The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-24

koE EhfoNt1oOu9e
BROWNSVILLE, Pa, Sept. 2S.-sev-
enty.three men were entOmbed to-day
in the Empire mine of snowdeh, Gould
& Company. one-fourth Of a mile below
town, as the result Of an explosion Of
gas, followed by another explosion Of
fire damp. OF the number entombed eli
escaped or were taken out by rescuing
parties except eight who were killed
outright, and three more OF less hurt.
The list Of dead and injured are: John
HaIston, miner, aged thirtV-five, color
ed, wife and two children; Salem Hal
ston, miner, his brother, aged twenty
hve. single; Robert Davidson. miner,
aged Sorty-ave, white, no family: John
Bennett, driver. aged twenty-five, sin
gle: william Prttehard. miner. aged
fifty, wife and seven children: Henry
Hager, driver, aged seventeen. badly
burned: John Cartwright. miner, aged
fltty, married, but no children; James
Hail, miner, aged twenty-seven, un-
married.
The following were injured;
George Baker. miner, burned about
face and breast; John Baker, slightly
burned; Samuel Mcintyre, cut on head
by fall OF slate.
The explosion is said to have been
caused by the loosening of large block
Of coal, which opened a pocket Of gas.
Immediately following the explosion of
gas, there was a second explosion oftire
damp. There were seventy men at
work in the mine at the time Of the dis
aster and at first It seemed an itnpossi-
biiity for any Of the Afty-four men in
entries No. 3 and 10, where The explo-
sion occurred, to escape. Four men. ia
cobs, Davis, whet2el and Walker. who
were near the entrance, managed to
crawl out and the others with the ex-
ceptIon Of those caught by falling coal,
escaped By traverslng mile and half
OF underground passages, coming out at
the entrance near Lynn Station. This
point Is four miles from the opening OF
the mine on the Aionongahela river.
lloanS and s0bs.
It Is dlficult to find words to describe
the scenes of to-day. Shortly after the
report was circulated that an explosion
had taken place at the Empire mine and
that many miners were entombed, Wa
ter street, q narrow thorovghtare lead
ing to It, was crowded with men. women
and children. all moving at breakneek
speed toward the mines. There were
means and sobs and a general feeling Of
painful apprehension. There were con-
lectures Of whether husband, father,
brother or sweetheart were victims.
When the mine was reached willing
hands at once went to work. There was
no waiting; everybody seemed to want
to get into the mine. It was by sheer
force that those In charge at the entry
kept the crowd out. It was announced
that there was sufficient force of men
inside to do rescue work when weary
and painful wait of hours took place.
Just above the entrance 70 the mine
there 10 an artificial plateau up agalnst
the hillside. From the edge OF the
plateau a good view OF the track leading
to the mine could be had. Here women
stood wringing their hands in anguish.
weeping and wailing. sobs, tears and
cries made che air ring with echoes OF
aching hearts. The hundreds OF people
realized that they stood at the entrance
Of living tomb. 1t was several hourS
later that the tinkle Of the electric bell
in the engine house announced that q
train of coal cars was coming from
within. Tho scene of the disaster Is
more than mile from the entry. The
cars are taken In and out by means of
heavy iron cables wrapped and unwrap-
ped by two large spoois. II took about
ten minutes for the frst load 20 reach
the outside world. While the cable was
winding there was a suspense that bor-
dered on the awful. No one knew what
was coming, but feared the worst in
which there was no disappointment. As
one of the spools indicated that the
load would soon arrive the suspense
was all the greater.
A GhaStly load.
"Here II comes" was an almost IMAM
lmous whisper When the little train OF
cars emerged shudder was visible in
the crowd. First there came two cars
loaded with coal. Then three cars, in
each OF which were two bodies. In