The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-17
TWO EXPLOSIONS OCCURRED
WHEN THE ALARM WAS SOUNDED
THERE WAS A PANIC AMONG
MINERS RELATIVES
KNEW WHISTLES PURPoRT
Frantic Scenes That Accompany Dis
asters of That Sort Re-enacted-
Scene I'm the Pit of Most weird
Description-Brave Men Went to
the Rescue of Their Unfortunate
Companions.

HALIFAX, N. s., June 16.-According
to an official account of this morning S
disaster In the Caledonian mine, OF the
Dominion Coal company, at Glace bay
Cape Breton, there were two explosions
the first killing seven men and the sec
ond five. Fire started near what is known
as the deep pump, the cause being un-
known.
Six men, who were on their way out,
were overcome. by an explosion of fire
damp. and suffocated where they fell
Three-Quarters of an hour later party
of men were on their way to the scene
Of the fire, headed by. Thomas Johnston,
the underground manager, when an ex-
plosion of gas occurred, by which they
We're killed instantly. The bodies of the
Victims save one were recovered by a
party of searchers, headed by John John
ston, of the Dominion Coal company, and
brother of one of the dead The fire
was located, and party of volunteers
attacked the flames. The search was car
ried on for several hours, when 1t was
discovered that the extent Of the fire and
the difficulties experienced in fighting 1t
prevented further operations. Up to this
hour the flames have not been subdued.
Those who lost their lives are: Thomas
Johnston, underground manager; John
Doyle Jr., father and son, the latter leav-
ing widow and three children; Arthur
Grant, leaving widow and three. children;
Alexander Mcdonald, widow and eight
children; Stephen Mccormick, widow and
six children; Rory McDougal, widow and
three children Neil Mcdonald, Malcolm
McCauley, William Simpson. Donald Mar
tin, widow and two children.
All the bodies have been recovered ex-
cept that of Martin.
RELATIVES FRANTIC.
It was about Is o'clock that the whistle
announcing something wrong in the mine
was blown. In a very short time the
streets were crowded with frantic people.
John Stone, when found, was near one
OF the cross-cut doors. He was undoubted-
ly killed by the force of the explosion
The others who were with him were
choked with fire damp.
The sceie in the pit was of a most
weird description. The dead men were
thrown proniscuously in the cars and
rushed to the cages. Darkness was brok-
en- by the aid of the hickering lights of
the rescuing party. The rescuing party
were staggered by the fumes of the gas,
and almost blinded by the smoke which
poured down on their heads in volumes.
One of the men was found with his hands
round post. Mccormick was found with
handkerchief across his mouth, and q
waistcoat over his head He probably
went into one of the rooms to save a
mate, but the damp had become so dense
that he succumbed. The others were
found In different attitudes and positions.
The coal in the west deep as well as the
timber is on fire. The air currents changed
several times while the volunteers were
in the pit. This would INDICATE that an
explosion had taken place in the west
deep.
Thomas Brown, manager. of the Gale
donia, went down with the rescue vol
unteers, and was knocked senseless by
the second explosion. He was carried
from the pit unconscious, but will re-
cover.
The Caledonia colliery averages 2sOO
tons per day.