The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-20
TERRIBLE MINE DISASTER
Eleven Men Killed by
Explosions.
NO APPARENT DANGER

vivors for a Long Time Were Too
Confused to Give an Intclligcnt &C.
coupt-Bodtcs Recovered Were Not
Maugicd.
North sydney. c. B.. June l6.-The
most appalling disaster in the history
OF the Cape Breton Coal Mining Com
pany occurred at the Caledonia mine
at Glace Bay, the principal colliery Of
the Dominion Coal Company today,
when two explosions occurred, caus-
ing the death of eleven men. including
Thomas Johnson, the underground
manager OF the works and brother OF
the assistant manager OF the Dominion
Goal c mpany. Up 10 noon ten bodies
had bee2 recovered.
The explosion occurred in the west
pit at a depth OF about three-quarters
OF a mile. and were caused by gas
which had accumulated in the old
workings. The full force of men en-
ployed In the mine at night is about
$50, but the night shift had just
stopped work and all but sixty had left
the mine. There was scarcely an inter-
mission between the conclusions. The
a rumbling noise liz an earthquake.
succeeded by a deafening. prolonged
and awful roar, which roared among
the hills for miles and the shock OF
which shattered glass in every direction
in the immediate vicinity or the dis
aster. The meaning of the sound was
we'll understood through the mining
district, and an anxious people flocked
to the mine entrance. Before they ar
rived suffocating volumes OF coal
smoke began 20 pour out, showing that
fire had followed the explosion. The
officials of the mine were among the
first to reach the shaft.
A tale of the men showed that some
three score were missing, but a mo-
ment later a number of the miners APP
peared, having escaped by a stope.
There were about twenty-five in the
company who were able to report their
presence TO anxious friends at the
shaft, but several others who had nan
aged to get out Of the stope had fallen.
overcome by exhaustion or the fumes
which they had inhaled. When these
had been numbered IL was evident that
at least twenty men and possibly thir-
ty had been cut off by the explosion
and persisted. Any who survived the
explosion would quickly have persisted
from ssuffercation.
OF the incidents attending the ex-
plosion the survivors were for a long
time too confused to give an intelligent
account. There was no apparent dan
ger at midnight nor up to, 2 o'clock,
when the underground manager,
. Thomas Johnson, now missing. last re-
y ported.
Shortly after 4 O'Clock the watch
man smelled gas and burning wood,
and Manager Thomas Brown was noti-
fed. He opened the shaft just as the
explosion occurred. The work Of res
cue was promptly undertaken by AS
~sistant General Manager Johnson. and
Daniel Merlin, underground manager
Of the Hub Colliery, with a large num-
Der of miners.
The party were confronted with many
difficulties. Men, women and children
hung about the opening Of the stope,
weeping and distracted. Down below
a pitchy darkness prevailed, lighted
by occasional brilli-n bursts OF the
confiagration raging through the pit.
The lamps Of the rescuing party shed
feeble CLEANS, and the volunteers
grouped their way down into the mine.
the poisonous gas almost choking
them. After a brief time. a body was
brought up, then another and another,
until eleven had come to the surface.
None of them were mangled but all
were blackened. The bodies were laid
side by side in the large room in the
office building. Men and ome
crowded into the place and the iden-
|. tiications were accompanied by most
pitiful n
Tn tho v1fd1t ~ fha avei4arnap4 ~ sha
mouth of the shaft the unconscious
form of Manager Brown was brought
to the surface. The opening Of a door
In che of the passages was followered
by an explosion. AID Mr.. Brown fell
down, having been made senseless by
the shock.
In spite OF the efforts Of the rescuing
party the proportions OF the fire In the
pit o forced them to give all atten-
ton { that. The flames seemed %
gain Roadway despite the utmost ef-
forts to check their speed. The work
had to be stopped at frequent intervals.
owing to the danger from fire damp,
| and with each retreat OF the men the
fire Travelled with double fury.
The wreck of the mine seemed be-
yond question. but later the atmos-
: phere cleared somewhat and the work
Of fighting the fire was resumed. Al
? noon news was sent to the surface that
IL was believed the fire was under con-
: troll. and further search for bodies
!; would soon be taken up, although al
that time the rescuers were five hun
dred feet from the scene of the explo-
) sion.
J 1t has been ascertained that the coal
: In the mine has not taken FIRE geuer-
i, ally but that the timbering took fire.
The Caledonia mine was sold TO the
Dominion Coal Company by Senatos
Mexican, the present general MANAGES
of the company. II supplies coal for
gas purposes and has been producing
Z on an average of 1000 tons per day.
Chfeago,s Population