue tonight.
Late this afternoon State Coal Mines In
spector Griffith, accompanied by party
of workmen, ventured into the slope, but
made little headway beyond the place
where the bodies already rescued had been
found. They discovered that much debris
must be removed before the work of rescue
can be done, and also that the drift and
chambe are rapidly filling with water
Pumps must be set up at once to combat
this new source of trouble, and further
delays will ensue.
Everybody is worn out from the excite
ment and fatigues of the past thirty hours