Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-17
TERRIBLE WINE DISASTER.
st Least Twenty Men KILLED by Gas
Explosions.

st LcnSt Twenty Men KILLED by Gas
Explosions.
NORTH SYDNEY, G. H.. June 16.-The
most appalling disaster in The history OF
Cape Breton coal-mining occurred at the
Caledonia mine, Glacc Bay. the principal
collicry OF the Dominion Coal Company,
to-day. when two explosions occurred.
causing the death Of eleven men, includ-
Ing Thomas johnson. the underground
manager Of the works and brother Of the
assistant manager OF the Dominion Coal
Company.
Up TO noon ten bodies had been recov-
cred. The names of the victims follow:
Thomas Johnson, underground manager;
| Neil Mcdonald. of pictou: John Doyle.
ST., John Doyle, Jr.; stephen Mccormick,
OF Sydney. Alexander Mcdonald. Cape
North; William Simpson. Malcolm Nc
Auley, Roy G.. McDougall, and Arthur
Grant.
Missing: Donald Martin.
EXPLOSIONS CAUSED BY GAS.
The explosions occurred in the west pit,
| at a depth Of about three-quarters OF q
mile. and were caused by gas which had
accumulated I'm old workings. The full
| force of men employed I'm the mine at
night IS about $50. bat the night shift had
/ just stopped work, and all but about sixty
! had left the nine There was scarcely
| an intermission between the conclusions.
| The first was dull boom. then there
| was a rumbling noise like an earthquake.
! succeeded by a deafoning prolonged. and
awful roar. which reverberated among
| the hills for miles and the shock OF
! which shattered glass in every direction
| i'm the immediate vicinity OF the disaster
The meaning Of the sound was well
understood through the mining district
and anxious people flocked TO the mine
entrance. Before they arrived suffocating
volumes Of coal smoke began to pour
out. showing that fire had followed the
explosion. The officials Of the mine were
among the first to reach the shaft.
TWENTY-FIVE ESCAPE.
A tale Of the men showed that some
threescore were missing. but a moment
later a number Of the miners appeared.
having escaped by a slope. There were
about twenty-five i'm the company who
were able to report their presence 10
anxious friends at the shaft. but several
others who had managed to get out OF
the slope had fallen, overcome by ex-
haustiOn or the fumes which they had
inhaled. When these had been numbered
it was evident that at least twenty men.
and possibly thirty. had been cut off by
the explosions and had persisted. ANY
who survived the explosions would quick
~ have persisted from suffocation.
OF the Incidents attending the eXplO-
sions the survivors were for long time
too confused to give an intelligent ac-
count. There was no apparent danger at
midnight nor up 10 2 o'clock. when the
underground manager. Thomas johnson.
now missing, last reported. Shortly after
1 o'clock the Waterman smelled gas and
burning wood ana Manager Thomas
Brown was notified He opened the shaft
just as the explosion occurred.
WORK OF RESCUE.
The work of rescue was promptly I'M
dertaken by Assistant-GeneTal-M Manager
Johnson and Daniel Moyland. under
ground manager of the Hub colliery, with
a large number Of miners.
The party were confronted with many
difficulties. Men. women, and children
hung about the opening of the slope.
weeping and distracted. Down below
pitchy darkness prevailed lighted by oc-
casional brilliant bursts Of the conhagra-
tion raging through the pit. The lamps
of the rcscuing party shed feeble CLEANS.
and the volunteers CROPPED their way down
into the mine, the poisonous gases almost
choking them.
ELEVEN BODIES BROUGHT UP.
After brief time a body was brought
up, then another and another. until eleven
had come 10 the surface. None of them
were mangled, but all We're blackened
The bodies were laid side by side in 2
large room in the Office building. Men
and women crowded into the place. and
the lcentihcatiOns were ACCOMPANIED by
most piuful scenes. In the midst of the
excitement at the mouth Of the shaft the
unconscious form of Manager Brown was
brought to the surface. The opening OF
door In one Of the passages was fol-
lowed by an explosion, and Mr.. Brown
fell down unconscious
In spite Of the efforts of the rescuire
party the proportions of the fire in the
pit soon forced them TO give all their at
tenuon TO their escape. The flames SEEM
ed 10 gain Roadway in spite of all efforts
TO check their speed The work had to
be stopped at frequent intervals. owing
TO the danger of firedamp. and with each
retreat of the men the fire travelled with
redoubled fury
FIRE UNDER CONTROL.
The wreck Of the mine seemed beyond
question. but later the atmosphere cleared
some what. and the work of fighting, the
fire was resumed. At noon news was sent
10 the surface that it was believed the
IRE was under control. and further search
Tor bodies would soon be taken I'D. al
though at that time the rescuing party
were 800 feet from the scene Of the ex-
blossoms.
1T has been ascertained that the coal in
the NINE has not taken fire generally.
but that the timbering took fire
The Caledonia mine was sold 10 the
dominion Coal Company by Senator Nc
hean, the present general manager Of the
company 1T supplies coal for gas pur-
poses. and has been producing an average
of 1900 tons per day.
our Minister tn Spain Received.
MADKiD. June l6.-The newly
ed Minister to Spain, Mr.. BelIamv